On Wednesday 7 November, the European Commission suggested that, in 2019, total allowable catches (TACs) should be set at zero for five stocks, including cod in the Celtic Sea and whiting to the west of Scotland and in the Irish Sea. Catches of northern hake are to increase, as well as Norway lobster and plaice in Skagerrak/Kattegat, and sole in the Bay of Biscay.
The Commission unveiled its proposals on TACs and quotas for 2019 in the Atlantic and North Sea, which cover 89 stocks. For 62 of those stocks, TACs have increased or remained unchanged, whereas they have been reduced for 22 stocks. TACs of several other species (anchovies, Bay of Biscay langoustine, ray, etc.) will be determined at a later date.
A Commission press release explains: “As the size of some key fish stocks is increasing – notably for Norway lobster in Skagerrak/Kattegat, Northern hake and Southern horse mackerel – so is the profitability of the fishing sector, with an estimated €1.4 billion profit for 2018”.
For 27 stocks such as Norway lobster and plaice (+65% to 19 424 tonnes) and plaice (+98% to 2 941 tonnes) in the Skagerrak/Kattegat, the stock of northern hake (+20% to 119 119 tonnes), western and southern horse mackerel (increases of 18-69% depending on the area), cod (+16%), sole and plaice in the Irish Sea, as well as sole (+6% to 3 823 tonnes) and megrim (+40%) in the bay of Biscay, the Commission is proposing to increase TACs.
For 35 stocks, the Commission suggests the status quo should be kept (such as pollack, some stocks of sole or whiting in the Bay of Biscay).
Decreases are proposed for 22 stocks, but remain below 20% for 12 stocks (notably -2% for monkfish from the Channel and Irish Sea, -7% for monkfish from the Bay of Biscay, -14% for Celtic Sea haddock, -14%, to 7 963 tonnes, for southern hake, -7% for North Sea crayfish, to 22 854 tonnes.
For five stocks, namely cod in the west of Scotland, cod in the Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay/Iberian waters, whiting in the west of Scotland and Irish Sea, and plaice in the southern Celtic Sea and south-west of Ireland, the scientists have recommended fixing a zero quota (TAC) for 2019. The Commission, therefore, is proposing to no longer authorise targeting these stocks.
By catches. For five stocks of accidental catches, it is suggested that there should be a low by-catch quota to reduce pressure from fishing activity, subject to a number of conditions, including full catch documentation (see table 4). Such stocks are caught in mixed whitefish fisheries.
For northern seabass: The Commission is proposing a set of measures expressed in catch limits (not TACs), following the latest scientific advice. Those measures would allow higher catches for hooks and lines fishery with 7 tonnes/vessel (compared to 5 tonnes/vessel in 2018) and a “bag limit” for recreational fisheries of one fish/day for 7 months, increasing from only three months in 2018.
The Commission will make its proposal on eel stocks at a later date.
The Commission welcomes the fact that stocks exploited at levels corresponding to maximum sustainable yield (MSY) now number 53, compared with just 5 in 2009 and 44 in 2017. The Commission states it is collaborating with the member states to help fisheries attain the objective consistent with exploiting all stocks at sustainable levels by 2020, as set out in the common fisheries policy.
Conceived to put an end to the practice of discarding fish, the landing obligation will apply fully to all EU fishing fleets as of 1 January 2019.
On 17 and 18 December, European fisheries ministers in Brussels will be negotiating TACs applying as of 1 January 2018. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)