Brussels, 06/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - Quotas for fishing stocks in the North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat jointly managed by the European Union and Norway have been increased by 16.4% for 2012, compared with 2011. A bilateral EU-Norway agreement was sealed during week-long negotiations in Bergen, Norway, from 28 November to 2 December. The two parties also reached agreement on the exchange of reciprocal fishing possibilities in each other's waters and agreed to bring in a ban on discards (throwing fish that have been caught back into the sea) in the waters of Skagerrak.
The agreement made provision for a total allowable catch (TAC) for North Sea cod set at 26,475 tonnes and an additional 12% was allocated to continue fully documented fisheries trials. The remaining North Sea TACs were set as follows: 39,166 tonnes for haddock, 79,320 tonnes for saithe, 17,056 tonnes for whiting, 84,410 tonnes for plaice, and 405,000 tonnes for herring. The TAC for mackerel will be agreed following the negotiations with Iceland and the Faroe Islands.
The TAC for cod in Skagerrak was set at 3,783 tonnes, for haddock and whiting in Skagerrak and Kattegat at 2,409 tonnes and 1,050 tonnes respectively, and for plaice in Skagerrak at 7,950 tonnes. The TACs for herring and sprat in the Skagerrak and Kattegat were set at 45,000 tonnes and 52,000 tonnes respectively. (LC/transl.rt)