Brussels, 22/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - In order to better prepare the end of year negotiations on fixing total allowable catches (TAC) and quotas for 2006, the British Presidency invited the EU Fisheries Ministers to discuss, on Tuesday in Brussels, ways to strengthen cod stock recovery measures set in place since February 2003 in the North Sea, to the west of Scotland, the Irish Sea, the Skagerrak and Kattegat and the eastern Channel. On 30 November, the Commission is expected to adopt its proposals on TAC and quotas for 2006. On 24 November, it will put forward a proposal on the quantities of catches allowed for Baltic Sea stocks.
The Commission, which had last year proposed drastic measures to protect cod stocks (areas closed to fishing) which had not been covered by the Fisheries Council in December 2004, is said to be contemplating more reasonable measures for 2006: - 15% reduction in volumes of authorised catches and of the authorised number of fishing days (9, 13, 16, 19 or 21 days per months in 2005 depending on the kinds of fishing gear used). The United Kingdom and Denmark have called for renewal of the current TAC and have stressed the major efforts being made by their fishing sectors. France and Ireland have said that they could agree to a 10 to 15% reduction in quotas, and Germany has supported the Commission's project while Sweden has recommended a larger fall in the catch volume. As far as the fisheries effort is concerned for the cod recovery plan (limited number of fishing days), Member States were more critical on the whole (United Kingdom, Denmark and Belgium in particular). France explained that its fishermen caught very little cod and that the fishing industry should not be penalised as, in areas covered by the cod recovery plan, they catch sole. Ireland felt greater regulation of fishing equipment was needed.