Fishing Measures to be Adjusted – Fishupdate.com

THE European Commission has agreed through international fisheries organisations and a ruling by the Court of Justice to adjust fishing measures for a number of important stocks.

The changes concern skate, shrimp and Greenland halibut fisheries in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO), a number of tuna and tuna-like fisheries in the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) and trawling for cod in the Baltic Sea within the framework of the International Baltic Sea Fisheries Commission (IBSFC).

For skate fishing, the Commission says there is to be an increase in the mesh size of certain parts of the trawl. Nephrops fishermen in certain areas are to have a reporting system introduced for catches, with an extension of the closed period for fishing in certain areas from 1 June to 30 September 2002 to 1 June to 31 December 2002. However, there will be an increase in the maximum number of fishing days for nephrops in certain areas.

The total allowable catch for Greenland halibut will receive a TAC increase from 16,406 tonnes for 2001 to 18,046 tonnes for 2002.

Other fisheries concerned are plaice in Skagerrak and Kattegat, a swap between the EU and Norway in the North Sea, sole in the Bay of Biscay and herring in Western waters.

It is also proposed to end the rule allowing Portugal – due to a quota swap with France – to catch part of its anchovy quota in an area other than the Bay of Biscay.