In an informal videoconference on Wednesday 9 June, EU Fisheries Ministers gave their support to the draft agreement between the UK and the EU on fishing opportunities for 2021 for jointly managed fisheries stocks (see EUROPE 12736/11).
The European Commission provided ministers with detailed information on the draft agreement (https://bit.ly/3x6oEmx ).
Ricardo Serrão Santos, the Portuguese Minister for the Sea, who is chairing the Fisheries Council, told a press conference that the ministers considered that “the most sensitive issues for the Member States have been resolved”, particularly with regard to certain conditions on the joint management of stocks, inter-zone flexibility for certain species, the mechanism for exchanging fishing quotas (between the EU and the United Kingdom), and the management of species not subject to quotas.
The EU ministers thanked the Commission for its hard work and agreed on the interim agreement, according to Mr Serrão Santos.
He considered that the agreement provided the necessary clarity and legal certainty and ensured that fisheries resources continued to be exploited in a sustainable manner.
The agreement will be formally adopted by the Member states on Friday.
Action plan to preserve fisheries resources.
In addition, on Wednesday 9 June, the Commission adopted a communication (https://bit.ly/354qMzm ) in view of the forthcoming proposals on fisheries opportunities for 2022.
Particular reference is made to the consequences of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the UK.
The state of stocks in EU waters has improved, but “in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, although there has been a slight improvement, exploitation rates are still two times higher than sustainable levels”, according to the communication. The Commission will also propose, by the end of 2021, an action plan to preserve fisheries resources and protect marine ecosystems. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)