Brussels, 08/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 7 November, the European Commission adopted a Regulation setting the total allowable catch (TAC) for sprat in the North Sea at 175,000 tonnes for EU ships (mainly from Denmark, but also from the UK, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Sweden and Belgium) and Norwegian ships. In December 2005, the Fisheries Council set a preliminary TAC for sprat of 282,700 tonnes (263,540 tonnes of which for the EU) while awaiting scientific advice, which was provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in October 2006. ICES concluded that the 2005 sprat stock is very weak and under threat and EU experts and the Commission therefore recommend setting a lower TAC than the actual level of catches in 2005, when around 200,000 tonnes of sprat were fished. Sprat is a short-lived species and its population shows large annual fluctuations. Recorded landings peaked in 1995 at 357,000 tonnes, before abruptly falling back to oscillate between 100,000 and 200,000 tonnes since then. (lc)