The European Commission adopted its proposal on Thursday 27 October on fisheries quotas in the Atlantic and North Sea for 2017 which includes a cut in catches of cod in the Celtic Sea and southern hake.
On the basis of the scientific advice received, the Commission proposes to maintain or increase the current fishing quotas for 42 stocks which are in good health, and reduce catches for 28 stocks which are faring poorly.
Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella said that the Commission was proposing “an ambitious programme for 2017 and the only way forward will be to work with fishermen, scientists and national authorities to develop real solutions that lead to fisheries that are both economically profitable and sustainable”.
International negotiations for many of the stocks concerned are still ongoing and some stocks are awaiting scientific advice. For these, the figures will be included at a later stage, once the negotiations with third countries and within the regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs) have taken place.
Stocks fished at sustainable levels. For some EU stocks already at MSY (maximum sustainable yield) level, such as anglerfish in Southern Waters (+54% to 3,955 tonnes), common sole in the Skagerrak/Kattegat (+36%) and sole in the Western Channel (+20% to 1,178 tonnes), the Commission proposes to raise the total allowable catches (TACs). Increases are also proposed for Norway lobster in the Kattegat/Skagerrak (+15%), horse mackerel in Atlantic Iberian waters (+6.9%) and haddock in the Irish Sea and Celtic Sea (+6.8%). The continued growth of the northern hake stock also justifies a new substantial increase in the TAC (+2.8% to 111,865 tonnes).
Stocks fished unsustainably. The state of some stocks still give reasons for concern. For example, cod stocks continue to decline in West of Ireland, in the Celtic Sea and in the Bay of Biscay (the Commission proposes a 68.3% cut in this TAC, to 1,447 tonnes). The Commission proposes a reduction of 30% for sole in the Eastern Channel. Sole in the Irish Sea is very vulnerable. The advice for whiting in the West of Scotland is for zero catches. Decreases are proposed for megrim and pollack in the Celtic and Irish Seas. In the Kattegat, a reduction for plaice is proposed. The Commission proposes reducing the TAC for southern hake by 35.9%, to 6,838 tonnes), a move that is likely to bring a negative response from Spain. The Commission also recommends a 12% cut in hake catches in the Channel, the Celtic Sea and in the Bay of Biscay.
Sea bass fishery. Sea bass forms a specific case: real management measures were only put in place in January 2015 and catch limits introduced in June 2015. The Commission, then, is having to rely on measurements taken in 2015 and 2016 to halt the dramatic decline in this important stock. The proposal includes fishing opportunities for small-scale fishermen who are most heavily dependent on sea bass but takes heed of the scientific advice counselling a reduction in the total volume of landings. Bottom trawlers will, therefore, be allowed a 1% by-catch of sea bass per month, with a limit of no more than 1 tonne of sea bass per boat per month. For what is known as small-scale fishing, the Commission proposes authorising catches of 10 tonnes per vessel per year. The fishery will be closed in February and March to allow the fish to spawn. Recreational fishers will be allowed 10 sea bass per person per month (with no fishing in February and March).
Top-ups. The obligation to land catches of demersal stocks will be extended in 2017. It will include the cod fishery in the North Sea, Pollack in north-western waters and hake in south-western waters. Some demersal species caught by EU fishermen in international waters will also become subject to the landing requirement in 2017. In order to compensate the additional efforts the sector will have to make to comply with this requirement, the Commission proposes some additional quotas, or top-ups for the stocks concerned. These top-ups will be decided in mid-November and will be determined on the basis of scientific advice.
Fisheries ministers will debate and agree TACs and quotas for 2017 at their meeting in Brussels in mid-December. In November, they will set fishing opportunities for what are known as deep-sea species, such as Black scabbardfish, roundnose grenadier and red seabream. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)