Brussels, 22/08/2013 (Agence Europe) - The objective of the proposal presented by the European Commission on Thursday 22 August to establish fishing opportunities in the area for 2014 is to make fisheries in the Baltic Sea environmentally and economically sustainable in the short and long term. The proposal will be discussed at the October Fisheries Council and will apply from 1 January 2014.
According to the latest scientific advice, the number of stocks now managed at sustainable levels - the so-called maximum sustainable yield (MSY) level - in the Baltic Sea has increased. For 2014, the number of known stocks that can be fished at MSY level increased from three to five compared with 2013. The cuts in total allowable catches (TACs) adopted in previous years have proved to be an efficient measure to support sustainability in the Baltic fishery, the Commission states.
The Commission proposes to increase TACs this year for eastern cod and stocks of herring in the Central Baltic and Gulf of Bothnia. Decreases for the remaining stocks either reflect the natural fluctuations within the MSY range or are linked to the improved perception of stocks' status as a result of recent data revision. The Commission also proposes to reduce the number of days at sea for vessels fishing for cod in accordance with the Baltic cod management plan. The proposed measures would result in an overall increase by 10% (in other words, a total of 644,000 tonnes) in fishing opportunities for European Union vessels in the Baltic Sea for all species except salmon stocks. This would increase the value of fishing opportunities for 2014 by €12 million to a total value of approximately €412 million.
With regard to cod, the Commission proposes to decrease by 15% (to 17,037 tonnes) the TAC for western Baltic cod and to increase by 7% (to 65,934 tonnes) the TAC for eastern Baltic cod. For the western herring stock, after increases in TAC for two years in a row, scientists are advising the Commission to decrease the TAC for the next year in order to remain within the limits which produce the MSY. For 2014 this decrease is by 23% (to 19,754 tonnes). For central herring in contrast, after decreases adopted in 2011 and 2012, the TAC can be increased for the second year in a row. For 2014 the proposed increase is 59% leading to a total of 143,500 tonnes. Similarly, the proposed TAC for herring in the Gulf of Bothnia (142,662 tonnes) represents an increase of 35%. There are no changes proposed to the TAC for herring in the Gulf of Riga. With regard to salmon, after decreases in TAC adopted in recent years in the main basin of the Baltic Sea, the Commission proposes to maintain in 2014 the same level of the TAC as for 2013. However, the Commission believes there is a necessity to reduce the TAC for salmon in the Gulf of Finland. Based on precautionary considerations, commercial landings from the sea will be brought to the level of 7,256 pieces of salmon (in other words, a reduction of 53%). For sprat, the Commission proposes to decrease the TAC by 11%, to 222,102 tonnes. Lastly, with regard to plaice, the Commission proposes to reduce the TAC by 12%, to a total of 3,002 tonnes. (OL/transl.fl)