Last week, the delegations of the European Union, the Faroe Islands, Norway and Iceland (with the participation of Greenland as an observer) reached an agreement on the 2019 stock management measures for blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring. On Monday 12 November the European Commission commented that the agreement between coastal states "contributes to progress towards sustainable fisheries in 2020".
North-East Atlantic coastal states decided that, in 2019, the total allowable catch (TAC) of blue whiting should not exceed 1,143,629 tonnes and that the TAC level for Atlanto-Scandian herring should be set at 588,562 tonnes.
The catch limits are based on the long-term management strategy jointly agreed upon by coastal states and are in line with the scientific advice received from the International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The Parties may fish their quotas in their respective zones of fishing jurisdiction and in international waters. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)