Brussels, 19/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - On the morning of Tuesday 19 December, EU fisheries ministers examined a first compromise text on total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas for 2007. Despite concessions from the European Commission, particularly on the cod recovery plan and some quotas (herring, megrim, haddock and horse mackerel), several Member States were not satisfied.
The Commission has softened its position somewhat on the cod recovery plan (North Sea, West Scotland, Irish Sea, East Channel, Skagerrak and Kattegat). It proposed a 20% reduction in TACs and quotas, and days fishing for vessels in the zones covered by the plan. Originally, reductions of 25% in catches and days at sea had been envisaged. Denmark (in particular), along with the United Kingdom and Ireland, felt these restrictions were too severe. Denmark does not want any change in the situation before the review of the cod recovery plan scheduled for next year. France was not fully satisfied with the first compromise text which does not meet its expectations (resumption of anchovy fishing, at the moment being rejected by Spain, more days at sea for vessels which catch very little cod). Spain was relatively happy with progress on some quotas (megrim and horse mackerel), but still wants a 22% increase in northern hake catches (the Commission's original proposal allowed for a 15% rise) and the extension of current hake and langoustine quotas in the Iberian Peninsula (the Commission proposed a 10% reduction in catches and days at sea).
A second compromise proposal will be put to the Council on Wednesday 20 December, at around 2.00 pm, following the consultations held until the evening on Tuesday. Here are the main points from the first compromise.
Cod: 13.9% reduction in Skagerrak cod, 20% reduction in Kattegat cod (originally -25%), 14% reduction for North Sea cod (in line with the bilateral agreement with Norway), 20% reduction in the Irish Sea (-25% at the start), and 25% reduction in the Celtic Sea (-35% initially); - Herring: retention of the current herring TAC to the north of the West Scotland zone (the Commission proposed -15%) and a reduction of 15% for herring in the southern zone - West Scotland and West Ireland (-27% according to the initial proposal); - Megrim: status quo in all zones (the Commission proposed -15% in West Scotland, Channel, Irish Sea, Celtic Sea and the Bay of Biscay); - Dab and fluke: 8% reduction (-20% in the original proposal); - Haddock: 7.5% reduction in the Channel, Celtic Sea, Irish Sea, Bay of Biscay and Portuguese waters (-15% proposed originally); - Hake: no change from the initial proposal - 15% increase for the northern stock (from the North Sea to the Bay of Biscay); - Lemon sole and witch flounder: 8% reduction (-10% initially); - Langoustine: increase of 10% on the Skagerrak-Kattegat zone, Sund, Belts and the Baltic Sea; - Plaice: no change yet from the 20% reductions proposed by the Commission; - Turbot and brill: 8% reduction (compared with -10%); - Mantis and rays: 35% reduction instead of 45%; - Horse mackerel: status quo in the main zones (North Sea, Channel, Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay), when the Commission proposed -15%.
A draft statement stresses the need to include the Celtic Sea and Bay of Biscay in the zones covered by the cod recovery plan in 2008. (lc)