Brussels, 15/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - The European Commission adopted a document on Wednesday 15 June launching a consultation on fishing opportunities for 2017, which confirms that progress is being made towards achieving maximum sustainable yield (MSY).
The document, which opens the discussion on the fishing quotas for 2017 that will be set in December, makes reference to the inter-institutional agreement on a multiannual management plan for stocks, in particular cod, in the Baltic Sea. This plan specifies targets for MSY with deadlines for the stocks concerned and introduces fishing mortality ranges consistent with achieving MSY. The proposals the Commission will submit in the autumn will take account of the provisions of this plan, with the Commission undertaking to “accelerate the development of proposals for multiannual plans for other EU sea basins”.
In order to achieve MSY by 2020 at the latest, the share of stocks fished at levels corresponding to MSY must increase, the Commission states. It requested the scientific advisory bodies to monitor the evolution of the fishing mortality and state of the stocks in all EU sea basins in view of the 2020 objective of achieving MSY. An example of EU fisheries showing increased returns from sustainable fishing is the North Sea sole and plaice fishery. The economic performance of plaice-dependent fleets improved significantly under the management plan which moved the fishery to MSY. The Commission also notes that “a positive economic trend is also observed in some fleets involved in the haddock fisheries”.
State of stocks. Haddock stocks west of Scotland and in the Irish Sea have shown improvement but cod and whiting remain at low levels with high fishing mortality and discard levels, the Commission says. In the Celtic Sea, the Commission notes improved recruitment in 2013 that should lead to a higher cod biomass for 2017. Discarding is still a problem for haddock, although it has decreased, helped inter alia by compulsory avoidance devices.
In the Iberian-Atlantic area and the Bay of Biscay, the northern hake stock continues to grow. The southern hake and megrim stocks are above safe biological limits but are being fished above MSY. Anglerfish is fished sustainably and the stock is in good shape. Nephrops (Cantabrian Sea and northern Iberian Peninsula) are still depleted, but in the south the stock is stable or increasing. Several stocks, including cod in the Irish Sea and Nephrops in parts of the Iberian area are at very low levels. Sole in the eastern Channel is still in poor shape.
Deep-water species. Fishing opportunities for deep-sea stocks (scabbardfish, rock grenadier and ling) are fixed under a two-year cycle and, in November, TACs will be negotiated for 2017 and 2018. The Commission is monitoring the member states' commitments made for 2015 and 2016 and will continue to take into account the stocks' particular characteristics.
Landing obligation. Just as in 2016, the Commission is planning TAC adjustments for stocks for stocks falling under the landing obligation as of 2017. It will submit the method used to calculate last year's TAC adjustments to its Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) for advice. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)