Clara Eugenia Aguilera Garcia, MEP (S&D, Spain), has suggested that provisions which establish a common total allowable catch (TAC) and quota regime in the Mediterranean should be removed from the text of the regulation on the stock management plan (see EUROPE 12100). She considers these TACs could create problems for controlling low quota stocks, or “choke species”.
On Monday 24 September, the European Parliament committee on fisheries is due to discuss the draft report by Aguilera Garcia, which eases certain restrictions of the proposal on the multiannual stock management plan in the Western Mediterranean. The report could go before European Parliament plenary in April 2019 (with a vote at the European Parliament committee end November).
In addition to temporary cessation measures (aid in the event of cessation of fishing activity), the draft report suggests compensatory measures for the permanent cessation of vessels affected by the fishing effort reduction measures proposed.
Regarding areas closed to fishing, amendments introduce a certain flexibility regarding the ban on trawls within 100 m isobaths in geographical sub-areas where that ban is rendered unenforceable by the topography of the seabed and/or the measure’s socio-economic impact.
The proposal provides for “significant” reduction of fishing effort during the first year of the plan’s implementation. The rapporteur introduces a limited reduction in fishing effort of 10%. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)