Brussels, 21/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - After 36 hours of a sometimes difficult debate on cod and anchovies, EU fisheries ministers from the Member States reached a unanimous political agreement on Thursday 21 December on Totally Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas for 2007 in the Atlantic, North Sea and Channel. Cod catches in most of these waters have been reduced by between 15 and 20%, and the number of fishing days granted to boats in 2007 to fish in zones that are covered by the recovery plan for this species has declined by 7, 8 or 10%, depending on the fishing gear and zones. An unexpected compromise was also found on anchovies in the Bay of Biscay (a case that pitted France against Spain), thanks to implementation of a so-called “experimental” fish plan that will allow both for assessments of resources and marketing of catches.
During a press conference, the acting president of the fisheries Council, Juha Korkeaoja, Finnish minister of agriculture and forestry welcomed the “important decisions” that had been taken and described the division of the calendar into three (quotas in the Baltic Sea in October, those for deep-sea species in November, and December for the other species) as helping facilitate “the decision-making process” and achieve the “best results” for years. He drew up a “positive” balance sheet for the work achieved under the Finnish presidency, and highlighted the compromise on technical measures in the Mediterranean and the introduction of the electronic scoreboard (at the end of November).
Joe Borg, the European Commissioner said that although the agreement had been concluded with some difficulty it “reinforced the approach” of the Commission in favour of a balance between sustainable fishing and the pursuit of professional activities. He confirmed that the cod recovery plan would be revised during 2007, following consultations with the different interests in the fisheries sector. The Commission will see, for example, whether it would be useful to extend cod recovery measures to other waters (such as the Celtic Sea). Mr Borg also said that he hoped that the sole and plaice recovery plan in the North Sea would be decided by April 2007 at the latest.
Recovery plans: the compromise includes a reduction of between 17 and 20% of cod catches in recovery zones (North Sea, West Scotland, Irish Sea, Eastern Channel, Skagerrak and Kattegat). Compared to 2006, days by boats spent at sea have been reduced by 10% (trawlers and seine fishing nets of between 70 and 99mm have a minimum number of 204 days a year) and 8% (fishing gear of between 100 and 120mm will have at least 95 days a year). A significant number of derogations were granted to certain French, British and Dutch boats, which welcomed attempts to reach an agreement. Some recovery plans have borne fruit: North Sea hake catches (from the North Sea to the Bay of Biscay) increased by 20% (with no limits set on days at sea) and those for sole in the Bay of Biscay increased by 12%. Days spent at sea fell by 10% for boats catching sole in the Western Channel (France, United Kingdom and Belgium) and for those fishing hake and lobster in the Iberian Peninsula. While awaiting the two-stage implementation of the measures for sole and plaice in the North Sea, quotas diminished respectively by 15 and 12%. The aim of this plan will initially be to reduce catches of these two species by 10% a year (fishing mortality) until stocks reach their level of biological security. Fishing limitation measures are expected to be adopted in the longer term (reduction of fishing days at sea). Member States will be exempted if their fleets have less than a 5% TAC of sole and plaice in the zone.
Anchovies: France has asked for the resumption of fishing anchovies in the Bay of Biscay in 2007 with a total TAC of 5000 t, while Spain is firmly opposed to this. In agreement with the Commission, the presidency presented an unprecedented compromise: 3 months of experimental fishing (from 15 April to 15 June) will be authorised for 10% of boats from the two countries (20 Spanish boats using purse seine and 8 French pelagic trawlers). The Commission will then make a decision (closing down of fishing or opening up of quotas) based on results for these fish (a scientist will be on board the boats to note the catches and this information will be sent to the European Commission every fortnight). The scientific recommendation is expected in June.
Main TACs and Quotas: - cod (-10% for Norwegian waters, -14% in the Skagerrak, Kattegat and North Sea, -20% in the Irish Sea and Western Scotland, -15% in the Celtic Sea);
- sole (-14,6% in the North Sea, to 14,920 t, +9% in the eastern Channel, -4% in the Western Channel and +12% for the Southern Brittany zone);
- plaice (+10% in Kattegat and Skagerrak, -12% in the North Sea); - monkfish (+10% in the North Sea and West Scotland, +6% in the Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Bay of Biscay); - dab and fluke (+25%); - lemon sole and witch (no change); - haddock (+8% in Norwegian waters, +5% in the North Sea, and no change in the Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Bay of Biscay); - hake (+20% in all zones, except the Iberian Peninsula, where there is a reduction of 8%); - whiting (+10% in the North Sea, no change for the northern West Scotland stock and -10% for the southern West Scotland stock); - mackerel (-66% in Norwegian waters, +12% in the North Sea, and +13% in the Channel, the Celtic Sea and Biscay); - megrim (no change in most waters); - horse mackerel (no change); - deepwater prawn (retention of 2006 TAC); - prawn (-7% in the North Sea, +12% in West Scotland, +17% in the Channel and the Celtic Sea, +10% in the Bay of Biscay and -10% in the Iberian Peninsula); - pollack (no change); - saithe (no change in the North Sea, -20% in the Channel, the Celtic Sea and the Bay of Biscay; - redfish (-25% in most zones); - mantas and rays (-20% in the North Sea); - tusk (generally -20%); - ling (-20%); - smelt (no change); - blue whiting (-20%); - bluefin tuna (prior to the international decisions to be taken in January 2007, a provisional TAC of 9,398t, a 50% reduction on 2006, is to be shared among Member States).
WWF Europe has criticised the agreement which, it says, flew in the face of scientific advice on cod and anchovy, in particular, and was a recipe for disaster. ICES recommended a freeze on cod catches in 2007, yet the agreement allows 19,957t to be fished, WWF says. The anchovy fishery, officially re-opened on an experimental basis, was an “extra gift to France and Spain” and leaves “little hope for the anchovy stock to withstand the pressure,” it went on. WWF is also unhappy that electric fishing, a fishing technique which could have highly damaging effects on sharks and rays, has been re-introduced for the Dutch fleet. (lc)