Brussels, 15/09/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 15 September, the European Commission adopted a communication setting out the principles it intends to follow when setting total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas for next year. In particular, it allows for a strengthening of the measures contained in the recovery plan for several cod stocks and a considerable reduction in catches of those species known as deep-sea species (rock grenadier, black scabbardfish, ling, blue ling etc.). This is the first time that the Commission has produced such a document, intended to launch discussions on authorised catches earlier than usual in the year. In November the Commission will present its formal proposals on the main fishing rights, in the light of the latest scientific opinion, expected in October. The Commission has already presented its proposals for TACs in the Baltic Sea (see EUROPE 9258) and it will adopt its proposals for 2007 and 2008 quotas for deep-sea species next week.
The Commission has set itself common principles according to the state of the fish stocks, which are divided into 6 categories: 1) stocks being fished at acceptable levels (plaice in the Irish Sea, the Celtic Sea and Channel fishing zones, and megrim in the waters of Northern Spain and Portugal), for which a variation in TACs of 15% (up or down) is proposed; for some stocks which come into this category (herring, saithe, North Sea haddock) the joint management plan between the EU and Norway will have to be respected; 2) stocks that are overfished but inside safe biological limits (Celtic Sea whiting, Baltic herring, monkfish caught in Spanish and Portuguese waters) for which the Commission holds to the 15% variation rule; 3) stocks outside safe biological limits (several stocks of sole, monkfish, megrim, plaice and herring) for which the Commission promises quota reductions of 15%, or more if necessary.
Other species are subject to recovery plans. For cod (in the North Sea, Irish Sea, West Scotland and Danish waters), the Commission proposes a reduction of at least 25% in days at sea in 2007. It also proposes a 10% reduction in the number of days at sea for southern hake and southern langoustine (from 20 days per month in 2006 to 18), and for sole in the western Channel (16 days instead of 18). The Council still has to negotiate the recovery plan for North Sea sole and plaice.
The Commission envisages substantial reductions in quotas for deep-water species, notably for rock grenadier and, for some species, such as blue ling and deep-sea sharks, it considers that no fishing can be authorised. Finally, the Commission suggests keeping current TACs for most langoustine stocks.