Brussels, 22/12/2005 (Agence Europe) - After two days and one night of tough negotiations, the EU25 fisheries ministers finally struck agreement on 22 December on quotas and total allowable catches (TACs) for 2006. After reaching agreement the day before on fishing quotas and other measures for the Baltic Sea (see EUROPE 9095), the ministers decided to boost the stock recovery plans for cod, sole, hake and Norway lobster in some areas. Only Sweden abstained. The agreement includes an agreement between France and Spain to start fishing anchovy again from 1 March 2006 onwards in the Bay of Biscay (anchovy fishing has been banned there since July this year). There were long, arduous talks about how the blue whiting quota was to be shared, following a recent agreement between the EU and Norway. The President of the Council, Ben Bradshaw, told reporters the ministers had struck a good agreement. The British Presidency says the deal will enable fish stocks to be conserved, the environment to be preserved and the fishing industry to continue into the long-term. EU Fisheries Commissioner, Joe Borg, said the balanced agreement was a further step towards ensuring the environmental and economic sustainability of fisheries.
French farm and fisheries minister Dominique Bussereau welcomed the agreement with Spain over anchovy fishing. The TAC has been provisionally set at 5000 tonnes in the Bay of Biscay, 4500 tonnes of which for Spain and 500 tonnes for France (following the usual quota breakdown). French fishermen will be able to start fishing anchovy in March, following a ban on anchovy fishing since July this year. The French 500 tonne quota may be boosted by a further 500 tonnes through compensation offered by Spanish fishermen. Borg explained, however, that anchovy fishing would only be allowed to start again on 1 March next year if scientific advice permits. If scientists explain that the anchovy stock is in danger, the Commission will immediately close all anchovy fishing, he warned, to protect the stock. Spanish fisheries minister Elena Espinosa welcomed what she described as a very positive agreement for Spanish fishermen.
Cod. The Council decided to cut cod quotas by 15% in the zones covered by the stock recovery plan (Kattegat and Skagerrak, Western Channel, Irish Sea and Western Coast of Scotland). The Commission suggested cutting fishing (the number of days at sea) by 15% and the deal finally agrees to a 5% cut in the number of days at sea. On request from French, British and Belgian fishermen, cod fishing in the Irish Sea will be banned from 1 February to 31 March.
Sole. The Council decided to cut sole fishing in the Western Channel by 10% and agreed in principle on a sole management plan in the Bay of Biscay (to cut the mortality rate in sole fishing by 10% a year). The plan does not cut the number of days at sea but changes the ship authorisation system and slightly cuts TACs for the next two years. The fleet will gradually be reduced.
Hake. The agreement includes a 10% cut in the number of days at sea to 20 a month, rather than 22 as in 2005, for hake caught by Spanish and Portuguese fishermen.
Deep water fish. Agreement was reached to reduce the fishing of demersal fish by 10% in 2006, following a 10% cut in 2005. The Commission suggested a 20% cut for next year, but agreed to be flexible following requests from a series of countries, like France, Ireland, Poland and Lithuania.
The following quotas were agreed upon for 2006: Anchovy: 5000 tonnes (t) in the Bay of Biscay and same quota as 2005 (8000 t) off Spain and Portugal (quota shared between Spain and Portugal). Cod: -15% on most areas (North Sea, West-Scotland, Irish Sea) and -11% in the Irish Sea (where fishing will be banned from 1 February to 31 March) and the Bay of Biscay. Megrim: -5% in most areas. Monkfish: +22% in the Bay of Biscay, +5% in the Channel and Irish Sea and same quota as 2005 elsewhere. Haddock: -13% in the North Sea, -6% off the Western Coast of Scotland and 2005 quota for the Channel, Irish Sea and Bay of Biscay. Whiting: - 12% in the North Sea, - 8% in the Irish Sea, no change in the Bay of Biscay. Hake: +3% for most northern stocks because of the recognised success of the hake recovery plan, and +11% in Portuguese waters and the Northern coast of Spain. Norway lobster: +30% in the Bay of Biscay and the North Sea, +39% off the Western Coast of Scotland, +10% in the Channel and Irish Sea and 2005 quota for Spanish and Portuguese waters. Plaice: -3% in the North Sea, no change on 2005 quota for the Channel. Pollack: -10% in the Channel and Irish Sea and no change in 2005 quota for Irish waters and -15% in the Bay of Biscay and Spanish and Portuguese waters. Mackerel: between 3% and 5% more than in 2005, depending on the area. Sole: -5 % in the North Sea, no change for Eastern Channel and +9% in the Western Channel. Horse mackerel: no change in quota for North Sea and southern waters, +2% in Western Scotland, the Channel and the Bay of Biscay. Lemon sole and pale dab (grey sole): -2% in the North Sea. Dab and flounder: -5% in the North Sea. Turbot and brill: -10% in the North Sea. Mantis squillis and rayfish: -15% in the North Sea. Sprats: -20% in the Channel and no change in 2005 TAC for the North Sea.