Luxembourg, 27/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - During the evening of Monday 27 October, in Luxembourg, fisheries ministers of the European Union member states reached a political agreement on total allowable catches (TACs) and fish quotas for 2009 in the waters of the Baltic Sea. Discussions were mainly on Western Baltic herring, for which the European Commission initially suggested a 63% reduction in authorised catches compared to 2008.
Cod. For cod, the Council is rallying to what was suggested by the European Commission, namely a 15% rise in TACs for eastern cod stocks. This amounts to 44 580 tones for 2009, broken down as follows: - 11 791 tonnes for Poland (but this country should reimburse 2 000 tonnes due to overfishing recorded in 2007 when the Commission had closed fishing), 10 375 tonnes for Sweden, 10 241 tonnes for Denmark, 4 074 tonnes for Germany, 3 808 tonnes for Latvia, 2 509 tonnes for Lithuania, 998 tonnes for Estonia and 784 tonnes for Finland. On the other hand, TACs for western Baltic stocks are down by 15% for 2009 to reach a total of 16 337 tonnes, from which the largest volumes are attributed to Denmark (7 130 tonnes), Germany (3 487 tonnes) and Sweden (2 541 tonnes). The Commission has explained that this western stock has undergone a series of four insufficient age categories. The two TACs (+15% on one side and -15% on the other) are in line with the provisions of the multiannual plan for cod management in the Baltic. Also, the regulation provides for a 10% decline in fishing effort for some gear: 201 fishing days authorised in 2009 in Western Baltic and 160 in the Easter Baltic.
Herring. Germany and Denmark in particular protested against the proposal providing for a 63% reduction in herring TACs in Western Baltic. After somewhat bitter discussions, a compromise seemed to be shaping up on a reduction of around 40% for this TAC, and the setting in place of a herring recovery plan. On the subject of herring stocks in the Central Baltic, the agreement confirms a 6% reduction of fishing possibility, i.e. a volume of 143 609 tonnes in 2009 (of which 48 032 for Sweden, 35 779 for Poland, 31 493 tonnes for Finland and 16 134 tonnes for Estonia).
Sprat. The Commission has suggested a 15% reduction in fishing possibilities in 2009 to reach 386 318 tonnes (113 422 for Poland, 73 669 for Sweden, 53 445 for Latvia, 44 251 for Estonia, etc.). Some of these countries were seeking to obtain a less severe reduction of TACs.
Salmon. Scientists are concerned about the state of salmon stocks in the Gulf of Finland, as the rate of survival of smolt in the main basin and in the Gulf of Bothnia has deteriorated still further. The Council has upheld the Commission's position: 15% reduction for both salmon TACs (309 733 fish and 13 106 fish) and the establishment of other measures as part of the management plan for salmon, for which preparatory work is underway. (L.C./transl.jl)