Brussels, 31 October 2024
Today, the Commission published its proposal to set catch limits, or total allowable catches (TACs), for ten fish stocks in the EU waters in the Atlantic Ocean, Kattegat, and Skagerrak for 2025. The proposal is based on scientific advice and covers fish stocks managed solely by the EU in those sea basins.
Following the available scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), the Commission is proposing catch limits for eight stocks, in line with the objective of maximum sustainable yield (MSY), i.e. the maximum amount of fish that fishers can take out of the sea without compromising the regeneration and future productivity of the stock. For one stock, the Commission is proposing a by-catch TAC above MSY to allow mixed fisheries to continue. The number of TACs proposed for 2025 is lower than last year, due to last year’s introduction of multiannual TACs. For certain stocks, TACs for 2025 were already set by Member States at the end of 2023.
The Commission proposes an increase in catch limits for five stocks: anglerfish, megrims and horse mackerel in Atlantic Iberian waters, Norway lobster in the southern Bay of Biscay and Cantabrian Sea, and common sole in the Bay of Biscay.
For hake in Atlantic Iberian waters, the Commission proposes to maintain the 2024 TAC – 17 445 tonnes –, which is between the MSY point value – 15 105 tonnes – and the upper limit of the MSY range – 20 404 tonnes – provided by ICES. Hake is the most limiting species in mixed fisheries, as other species are often caught incidentally together with hake. With this proposal, the Commission aims to strike the right balance between protecting hake in the long term and allowing fishers to catch it.
For plaice in the Kattegat, the Commission also proposes to maintain the 2024 TAC, which falls below the lower limit of the MSY range provided by ICES. Plaice and cod are incidentally caught in fisheries targeting Norway lobster. In light of the zero-catch advice for cod, catch limits for Norway lobster and for plaice should remain low to avoid increasing by-catch pressure on cod.
For sole in the Skagerrak-Kattegat and the Western Baltic Sea, considering the low biomass of the stock, the Commission proposes suspending the targeted fishery and setting a by-catch TAC for fisheries targeting Norway lobster at the level of recent catches. ICES forecasts that this by-catch TAC will keep the stock’s biomass stable, although it will not allow reaching MSY.
Based on the precautionary approach, ICES advises zero catches in 2025 and 2026 for roundnose grenadier in the Skagerrak-Kattegat. The Commission proposes setting a low multiannual by-catch TAC for 2025 and 2026 for roundnose grenadier for fisheries targeting Northern prawn at the level of recent landings.
Extended measures to safeguard eels
Given the critical status of the European eel population, the Commission proposes to maintain the existing measures for protecting the stock.
These include a mandatory six-month fishing closure and a prohibition for all recreational eel fishing in EU marine and brackish waters of the North-East Atlantic.
Jointly managed stocks and further scientific advice
This proposal will be updated after the conclusion of the ongoing consultations with Norway and the United Kingdom, and to take account of the upcoming decisions to be taken in various regional fisheries management organisations.
Twelve stocks, managed solely by the EU, are still awaiting scientific advice:
- anchovy in the Bay of Biscay and in Atlantic Iberian waters;
- cod in the Kattegat;
- Norway lobster in the Skagerrak-Kattegat, in the Bay of Biscay and in Atlantic Iberian waters;
- pollack in the Bay of Biscay, in the Cantabrian Sea and in Atlantic Iberian waters;
- red seabream in Atlantic Iberian waters;
- and undulate ray in the Bay of Biscay and in Atlantic Iberian waters.
Figures for the TACs for which scientific advice is not yet available or for which consultations with non-EU countries are ongoing are currently marked in the proposal as ‘pm’ or pro memoria. That is the case for most TACs in the proposal. Those figures will be included in the proposal when the advice becomes available or the consultations are concluded, through so-called ‘non-papers‘, and will be published by the Commission.
See tables below for details of today’s proposal for stocks solely managed by the EU.
Next steps
The Council will discuss the Commission’s proposal on 9 and 10 December and establish fishing opportunities for 2025, and in some cases for 2026. The regulation should apply as of 1 January 2025.
Background
Fishing opportunities, or total allowable catches (TACs), are set for most of Europe’s commercial fish stocks in line with the common fisheries policy (CFP) objectives to ensure that there is a balance between the sustainability of stocks and social and economic considerations.
The objective is to keep stock’s status healthy or to help them regenerate, while ensuring that EU fishers have healthy fish stocks to rely on for their economic activities. Under the CFP, EU Member States are legally bound to manage fish stocks at sustainable levels.
Sustainable fishing has made substantial progress in the EU. In 2024, 81% of the TACs were set at MSY level, allowing for a healthy future of the stocks and for fishers to rely on them, compared to only 14% of TACs in 2009.
In cases of zero or very low catch advice and mixed fisheries, the Commission’s approach is to set by-catch TACs. That allows the main fishing activities on other healthy stocks to continue and to avoid the severe socio-economic implications of failing to do so. At the same time, that also ensures that fishing mortality for zero or very low catch advice stocks is decreased and/or that their biomass remains stable.
The Commission proposal is based on scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). For stocks with a full scientific assessment, the Commission is proposing fishing levels in line with MSY advice. For stocks for which less data is available, the Commission proposal is based on precautionary advice.
Stakeholders were consulted based on the Commission’s annual Communication Sustainable fishing in the EU: state of play and orientations for 2025.
Taking into account the application of the landing obligation, the Commission is proposing TACs on the basis of the ICES catch advice. The proposed EU quotas take account of discards based on established exemptions; these quantities will not be landed and counted against the quotas and are therefore deducted from the EU quotas.
More information
- Questions and Answers
- Proposal fishing opportunities for 2025 in the Atlantic, Kattegat and Skagerrak
- TACs and quotas
- Landing obligation
- Multiannual management plans
Quote
This proposal illustrates the Commission’s commitment to ensuring our fish stocks’ sustainability in the long term, while providing fishers with more fishing opportunities where feasible. The sustainability of our fisheries and the competitiveness of our sector go hand in hand. Fishers, Member States, and the Commission must continue working together in the same direction. Thanks to our joint efforts, we can propose increases for several important fish stocks this year.
Maroš Šefčovič, Executive Vice-President for European Green Deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight
Details of the proposal
Source – EU Commission
Questions and Answers on 2025 Fishing Opportunities in the Atlantic, Kattegat and Skagerrak
Brussels, 31 October 2024
How and on which basis is the Commission preparing its proposal?
Every year, the Commission requests scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) on each fish stock and then develops its proposal for total allowable catches (TACs) based on that advice, as set out in the common fisheries policy (CFP). ICES delivers two types of advice: advice given under the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) assessment, and advice given under the precautionary approach. This depends on the data available to scientists for each stock.
When more data is available, then ICES can carry out a MSY assessment – while for data-poor stocks, the advice will be given based on the precautionary approach. The Commission subsequently analyses the advice and prepares its proposal, which is subsequently discussed and adopted by the Council of the European Union, where EU Member States’ Ministers for Fisheries meet.
For MSY stocks, depending on the state of the stock concerned, the Commission may propose a figure corresponding to fishing pressure: at MSY point; above that and up to MSY upper; or below that, including at MSY lower, in line with the provisions of the Multiannual Plans. The Commission also takes into account the presence of mixed fisheries, in particular when a zero or very low TAC for a species would force fishing vessels to stay in port, as they cannot fish for their targeted species without catching the species for which a zero or very low TAC has been advised. Those situations are known as ‘choke situations’. In cases of zero or very low catch advice and considerations of mixed fisheries, the Commission’s approach is to set by-catch TACs, the level of which is based on ICES advice. It allows the main fishing activities on other healthy stocks to continue, while also ensuring that mortality for zero or very low catch advice stocks is decreased and/or that their biomass remains stable.
What is new in the Commission proposal this year?
The number of TACs proposed for 2025 is lower compared to previous years, due to last year’s introduction of multiannual TACs. For certain stocks, TACs for 2025 were already set by the Council at the end of 2023.
Due to increased data collection resulting from a joint effort from fishers, Member States and national scientific institutes, the Commission was able to propose nine out of ten TACs based on MSY advice.
Certain TACs are allocated to one Member State only. In such cases, the Member States determine the TAC in line with the objectives and rules of the common fisheries policy (CFP). In order to allow the Commission to monitor the correct application of those rules and objectives, the Commission proposes that it may also request the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) to review those TACs determined by Member States, and if needed that the Member States would be required to review those TACs in line with the STECF advice. That would be in addition to the current requirement for Member States to submit supporting information on those TACs to the Commission.
For seabass in the Bay of Biscay, quotas are determined by France and Spain in line with the CFP objectives and rules, particularly the rules of the Multiannual Plan. The Commission proposes to require Member States to submit supporting information on those quotas to the Commission and to report catches under those quotas.
What progress has been made throughout the years in terms of sustainability of EU fisheries?
In recent years, we have made substantial progress towards sustainably fishing the stocks managed by the EU. In 2024, 87 of the 108 TACs set for the Atlantic, North Sea, Skagerrak-Kattegat and Baltic Sea, for which relevant advice is available, were set at a level that allows a healthy future for the stocks and the fishers, compared to only 5 out of 35 in 2009.
Where stock management is shared with non-EU countries, the EU continues to be guided by the same sustainability principles that apply under the common fisheries policy.
The status of the European eel stock has been critical for many years. What is the Commission proposing?
While ICES advice for European eel for 2025 will be published on 1 November 2024, given the continued critical state of the European eel, the Commission has already proposed to maintain the 2024 measures to protect eels. These measures include a six-month closure period for all commercial and recreational eel fisheries in EU marine and brackish waters of the North-East Atlantic.
This proposal might be updated after publication by ICES of its scientific advice for European eel in the North-East Atlantic for 2025.
When will the proposal be updated with the trilateral EU-UK-NO and bilateral EU-UK TACs?
The trilateral negotiations between the EU, Norway and the UK and the bilateral EU-UK consultations will take place in the coming weeks. The Commission aims to conclude both sets of negotiations before the end of the year.
The EU will seek to ensure full consistency between the bilateral EU-UK and the trilateral EU-UK-Norway fishing opportunities and related provisions, pursuing, as always, our sustainability objectives as set out in the common fisheries policy.
More Information
- Press release
- Proposal fishing opportunities for 2025 in the Atlantic, Kattegat and Skagerrak
- TACs and quotas
- Landing obligation
- Multiannual management plans
Source – EU Commission