On Monday 25 September, the European Commission hailed the outcome of the 39th meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO), in Montreal, Canada, from 18 to 22 September. This was the first meeting to be held under the revised NAFO Convention, which made it possible for progress to be achieved through a stronger focus on the ecosystem approach.
“The European Union was instrumental in advancing key conservation measures based on the best available scientific advice, aiming to ensure sustainability for the stocks and predictability for the industry’s future”, the Commission said in a press release.
It highlighted the agreement among the eleven parties to the Convention on a “new and more modern” multiannual management rule for Greenland Halibut. The EU also led the way in proposing solutions for management decisions on cod and redfish in the Flemish Cap.
The parties also agreed to completely ban bottom fishing on the New England Seamount chain. “The agreed approach will help maintain the biodiversity of the zone by protecting the deep water coral and sponges, such as alcyonaires and black coral that are unique to these underwater mountains”, said an article in the Canadian press.
After two years of intense discussions, the contracting parties agreed to the EU proposals to prepare the ground for ending the wasteful discarding practice and to improve the catch estimation methodologies. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)