Brussels, 28/04/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 28 April, the European Parliament postponed its final vote on the draft regulation to introduce a multiannual plan for cod, herring and sprat in the Baltic Sea, in an effort to help launch negotiations with the Council of the EU on this dossier (see EUROPE 11298).
Nonetheless, the EP did adopt its many amendments to the initial proposal but these involved minor changes compared to the result of the EP Fisheries Committee's vote (see EUROPE 11286).
This plan seeks to restore and maintain the stocks concerned above biomass levels that can produce maximum sustainable yields and contribute to the conservation of the stocks of plaice, brill, flounder and turbot through management of by-catches, “in line with the precautionary approach”. The plan shall contribute to the elimination of discards, taking into account the best scientific recommendations and by avoiding and reducing by-catches and contributing to the implementation of the landing obligation for the different stocks concerned, including plaice. When spawning biomass in one of the stocks affected in a specific year is less than the minimum biomass levels intended, appropriate corrective measures will be adopted to ensure the return of the stocks concerned to higher levels as soon as possible and which help obtain Maximum Sustainable Yields. When biomass falls below the expected levels, measures will be taken to interrupt fishing of the stock in question.
The fish mortality objective takes into account the most recent scientific recommendations and according to the amendments will be attained as far as possible by 2015 or 2020 at the latest, gradually and through stages and subsequently maintained for the stocks concerned. Fishing mortality rates give the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and are drawn from the most recent reliable scientific recommendations available. According to the amendment, fishing mortality rates are equal to 0.8 X the fishing mortality rates guaranteeing the maximum sustainable yield.
The EP explained that according to the following rules: during the cod spawning season, pelagic fishing using stationary gear with a mesh size of less than 110 mm, or 120 mm in the case of outrigger gear, shall be prohibited; - the minimum conservation reference for cod has been set at 35 cm. During the plenary, an exception on daily fishing (a 10% tolerance margin for industrial and pelagic species) was removed. The plan is expected to ensure the attainment of the Common Fisheries Policy objectives and the framework directive (2008/56/CE) “marine environmental strategy”. (Lionel Changeur)