Alfonsino, Beryx decadactylus. (Photo Credit: Dr. Ken Sulak/NOAA)
EUROPEAN UNIONTuesday, November 11, 2014, 22:20 (GMT + 9)
The Council of Fisheries Ministers reached a political agreement on fishing opportunities for certain deep-sea stocks for 2015 and 2016 on the basis of a Presidency compromise, drawn up in agreement with the Commission.
The CE reminds that the recently reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) provides that the quantities of fish from specific stocks that can be caught take into account available scientific advice and maximum sustainable yield (MSY).
"Let me express my satisfaction about the political agreement reached today, which marks a further step forward in the implementation of the new CFP. The compromise text proposed by the Presidency in agreement with the Commission, goes in the direction of greater protection of fish stocks, especially for the species particularly at risk," said the president of the Council, Maurizio Martina.
The Council will adopt this regulation, following finalisation by the legal/linguistic experts, at one of its forthcoming meetings. The regulation will apply from 1 of January 2015. The TACs and quotas for the deep-sea species have been fixed at the EU level biennially since 2003.
This political agreement concerns certain stocks of deep water fish such as certain deep sea sharks, the black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo), roundnose grenadier (Coryphaenoides rupestris) and roughhead grenadier (Macrorous berglax), alfonsinos (Beryx spp.), red seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo) and greater forkbeard (Phycis blennoides).
"Let me express my satisfaction about the political agreement reached today, which marks a further step forward in the implementation of the new CFP. The compromise text proposed by the Presidency in agreement with the Commission, goes in the direction of greater protection of fish stocks, especially for the species particularly at risk," said the president of the Council, Maurizio Martina.
The Council will adopt this regulation, following finalisation by the legal/linguistic experts, at one of its forthcoming meetings. The regulation will apply from 1 of January 2015. The TACs and quotas for the deep-sea species have been fixed at the EU level biennially since 2003.
This political agreement concerns certain stocks of deep water fish such as certain deep sea sharks, the black scabbardfish (Aphanopus carbo), roundnose grenadier (Coryphaenoides rupestris) and roughhead grenadier (Macrorous berglax), alfonsinos (Beryx spp.), red seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo) and greater forkbeard (Phycis blennoides).
The agreement reached was criticised by the international conservation organizationOceana, which said it is deeply disappointing that catch limits "were nevertheless set higher than scientifically advised for 63 per cent of stocks, putting these vulnerable species at serious risk".
According to Oceana, the Council failed to heed several key recommendations from scientists: fisheries closures for two stocks of roundnose grenadier and red seabream, catch reductions of alfonsinos and black scabbardfish, and only moderate increases in catches of greater forkbeard. On the other hand, the Council agreed to maintain the prohibition on retention of depleted orange roughy and deep-sea sharks. An additional deep-sea fish species, the roughhead grenadier, will now be managed through catch limits, although Oceana regrets these limits have been set without any scientific basis.