EU fisheries ministers will gather in Brussels on Monday 14 November to discuss the multiannual management plan for demersal species in the North Sea and to set 2017 and 2018 catch limits for deep-water fish stocks.
Deep sea species represent around 1% of the fish caught in the North-East Atlantic. Over the years, deep-water fishing and related employment has declined as stocks fell.
The Commission has proposed a general reduction in 2017-2018 quotas (see EUROPE 11640). The proposed reduction for black scabbardfish is 15% per year. The countries that will be affected by this change (including Spain, Portugal and Latvia) are calling for a lesser cut in the total allowable catch (TAC). For red seabream, Portugal, Spain and France are calling for something less than the 20% cut proposed by the Commission. The Commission’s proposed 25% cut for roundnose grenadier in 2017 is considered excessive by the countries, such as Spain and France, which fish this species.
Ministers will discuss the new North Sea multi-species management plan, on which the prospect of the United Kingdom’s leaving the EU is causing problems (see EUROPE 11645). At the start of August, the Commission presented a proposal establishing a multiannual plan for demersal fish stocks (cod, haddock, plaice, saithe, sole, whiting and Norway lobster) in the North Sea (see EUROPE 11606).
Choke species. The North West Waters Regional Group will raise an issue that results from the ending of discards at sea (which requires all catches to be landed). “Choke species” will force fishermen to stop fishing once the most restrictive quota has been reached. Economic and social consequences are to be expected for the fishing industry.
Lastly, the Commission will draw ministers’ attention to the importance of compliance with a number of specific ex ante conditions contained in the regulation on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF): - submission of a report on fishing capacity and of a multiannual national strategic plan on aquaculture; - the proven administrative capacity to comply with the data requirements for fisheries management and to enforce the implementation of a control, inspection and enforcement system. Action plans must be submitted by member states to ensure compliance with these ex ante conditions. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)