EU negotiators have reached agreements with Northeast Atlantic coastal states, as well as with the UK and Norway on the shared management of key stocks in 2023, the European Commission has confirmed.
The agreement with coastal states covers the joint management of mackerel, blue whiting and Atlanto-Scandian herring stocks.
For mackerel, the total allowable catch (TAC) for 2023 was set at 782,066 tonnes (down 2% on 2022’s TAC), in line with the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) approach advised by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
The blue whiting TAC has been set at 1,359,629 tonnes (up 81% on 2022’s TAC) and for Atlanto-Scandian herring it’s 511,171 tonnes (down 15% on 2022). Both TACs are in line with the ICES advice, in accord with the long-term management strategy (LTMS) approach.
According to the Commission, all parties recognised the need to reach a consensus on quota-sharing arrangements for all three stocks as soon as possible.
As part of the agreement, the EU, Norway, the Faroe Islands, the United Kingdom, and, for the first time, Iceland and Greenland, also agreed to set the control measures for pelagic stocks no later than 2026.
“This represents a significant step forward towards creating a level playing field for all fleets and improved management of joint stocks in the Northeast Atlantic,” the Commission said.
The EU has also reached an agreement with the United Kingdom and Norway on the joint trilateral management of six key stocks in the North Sea: cod, haddock, saithe, whiting, plaice and herring. Cumulatively, the agreement provides over 300,000 tonnes of fishing opportunities for EU fleets for these stocks in 2023.
The TACs for cod, herring, plaice and saithe have been set in line with the advised MSY level. For haddock and whiting, the agreement shows restraint with an increase of 30% for each TAC.
