Brussels, 06/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 6 October, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a multiannual management plan for certain fish stocks in the Baltic Sea. What is different about this plan is that it will, for the first time, apply to three species: cod, herring and sprat. Once adopted by the Council and the Parliament, this plan will be the first real mixed fisheries management plan. It will replace the management plan in place for the two Baltic cod stocks.
For fishermen, it will mean clearer and simpler rules. The plan leaves room for manoeuvre for member states and stakeholders to decide about how to best implement the plan in their sea basin. It also empowers local stakeholders when it comes to developing technical measures.
Since it applies to several fisheries, the plan ensures that the fisheries management is based on the most up to date scientific information on interactions within and between the stocks and with other aspects of the ecosystem and environment. The multiannual plan takes a long-term approach to the management of fish stocks, taking into account the specificities of different fisheries.
The plan incorporates the obligation to land all catches (no more discards) from 2015, the principle of regional cooperation (to implement the rules of the plan and the technical measures) and achieving MSY (maximum sustainable yield). It contains objectives to be reached on fishing mortality and the biomass of the stock (for example, 600,000 tonnes for the central herring stock, 88,200 tonnes for the eastern cod stock and 570,000 tonnes for sprat).
An obligation to land all catches of cod, herring, sprat and plaice coming from the cod, herring and sprat fishery in the Baltic Sea is included, except in circumstances where there is evidence of high survival rates.
“This plan for the Baltic Sea is what we sought to achieve when we reformed the common fisheries policy. It gives power to regional actors, and instead of having year-on-year planning, this long-term plan will help ensure the sustainability of our stocks in the Baltic and provide a reliable source of income from fishing for fishermen. The implementation of the reformed fisheries policy is now in full swing and I now look forward to seeing the other sea basins' plans”, said European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki
This management plan is the first such proposal under the new common fisheries policy and after an inter-institutional deadlock has been resolved between the European Parliament and the Council. (LC)