Editorial: Baltic TAC proposal released and trilogue on the Baltic multiannual plan resumes in September
This week, the Commission released its proposal on fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea. We are pleased to see that largely the TACs proposed are in line with scientific advice. However, it risks overfishing already stressed cod stocks. The Western Baltic cod stock is in a fragile state, but the Commission provides no TAC. Meanwhile their proposal for the Eastern cod stock is well above that advised by ICES.
The release comes a day after a series of meetings in Warsaw in which we participated: the Baltic Sea Advisory Council Working Group on technical measures and the BALTFISH Forum.
The Forum was the first gathering of stakeholders and member states under the Polish presidency of BALTFISH. Comments were invited on the landing obligation and the Baltic multiannual plan for cod, sprat and herring, which re-enters trilogue in September, following the failure of negotiations in June. There is a sense of urgency to push through the plan to replace the outdated cod plan from 2007. Eskild Kirkegaard, Chair of ICES ACOM presented scientific advice on Baltic stocks and stakeholders were able to give BALTFISH their views on the TAC setting, to be decided at the October Council meeting.
The Fisheries Secretariat also participated in a working group meeting of BSAC where there was a constructive atmosphere discussing potential changes to the technical measures legislation to facilitate better adherence to the landing obligation. Proposals to allow more flexibility in fishing gear were put on the table, as well as a recognition that flexibility needs to go hand in hand with accountability.