|
The European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki. (Photo: EC)
EC increases Baltic cod fishing but cuts herring and sprat
 EUROPEAN UNION
Thursday, September 16, 2010, 01:40 (GMT + 9)
The European Commission (EC) has proposed amplified fishing opportunities for Baltic cod and sharp decreases for herring and sprat due to scientific advice to help conserve stocks in 2011. The proposal will be discussed at the October Fisheries Council.
"The long term management plan for cod which we put in place, together with strong measures against misreporting, has helped us to reduce fishing pressure to sustainable levels, which has given stocks the time to replenish and allows us to again increase the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for both the Eastern and Western stocks,” European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Maria Damanaki said. “The situation of pelagic stocks, both herring and sprat, is unfortunately the opposite.”
Despite most of these stocks’ continuing weak incoming year classes, fishing pressure has remained high and sometimes even increased in the last few years. She said severe reductions in fishing pressure must be implemented to ensure sustainable management of these stocks.
 |
| Cod in Baltic Sea (Map: EC) |
The Commission proposes an increase of 15 per cent in the EU TAC for eastern Baltic cod, from 51,267 to 58,957 tonnes, and an increase of 6 per cent in the TAC on western Baltic cod, from 17,700 tonnes to 18,800 tonnes. The Eastern cod stock continues to profit from strong recruitment and better application of the multi-annual plan.
Having reviewed the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea’s (ICES) advice, however, the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF), (the EC’s main scientific advisory body), had recommended a 20 per cent decrease in effort for fishers of the eastern Baltic cod stock.
For the Western stock, the proposed TAC increases correspond with the provisions of the multi-annual plan, seeking to take fishing mortality to a sustainable long term level.
The Western herring stock has reached a new record low due to the incessant fall of incoming year classes in recent years and excessive fishing pressure. TACs have for years been set above scientific recommendations and fishing pressure has even risen.
Due to the sector’s economic struggle, the Commission is proposing a cut of 30 per cent in the TAC for Western herring, from 22,690 to 15,884 tonnes. Other pelagic stocks have also experienced relatively low recruitment.
A 28 per cent slash in fishing possibilities for the Central Herring stock has thus been proposed, from 126,380 to 91,640 tonnes, as well as a reduction of 30 per cent for sprat, from 379,900 to 265,969 tonnes.
The EC proposed a 30 per cent reduction for the salmon in the main basin to just over 250,000 individuals even though ICES had advised a cut to 120,000 fish.
Given the falling survival of Baltic salmon juveniles and the poor status of some river stocks, the TAC in the main basin has been lowered by 15 per cent.
The issue will be discussed further in terms of the future Baltic salmon management plan before the end of the year.
Related article:
- Council agrees on Baltic Sea fishing possibilities
By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media
Photo Courtesy of FIS Member  European Commission - Fisheries and Maritime Affairs
|
Print
