The draft report on the proposal for multiannual plans for the Baltic Sea was discussed during the Fisheries Committee meeting in Brussels earlier this week. The rapporteur persists, despite loud protests from other MEPs, to move forward with the proposal quickly with no intention to wait for new scientific advice expected to be available within one-two months.
The rapporteur for the draft proposal for the multiannual plan (MAP) for the Baltic, Jarosław Wałęsa pointed out a number of key amendments he have put forward. And stressed in his opening speech that he wants to move forward and reach an agreement on the MAP before the summer break, to do so amendments to his proposal needs to be submitted by March 3rd to be able to move forward with the general vote by April.
Wałęsa put forward a number of amendments which were not warmly welcomed by the other Committee members. Among others, Wałęsa proposed to add an paragraph to Article 7, which conflicts with the discard ban: “By way of derogation from Article 15(11) of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, the use of catches of species below the minimum conservation reference size up to a quantity of 30 kg caught by fishing vessels less than 12m in length may, in accordance with the relevant legislation, also include the possibility of sale, at a local level, for immediate human consumption.” Several of the other MEPs as well as the Commission raised concerns on this proposed amendment, pointing out that the amendment would increase the risk for new markets for undersized fish.
Another amendment which the majority of MEPs including the Commission clearly showed their stand point to was Wałęsa’s strong standpoint on not wanting to wait for the soon to come updated scientific advice from ICES regarding F-ranges. Both Linnea Engström, Swedish MEP, and Isabell Thomas, French MEP, stressed that the F-ranges ICES submitted last year where preliminary and that waiting for the latest scientific advice from ICES would result in none or marginal delays to the Baltic MAP. Waiting for latest advice from ICES would furthermore facilitate the work of submitting amendments. The Baltic MAP will set the basis for other MAPs being developed for other bodies of water, and thus it is crucial that the latest scientific data and estimates of Fmsy ranges are included before the plan is adopted.
Moreover, at present the draft report does not include recommendations submitted by BSAC as these where received too late in the drafting process. Wałęs pointed out that he will go through the BSAC recommendations and try and incorporate these.
Last date for amendments on the multiannual plan for the Baltic is March 3rd.