Brussels, 29/12/2004 (Agence Europe) - Fisheries ministers from EU Member States reached an agreement on 23 December to set the Total Allowable Catches (TAC) and quotas for 2005. The main developments for 2005 are as follows (depending on the situation in 2004):
Sand eel: -92% in Norwegian waters (a TAC which will be revised half way through the year), -21% in the Norwegian Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat and the North Sea;
Herring: status quo in Baltic Sea, + 37% in the Skagerrak and Kattegat and between 12% and 17% increases in North Sea
Anchovies: -9% in Bay of Biscay, status quo off Portugal coast.
Cod: -3% in Norwegian waters, status quo in Skagerrak, -26% in Kattegat , - up to -16% in Baltic Sea, -14% in waters of Western Scotland and Irish Sea, +8% in the Channel, Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay.
Megrims: -8% in North Sea, +8% in the Channel and Celtic Sea, and +6% in Bay of Biscay.
Dab and Flounder: -8% in North Sea.
Anglerfish: + 47 % in Western Scotland and Irish Sea, + 20 % in the Channel and Celtic Sea, + 5 % in the Bay.
Haddock: -20% in Norwegian waters (south), -13% in the North Sea, +17% in Western Scotland and +20% in the Channel, Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay.
Whiting: +61% in the North Sea, -20% in the Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay.
Hake: +9% in most zones
Blue Whiting: status quo in Barents Sea and Norwegian Sea, sharp increase (/126%) in most of the other zones.
Lemon Sole and Witch Flounder: -7.4% in North Sea.
Lobster: up to 12% increase, notably in North Sea and Western Scotland.
Northern Prawn: status quo in most zones (Danish and Norwegian waters and North Sea)
Plaice: -20% in Skagerrak, -2.5% in North Sea, +20% in Irish Sea, -15% in the Channel.
Pollack: -20% in Western Scotland, status quo in Channel, Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay.
Saithe: -24% in Norwegian Sea, North Sea, Danish waters and waters of Western Scotland, -20% in the Channel, Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay.
Mackerel: reduction of between 20 and 26% in TAC in zones.
Sole: +8% in North Sea, -3% in eastern Channel, +188% in Western Channel taking into account, in 2005, actual catches) and +15% in Southern Brittany And South Biscay.
Sprat: +29% in Danish waters and +5% in North Sea
Horse Mackerel: -13% in North Sea and status quo in other zones.
Blue-fin Tuna: status quo (Atlantic and Mediterranean )
Bigeye tuna: +24% (Atlantic)
Swordfish: +19% in Southern Atlantic and +12 % in Northern part.
Deep sea species (TAC pour 2005 et 2006): 15% reduction for certain stocks of Tusk, Roundnose grenadier, Blue Ling, Orange roughy.