Commission proposes fishing in Atlántico - North Sea 2021
Commission proposes fishing in Atlántico - North Sea 2021
Scientific opinions have prevailed in the European Commission proposal
The Commission has published its proposal establishing catch limits for fish stocks in the Atlantic and the North Sea. On the basis of this proposal, EU fisheries ministers shall set the definitive catch limits, to be applied from 1 January 2021, at the Council on 15 and 16 December.
By 2021, the European Commission is submitting a proposal with 23 total allowable catches (TACs). In the light of scientific opinions, the Commission proposes to reduce the fishing quota by 13 stocks and to increase it by 5% for young people in Iberian waters and 12% for the European sole in the Kattegat. The fishing opportunities, or the total allowable catch (TAC), are the quotas set for most commercial fish stocks in Europe in order to keep them healthy or help them recover, while ensuring the well-being of fishermen and fishers. Within the framework of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), EU Member States are legally required to manage fish stocks in a sustainable manner.
Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, said: "Today's proposal shows our commitment to the conservation of marine biodiversity, which is essential for our coastal communities to thrive. Scientists ask us to set lower catch limits for many of our stocks, and we will follow your advice. Establishing responsible catch limits will keep our ecosystems healthy and cost-effective for our fisheries sector, even in the context of short-term cuts. This is our guiding principle also in negotiations with our international partners."
Additional details of the proposal
1. Four TACs are delegated in one Member State and four others do not follow the calendar year (for example, those of the boqueron and the swordsman), since they have already been fixed until June 2021 or are pending next year's scientific opinions.
2.The Commission also proposes to maintain existing safeguard measures to ensure that the quantity of cod in the Kattegat is recovered to safe levels. Following the opinion of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), which disadvises fishing for that stock, the Commission shall fix only one fishing quota for by-catch. The fishermen in the area must use selective gear that reduces or prevents by-catches of cod, or electronic tracking systems to prevent illegal discards.
3. The proposal also covers the total allowable catches to be decided in cooperation with third countries such as the United Kingdom and Norway, or through regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs). International consultations on many of these stocks, as well as the negotiations of the future EU-UK partnership, also in the area of fisheries, are ongoing, and the relevant TACs have been set up for the sake of results.
4. Sustainable fisheries has made significant progress in the EU. In 2020, 62 of 78 TACs are at a level that allows a healthy future for the biomass of fish stocks (compared with 5 of 35 of 2009), while taking into account socio-economic factors ("maximum sustainable yield," MSY). Despite the reduction in fishing activity during the first months of the coronavirus pandemic, preliminary results show that the sector remains profitable and that gross profits are expected to reach EUR 1.5 billion by 2020.
5. The Commission proposal is based on the scientific opinions of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). For stocks with a complete scientific assessment, the Commission proposes fishing levels in line with the maximum sustainable yield (MSY). For stocks for which less data are available, the Commission is based on the ICES precautionary opinion. Where the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea recommends no catch, the Commission proposes a small fishing quota for scientific purposes to ensure continuity of data collection, or limits fishing to by-catches. In line with the provisions of the common fisheries policy and the applicable multiannual management plans, this helps to avoid "strangling" situations and to enable fishermen and fishermen to continue to target healthy populations.
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