Brussels, 24/10/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 21 October, the European ministers in Luxembourg reached a political agreement by qualified majority on total allowable catches (TAC) and quotas in the waters of the Baltic Sea for the fishing year starting on 1 January 2012. Decisions were made which were in some cases harsh on fishing fleets operating in the Baltic Sea, such as a 27% reduction (the Commission initially proposed -33%) compared to the 2011 situation for catches for the central herring stock and a reduction of more than 50% (the Commission initially proposed -80%) of the salmon TAC for the main basin stock. Quotas are up for cod and down for sprat (-22%) and plaice (-5%).
The European fisheries ministers endorsed the Commission's suggestions for an increase in catches for the two stocks of cod in the Baltic Sea, and for two stocks of herring (Western stock and Gulf of Bothnia stock). That is about as far as the good news goes.
Cod. The Council agreed a 15% increase, to 67,850 tonnes (comprising 17,947 tonnes for Poland, 15,791 for Sweden, 15,587 Denmark and 6,200 Germany), in the Eastern Baltic cod TAC. The TAC is up 13% (to 21,300 tonnes, including 9,298 tonnes for Denmark and 4,546 tonnes for Germany) for Western Baltic cod. The long-term management plan for Baltic cod stocks, which has been in place since 2008, has therefore allowed the stocks to re-establish themselves.
Herring. The Council agreed to a 32% increase in the TAC for Western herring to 20,900 tonnes (11,532 tonnes for Germany, 3,718 for Sweden) and a 2% increase for stocks of Gulf of Bothnia herring (to 106,000 tonnes, divided between Finland, 86,905, and Sweden, 19,095).
On the other hand, the central herring stocks and Gulf of Riga herring stocks have not got recovered sufficiently. The Commission therefore proposed to cut the TAC for these stocks drastically. The compromise reached will help to limit damage for the fishing fleets, with a 27% reduction (to 78,417 tonnes) of catches for central herring stocks, and a 16% cut (to 30,576 tonnes) for herring stock in the Gulf of Riga.
Salmon. In order to bring salmon populations back to sustainable operating levels, the Commission had proposed to reduce the TAC by nearly 80% for the main basin stock (to 52,974 fish) and by nearly 30% (to 10,884 fish) for the Gulf of Finland stock. After some fairly tough debates, the Council decided on a 50% reduction in salmon catches in the main basin (to 122,553 fish) and an extension of the current TAC (15,419) for the salmon stock in the Gulf of Finland. The salmon management plan for the Baltic Sea proposed by the Commission on 12 August 2011 is likely to help improve the state of the stock, according to forecasts.
Sprat. The Commission proposed reducing the TAC for sprat by 26%, to 213,110 tonnes. The Council decided on a 22% reduction, to 225,237 tonnes.
Plaice. No scientific data are available for the size of the plaice stock. The Commission proposed a reduction of 25% on the flounder TAC. The Council agreed on a 5% cut (2,889 tonnes). (LC/transl.fl)