Fishing tasks onboard a Norwegian purse seiner. (Photo Credit: Odin Hjellestad/Copyright: FIS)
EUROPEAN UNIONFriday, December 05, 2014, 23:40 (GMT + 9)
The European Union (EU) and Norway have settled an arrangement for the 2015 management of shared fish stocks in the North Sea.
Following the week long discussion in Clonakilty, Ireland, Total Allowable Catches (TACs) and quotas for the shared stocks in the North Sea were established, as was the exchange of reciprocal fishing opportunities for certain key stocks of importance to the EU fishing sector.
The arrangement sees increases in North Sea catch limits of 5 per cent for cod, 7 per cent for haddock and 15 per cent for plaice compared to 2014. However, the TACs for saithe and whiting have been reduced by 15 per cent, with a small reduction for herring in the same area.
European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella welcomed the announcement: “This arrangement grants both EU and Norwegian fishermen valuable access to fish stocks, provides much needed stability to our fisheries sector, and strengthens our important relationship with Norway on fisheries.”
North Sea TACs and quotas for the main EU- Norway shared 2014 - 2015 (in tonnes)
2014
|
2015
| |||
TAC
|
EU quota
|
TAC
|
EU quota
| |
Cod
|
27,799
|
23,073
|
29,189
|
24,227
|
Haddock
|
38,284
|
32,079
|
40,711
|
33,948
|
Saithe
|
77,536
|
36,917
|
66,006
|
31,383
|
Whiting
|
16,092
|
15,233
|
13,678
|
13,060
|
Plaice
|
111,631
|
104,117
|
128,376
|
119,690
|
Herring
|
470,037
|
333,726
|
445,329
|
316,184
|