Brussels, 24/06/2005 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, the European Parliament approved the proposal on setting up a stock recovery plan for black halibut in the international waters of the North West Atlantic (EUROPE 8804). The regulation is necessary for transposing decisions taken in September 2003 by members of the North-west Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO). The European Community, which is a member of this regional fishing organisation, holds 55% of the quota for black halibut in these waters. The report by Henrik Dam Kristensen (PES, Denmark) very slightly amends the initial proposal. In order to ensure the correct follow-up of catches without imposing excessive obligations, MEPs believe it is reasonable for reports on black halibut catches in the zone to be forwarded every three days rather than every day. The recovery plan, which provides for the level of total allowable catches (TACs) to be reduced until 2007, aims to each an exploitable biomass of five years of age and of over 140,000 tonnes on average, thus guaranteeing stocks in the long term. To ensure that the recovery plan is effective, additional control measures are foreseen: - to be able to fish the stock, vessels must have a special fishing permit and be included on the NAFO register. Also, captains of fishing vessels should transmit to the flag Member State data on the quantities of black halibut kept on board.