On Wednesday 1 June, the European Commission adopted a communication that provides guidance on how to set Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and fisheries quotas in 2023. This document will be discussed on 13 June by the Fisheries Ministers of the EU.
Efforts to protect fisheries resources continue to bear fruit and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) has reduced overfishing in European waters, according to the European Commission. At the same time, further efforts are still required, especially in the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean in particular.
War in Ukraine. The Communication notes that the last few months have been very challenging for EU fisheries. Marine fuel prices have almost doubled after the outbreak of war in Ukraine. The high operating costs have led to some operators staying in port. Provisional figures suggest that if energy prices remain at the current level, the EU fishing fleet would overall lose €300 million in operating profit in 2022.
Landing obligation. The European Commission states that levels of unwanted catches remain high in many mixed demersal fisheries in EU waters (between 20 and 30% in the Greater North Sea, Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay).
In addition, reports from Member States provide only limited information on the socio-economic impacts of the landing obligation.
With reference to the nine delegated regulations specifying the details of implementing the landing obligation, EU scientists have observed that the impacts of such exemptions on fishing mortality are poorly understood given the level of reporting of catches discarded under exemptions. “The Commission will therefore work with Member States regional groups on a review of all existing exemptions to the landing obligation in 2023”.
Link to the communication: https://aeur.eu/f/1wo (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)