Brussels, 10/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission's proposals for fishing opportunities for next year in the Atlantic, the English Channel, and the North Sea will contain a number of surprises: on Thursday 11 November, the Commission is expected to propose a 50% reduction in total allowable catches (TACs) for cod in three zones (Irish Sea, West Scotland and North Sea), before taking the TACs down to zero in 2012. With cod stocks having collapsed in these three zones, these moves are to protect the fish.
It is an admission of failure. The multiannual cod protection plan, in place since 2005 and toughened in 2008, has not been up to its task, the Commission will have to admit. The zones covered by the plan are the North Sea, Skagerrak, Eastern English Channel, Irish Sea, West Scotland and Kattegat. The state of stocks continues to deteriorate, regretted Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki, blaming overfishing, control failures and discards. The cod situation in the North Sea will have to be discussed with Norway under the terms of the bilateral fisheries agreement for 2011 as this stock is shared between EU and Norwegian fishermen.
The Commission will propose, therefore, to reduce cod TACs in the Irish Sea, West Scotland and Kattegat by 50% and fishing effort (ceilings expressed in kilowatt-days) by 25%. Then a zero TAC will be proposed for the 2012 fishing season. In addition, member states will be called on to take whatever steps are needed to rigorously monitor compliance with these rules.
The Commission is planning to examine the rules of the other recovery plans, for example for sole in the Western English Channel and southern hake.
In 2011, for the first time, the Commission wants to put in place a fishing effort limitation scheme in the Celtic Sea. This system (capping fishing effort) will apply to all fishing vessels entering the zone, no matter the species targeted. The Commission proposes to reduce fishing effort in the Celtic Sea by 10% (against reference year 2007) next year. It says that this measure can be justified by the fact that scientific opinion is calling for a reduction or for no increase in fishing effort for most stocks in this zone. The Commission believes that the effect on the fleet of the 10% reduction will be minimal as it will have the effect of stabilising the current situation.
In-year management systems will be retained for short-lived species, such as sandeel, Norway pout and sprat in the North Sea. For these, the fishing opportunities agreed for the start of 2011 may be revised in the course of the year in the light of scientific advice.
Here is a summary of the main TACS and quotas for next year which the Commission is expected to propose:
Anchovy: 15% reduction to 6,800 tonnes for the stock off the Portuguese coast;
Herring: no change in the Irish Sea (4,800t), 15% reduction in the Western Channel;
Cod: 50% reduction to 190t in Kattegat, 15% reduction to 68t in the Rockall zone, 50% reduction in West Scotland, 50% reduction in the Irish Sea and 15% reduction to 3,420t in the Celtic Sea
Megrim: no change in the North Sea (1,757t) and in West Scotland (3,079t), but reductions of 15% in the Irish Sea, Channel and Celtic Sea (to 15,555t), Bay of Biscay (to 1,806t) and further to the south (Spain and Portugal);
Dab and flounder: 15% reduction to 15,989t with 9,906t going to the Netherlands
Monkfish: 15% reduction in the North Sea (9,643t), West Scotland (4,732t), in the Irish Sea, Channel and Celtic Sea area (to 27,448t), the Bay of Biscay (to 7,742t) and no change for monkfish caught in Portugal and northern Spain;
Haddock: 25% reduction in the Rockall zone to 3,748t, with 3,022t for the United Kingdom, and in West Scotland (to 2,005t with 1,561t for the UK), no change in the Celtic Sea (11,579t, with 7,719t for France and 2,573t for Ireland), 15% reduction in the Irish Sea (to 1,210t);
Whiting: 25% reduction in the Irish Sea, retention of the 2010 TAC in the Celtic Sea (14,407t), 15% reduction in the bay of Biscay (to 2,754t);
Hake: no change in Skagerrak and Kattegat (1,661t), the North Sea (1935t), the Channel, the Celtic Sea (30,900t) and the Bay of Biscay (20,609t), and a 15% reduction (10,695t) in the north of Spain and Portugal;
Lemon sole and witch flounder: 15% reduction to 5,543t;
Ling: retention of current levels virtually everywhere, including in the North Sea (2,428t)
Langoustine: 9% reduction in the Skagerrak and Kattegat zone (4,700t, with 3,454 for Denmark), 9% reduction in the North Sea (to 22,580t, with 19,558t for the UK), 15% reduction in West Scotland (13,681t, with 13,357t for the UK), 15% reduction in the Bay of Biscay (to 3,314t, with 3,115t for France) and a 10% reduction in the north of Spain and Portugal.
Plaice: 15% reduction in West Scotland, retention of current TAC in the Irish Sea, 9% reduction in South-East Ireland and 15% reduction in the Celtic Sea and the Bay of Biscay;
Pollack: 15% reduction in West Scotland (344t), the Channel and Celtic Sea (to 11,705t, with 8,384t for France) and in the Bay of Biscay (to 1,285t) and further to the south (North of Spain and off the Portuguese coast);
Saithe: 15% reduction in the Channel, Celtic Sea, Bay of Biscay and off the Portuguese coast (to 2,899t);
Turbot and brill: 13% reduction to 4,127t (with 2,292t going to the Netherlands);
Skates and rays: 2010 TACs and quotas retained in all zones apart from the Bay of Biscay (15% reduction to 4,640t);
Sole: increase of 20% in the Skagerrak and Kattegat zone, 20% reduction in the Irish Sea (to 320t), 15% reduction in West Ireland and the Porcupine Bank, retention of the 2010 TAC in the Eastern Channel and 15% increase in the Western Channel, 25% increase in South-East Ireland, 15% reduction in the Celtic Sea, 13% reduction in South Brittany and South Biscay (to 4,200t) and 15% reduction in the North of Spain, in the Bay of Biscay and off Portugal;
Sprat: 15% reduction in the Channel (to 4,702t, with 2,469t for the UK and 1,528t for Denmark);
Horse mackerel: 2% reduction in the North of Spain (to 24,737t, with 22,163t for Spain) and 15% reduction of Portugal (to 26,471t, with 19,622 for Portugal). (L.C./transl.rt)