Brussels, 22/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 21 April, the European Commission adopted a proposal for a long-term plan for the sustainable management of horse mackerel across the eastern Atlantic from the Iberian Peninsula to the northern North Sea. This is the second plan for pelagic stocks present in Community waters, following the plan for herring off the west of Scotland. The horse mackerel plan is innovative in that it provides rules for setting total allowable catches (TACs), not on scientific advice, which is imperfect, but according to the number of eggs produced by the stock. Before it can come into effect, the plan will have to be adopted by the EU Council of Ministers, after the European Parliament has been consulted and delivers its opinion.
According to the Commission, the results of research carried out on eggs provide a reliable biological indicator of the growth or decline of the stock. The proposal will allow changes to be made to the rules in the light of more exact scientific assessments, once these become available. The plan also takes account of discards, including released fish. Stakeholders were consulted through the Pelagic Regional Advisory council. Nowadays, horse mackerel is fished less for its oil and more for human consumption. The fleets involved are mostly large trawlers which catch a range of pelagic species such as mackerel, herring and blue whiting. The proposed long-term management plan will affect average annual catches of some 140,000 tonnes. (L.C./transl.rt)