Brussels, 30/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - In the evening of Monday 29 November, EU fisheries ministers reached unanimous agreement that total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas for deep-sea fish, vulnerable species on which there are very little scientific data, should not be increased in 2011 and 2012. Catches of roundnose grenadier will be reduced by 25% over the two years and of black scabbardfish by 15%.
European Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner Maria Damanaki was pleased that the agreement in Council was in line with the precautionary principle and with scientific opinion. “It is important to secure the sustainability of the fisheries and the stocks,” she added. Appended to the Council minutes is a statement by the Commission in which the importance of “taking care” of the vulnerable deep-sea species is underlined. From 2012, by-catches of deep-sea sharks will no longer be permitted, the commissioner pointed out. “Deep-sea sharks will be fully protected,” she said. She announced the launch of an initiative to improve scientific advice on deep-sea species in order to provide “a clear picture” of the state of stocks and so permit “the right decisions” to be made on catch management. “More money will be devoted to research,” Damanaki stated.
Deep-sea sharks. From 2010, targeted fishing of deep-sea shark species has been banned, though by-catches are accepted. The Commission proposed reducing TACs to zero in 2011 and 2012 and to outlaw by-catches of deep-sea shark species from 2011. Several countries, however, called for a small by-catch quota to be retained as it is impossible to prevent shark from being caught in nets occasionally. A compromise was reached: by-catches will be tolerated in 2011 (up to 3% of 2009 quotas) but will be banned from 2012.
Black scabbardfish. The Council decided to reduce the TAC by 7.5% in 2011 (to 2,356 tonnes) and also in 2012 (to 2,179 tonnes) in North-West Atlantic and Central Atlantic waters. The Commission initially proposed reductions of 15% in 2011 and 7% in 2012. In the waters of the Iberian peninsula and the Azores, there will be no change in the total allowable catch (3,348 tonnes), but, around Madeira, a 5% reduction will apply in 2011 and 2012 (to 4,071 tonnes in 2011 and 3,867 tonnes in 2012).
Roundnose grenadier. In the Skagerrak and Kattegat zone, no targeted fishing of roundnose grenadier will be allowed while awaiting the outcome of consultations between the EU and Norway. In the other zones, flexibility of up to 8% on each of the quotas has been granted. This percentage provides additional fishing opportunities. The quotas set are: 15 tonnes in 2011 (down 13%) and 13 tonnes in 2012 in the North Sea, 850 tonnes in 2011 and also in 2012 in Skagerrak and Kattegat, 2,892 tonnes in 2011 (down 13%) and 2,012 tonnes in 2012 in North Western waters, and 4,521 tonnes in 2011 (down 13%) and 3,979 tonnes (down 12%) in the Iberian peninsula, the Azores and Central Atlantic.
Orange roughy. Zero TAC on 2011 and 2012 (as has been the case since 2010).
Alfonsinos. It was decided to keep the TAC for 2011 and 2012 at the same level as in 2010 (328 tonnes).
Other species. The Council decided to retain the same catch levels in 2011 and 2012 as those in 2010 for the other species: blue ling, red seabream and forkbeards (with 8% flexibility as for roundnose grenadier). For red seabream, the Council has put in place a minimum landing size of 35 centimetres (though 15% of fish landed may have a minimum size of at least 30 centimetres). (L.C./transl.rt)