EU Fisheries Council also reached an agreement on the Black Sea fishing quotas. (Photo: Stock File/FIS)

Fisheries Council agrees on TACs and quotas for 2012

EUROPEAN UNION
Monday, December 19, 2011, 23:00 (GMT + 9)

The Fisheries Council of the European Union (EU) reached a political agreement on fishing opportunities for 2012 for EU vessels in Union and certain non-Union waters on the basis of a Presidency compromise, drawn up in agreement with the Commission. This agreement concerns fish stocks which are not subject to international negotiations or agreements and stocks subject to international negotiations or agreements (14751/11; 16650/11).  

The Council will adopt this Regulation, following finalisation by the legal/linguistic experts, at one of its forthcoming meetings.
 
As regards data poor stocks, the Council and the Commission agreed that the lack of reliable data impairs analytical advice for fish stocks. Member States should improve data availability to the relevant scientific bodies and to ensure that such data are consistent with the needs of the analytical assessments in order to facilitate sustainable management of the relevant fisheries. For stocks where ICES has identified data deficiencies, the cause of these deficiencies and appropriate actions should be identified.  

Concerning the long term plan for cod (regulation 1342/2008) the Council, the Commission, France, Germany and the United Kingdom agreed on a common interpretation of the article 13 for the establishment of fishing effort.

In addition to the fishing opportunities 2012 for the Black Sea, on which the ministers reached a political agreement in this Council session, the fishing opportunities 2012 for the Baltic Sea were already adopted on 30 November 2011.  

According to Article 43(3) of the Treaty, the Council adopts measures on a proposal from the Commission on the fixing and allocation of fishing opportunities.  

As the existing provisions in the area of the proposal are applicable until 31 December 2011, with the exception of certain effort limitations which are applicable until 31 January 2012, the regulation will apply from 1 January 2012 on.

Click here to see a table that sets out the indicative values of the principal TACs for 2012 compared with those for 2011 and the Commission's proposal.

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