Brussels, 14/12/2015 (Agence Europe) - EU fisheries ministers quickly came to political agreement in Brussels on Monday 14 December on total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas in the Black Sea next year.
The European Commission decided against continuing with its proposal for a ban on turbot fishing in 2016. The Council decided to set the turbot TAC at 86.4 tonnes (to be shared equally between Romania and Bulgaria), the same as in 2015.
The Commission had also proposed to introduce a TAC for dogfish (with a zero TAC). The Council, however, decided otherwise. There will be no TAC for dogfish and Romania and Bulgaria have undertaken to put in place measures to reduce catches. Lastly, the Council accepted the Commission's figures on the level of sprat catches. The 2016 TAC will be the same as 2015's: 11,475 tonnes, with 8,032.5 tonnes for Bulgaria and 3,442.5 for Romania. The landing requirement has been in force for sprat since 1 January 2015.
Black Sea stocks are fished by Bulgaria and Romania, along with a number of third countries, including Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia and Russia.
Atlantic, Channel and North Sea TACs. Tough negotiations on the TACs and quotas in these waters will begin in earnest on Tuesday 15 December, with an initial compromise text being presented in the morning. Monday was given over to trilateral meetings (member state, Luxembourg Presidency of the Council and European Commission) to help with the drafting of the initial compromise. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)