In Brussels on Wednesday 11 July, the European Parliament’s rapporteur on the plan for managing fish stocks in western waters, Alain Cadec (EPP, France), called for the time allowed for reaching maximum sustainable yield (MSY) to be three years for some species, despite the fact that the deadline fixed in the basic regulation is 2020 (see EUROPE 12002).
Parliament's committee on fisheries discussed Cadec’s draft report on the management plan for western waters (Atlantic, Channel). Cadec trusts swift progress will be made on this issue so that the plan may be included in Brexit negotiations. He is hoping for an agreement by March 2019.
Cadec made “a few improvements” to the Commission’s initial proposal: - give Parliament back its role as co-legislator for multiannual management; - avoid creating a monopoly held by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) regarding scientific opinions; - allow MSY to be reached in three years for some species; - add bass to the list of species targeted; - and include recreational fishing in the plan (monthly fishing possibilities, marking of bass specimens, cod, Pollock and sole).
During the debate in committee, Linnéa Engström (Greens/EFA, Sweden) and Ulrike Rodust (S&D, Germany) criticised the three year time frame requested for reaching MSY.
The Commission’s representative took the view that such a time frame was in contradiction with the basic regulation providing for MSY to be reached by 2020 at the latest. The Commission supported certain amendments on the ICES monopoly or the marking of fish caught during recreational fishing. In addition, the Commission said that a number of other amendments on new rules for stock management brought into question the tricky balance reached in management plans already in force (North Sea).
“This plan is not lacking in ambition. It is meant to be realistic”, Cadec argued in defence after criticism raised on the flexibility requested for MSY. He trusts that a compromise will be reached on this in Parliament via amendments. The vote in the fisheries committee on this report is scheduled for October. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)