News
January 12, 2016
European Court rules cod plan unlawfully amended by Council
In a landmark ruling that may allow the development of multiannual plans (MAPs) for EU fisheries to move forward after years of deadlock, the European Court of Justice found that the Council breached the Treaty when unilaterally passing amendments in 2012 to the cod management plan for the Atlantic and North Sea.
December 31, 2015
Council falls short of CFP goals and mandates overfishing for 2016
In December, EU Ministers decided upon fishing quotas for the North Atlantic, North Sea and Black Sea for 2016. Once again, many quotas were set above scientific advice.
December 21, 2015
Public consultation: Evaluation of the Fisheries Control Regulation
The European Commission has opened a public consultation on “Evaluation of the Fisheries Control Regulation”. The consultation is open to all stakeholder groups and individuals and close 13th of March 2016.
December 18, 2015
MSC certification for Eastern Baltic cod suspended
MSC has suspended its certification of the Eastern Baltic cod fisheries after assessments found that fishing activities may not be sustainable. All cod caught in the fishery after 17 December 2015 is now uncertified.
December 17, 2015
Cod survival – the relationship with warm waters and protection of strong year classes
FishSec regularly highlights research which can contribute to the ongoing dialogue on Baltic fisheries. These two papers examining cod stocks in the Northwest Atlantic may be informative for Baltic cod stock recovery and ecosystem considerations in population modelling.
December 7, 2015
ICES Workshop on methods for the evaluation of the MSFD criterion D3.3
ICES is picking up the work on descriptor 3 of the MSFD with a dedicated workshop on criterion 3.3 early 2016.
December 4, 2015
New Economics Foundation analyses fishing quota decisions
A new nef report finds an average of 7 out of every 10 TACs were set exceeding scientific advice over the last fifteen years. The Fisheries Council have set fishing quotas which often exceed scientific advice and out of line with legislated principles in the CFP.
December 4, 2015
North Atlantic and North Sea TACs to be set at December Council
2016 catch quotas for the North Atlantic and North Sea to be decided at the Fisheries Council on 15 December. FishSec is concerned that the Council will repeat its pattern of poor adherence to scientific advice and the goals of the CFP.
December 1, 2015
Sweden’s Skåne county puts the future of small scale fishers on the political agenda
Marine Centre hosted a one day conference to discuss the future of small scale Baltic Sea fisheries. An initiative that will take place yearly until 2010.
November 28, 2015
November Baltic Sea Advisory Committee meeting and WWF Baltic Conference
The Baltic Sea Advisory Committee’s (BSAC) Executive Committee held its final meeting of 2016 on 18 November in Copenhagen leaving a number of important items to tackle in 2016.