Brussels, 01/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission has launched a consultation, to run until 16 September, on putting in place a multiannual management plan for demersal species in the Western Mediterranean. The plan would apply at least to hake and red mullet, two species where the stocks are in severe danger.
Adoption of a system such as this would see the various national management plans replaced by a single, integrated management framework for demersal stocks in this zone.
The management plan would include: - a defined scope in terms of stocks, fisheries and area; - maximum sustainable yield (MSY) targets and a timeframe for achieving them; - objectives for conservation and technical measures; - safeguard reference values associated with undesirable stock developments below which specific and strong management action would be required; - provisions designed to make it easier to implement the landing obligation (margin of tolerance for discards, subject to certain conditions).
The main demersal species caught in the Western Mediterranean are hake, red mullet, blue whiting, monkfish and the crustaceans (Norway lobster and shrimp). Most of these species are overfished. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)