Brussels, 22/10/2012 (Agence Europe) - In Luxembourg on Monday 22 October, the Fisheries Ministers of the countries of the EU reached a political agreement on the levels of total allowable catches (TAC) and quotas for next year in the waters of the Baltic Sea, with increases for sprat (+11%), plaice and certain herring stocks (such as +15% for central herring). Reductions in TAC have, however, been decided upon for cod and salmon.
This is a very good agreement, said the Fisheries Commissioner, Maria Damanaki. The sustainability policy is paying off for our fishermen, our countries and our citizens, she told a press conference. Over the previous years, we have experienced difficult periods with drops in quotas, the commissioner pointed out. The level of maximum sustainable yield (MSY) has now been reached for six stocks in the Baltic, and I hope that it will be achieved for all stocks by 2015 in these waters, Damanaki said.
Cod. The Commission was proposing to reduce the TAC for cod in the Eastern Baltic by 9% in 2013, to 61,565 tonnes (including 16,285 tonnes for Poland, 14,328 for Sweden, 14,143 for Denmark and 5,626 for Germany). The Council agreed on this plan. It laid down a 6% decrease, to 20,043 tonnes, of the TAC for cod in the Western Baltic. Initially, the Commission recommended a smaller reduction (-2%). The level of fishing effort (number of days on which fishing is authorised) is the same in 2013, and applies to cod in the Baltic.
Herring. For the second year in a row, an increase in catch is authorised for Western Herring (+23% to 25,800 tonnes, of which 14,234 is or Germany). The Council decided on a 15% increase in the TAC for central herring, to 90,180 tonnes, whereas the Commission proposed an increase of 9%. The status quo is retained for stock in the Gulf of Riga (to 30,576 tonnes), whereas the Commission proposed a drop of 10%, and herring in the Gulf of Bothnia (to 106,000 tonnes), for which the Commission wanted -7%.
Salmon. The Council decided to reduce the 2013 TAC by 11% for the main basin (to 108,762 fish); and to keep the same level as in 2012 (15,419 fish) for the Gulf of Finland. The figures put forward comply with the scientific opinions submitted and with the salmon management plan of the Baltic sea proposed by the Commission.
Sprat. The TAC for this species rises by 11%, to 249,978 tonnes: 73,392 t for Poland, 47,670 for Sweden, 34,583 for Latvia, 28,634 for Estonia, 24,659 for Denmark, 15,622 for Germany, 12,908 for Finland and 12,510 for Lithuania.
Plaice. The scientists have developed a methodology to assess the size of the stock of plaice. The Council has laid down an 18% increase in the TAC in 2013, to 3,409 tonnes. (LC/transl.fl)