A proposal for the sustainable management of fish stocks
On 10 October, the Commission adopted its proposal on the sustainable management of fish stocks in the Mediterranean and Black Seas, which gives concrete form to the political commitments made in the MedFish4Ever and Sofia declarations.
The Commission proposes to use the same tools as those introduced in the fishing opportunities for 2022 and 2023, fishing effort for trawlers and longliners and catch limits for deepwater shrimp.
These measures have been established as part of the multi-annual management plan (MAGP) for demersal stocks in the western Mediterranean, with the aim of achieving maximum sustainable yield (MSY) by 1 January 2025, i.e. the maximum quantity of fish that fishermen can remove from the sea without compromising the regeneration and future productivity of the stock.
In the Mediterranean, the proposal leaves the measures for red coral unchanged. For red seabream and deep-water shrimp, this year's proposal continues the gradual reduction in catches for both species.
The proposal for dolphinfish and other stocks subject to transitional measures expiring at the end of 2023 will be updated after the annual session of the GFCM, the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean.
In the Adriatic Sea, implementation of the GFCM's multiannual plans is continuing for demersal and small pelagic stocks. For small pelagics, implementation of a third transitional year of the multiannual plan is continuing. For demersal stocks, the Commission proposes to continue implementing the fishing effort management regime in line with the objective of achieving MSY by 2026.
On 11 and 12 December, the Council will examine the Commission's proposal and determine the allocation of fishing opportunities. The regulation should apply from 1 January 2024.
According to Virginijus Sinkevičius, Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, with this proposal "We want to achieve sustainably managed fisheries in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. This proposal is based on scientific advice and stems from our renewed political commitments at the GFCM MedFish4Ever conference. We must continue to build on the positive trends of recent years and intensify our efforts to ensure the recovery of stocks for the benefit of local communities".
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