Brussels, 19/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's fisheries committee, meeting in Brussels on Tuesday 19 April, approved the interinstitutional agreement on the multiannual plan for the management of the Baltic Sea cod, sprat and herring stocks.
The European Parliament will approve the text of this regulation at its plenary session in Brussels on 22-23 June. The three EU institutions reached agreement on the Baltic management plan on 15 March, following 10 months of difficult negotiations (see EUROPE 11513).
The objective of the plan is to contribute to achievement of the objectives of the CFP, including achieving and maintaining maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for the stocks concerned. It should also contribute to the implementation of the landing obligation for cod, herring, sprat and plaice.
The plan establishes the fishing mortality (based on scientific advice) that corresponds to the MSY objective but providing flexibility to account for developments in the scientific advice, to contribute to the implementation of the landing obligation and to cater for the characteristics of mixed fisheries. Safeguard measures should include the reduction of fishing opportunities and specific conservation measures when scientific advice states that a stock is under threat.
Use of fishing logbooks (recording catches) will be extended to vessels of an overall length equal to or greater than eight metres, with a margin of tolerance for pelagic species. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)