Brussels, 16 September 2024
Today, the EU Commission adopted its proposal for fishing opportunities for 2025 for the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. The proposal promotes the sustainable management of fish stocks in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas and delivers on the political commitments made in the MedFish4Ever and Sofia Declarations.
Most fishing opportunities will be proposed at a later stage, based on the results of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean annual session (4-8 November 2024) and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) advice for demersal stocks covered by the Western Mediterranean Multiannual Management Plan (MAP)- which is expected mid-November.
The Western Mediterranean MAP for demersal stocks will enter its permanent phase as of 1 January 2025, following the conclusion of the five-year transitional period. The Commission therefore proposes the continued implementation of all sustainable fishing measures derived from the MAP. These measures include limits on fishing effort for trawlers and longliners, catch limits for deep-water shrimp and a compensation mechanism for trawlers.
In the Mediterranean Sea, the proposal includes the measures agreed under the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) in 2023, such as the MAP for common dolphinfish and the extension of the GFCM plans for blackspot seabream and deep-water shrimps, with a gradual reduction in catches. The proposal for red coral and European eel will be updated after the GFCM annual session in November 2024, as the current GFCM transitional measures expire at the end of this year.
In the Adriatic Sea, the proposal includes the implementation of the GFCM MAPs for demersal and small pelagic stocks. It proposes to continue implementing limits on fishing effort for demersal stocks, with the goal of reaching sustainable fishing levels by 2026. For small pelagic the proposal includes the implementation of the permanent phase of the MAP from 2025 onwards, after a three-year transitional period. The GFCM is expected to adopt decisions on further implementation of both Adriatic MAPs at the 2024 GFCM annual session.
In the Black Sea, the proposal includes catch limits and quotas for sprat and turbot. The Commission proposes to maintain the 2024 catch limit for sprat. For turbot, the levels of total allowable catches (TAC) and quotas will be set at the 2024 GFCM annual session.
Next steps
The Council will discuss the Commission’s proposal on 9-10 December and establish the allocation of fishing opportunities. The regulation should apply as of 1 January 2025.
Background
The Commission promotes an enhanced multilateral approach and cooperation to fisheries management in the Mediterranean and the Black Seas. The Malta MedFish4ever and Sofia Declarations established a new governance framework, which was strengthened by the adoption of the new 2030 GFCM Strategy.
The EU multiannual management plan (MAP) for demersal stocks in Western Mediterranean, adopted in June 2019, introduced a fishing effort regime for trawlers intended to achieve an overall reduction of up to 40% in five years transitional phase, until 2025. In December 2021, based on scientific advice, the Council introduced a holistic approach, combining effort measures for both trawlers and longliners and catch limits for deep-water shrimps. In addition, the Fishing Opportunities Council Regulation for 2022 introduced a new compensation mechanism for trawlers. This mechanism is designed to encourage trawlers to use more selective gear and to fish in areas that avoid juveniles and spawners. The mechanism was further implemented in the 2023 and 2024 fishing opportunities.
From 2025 onwards, the MAP enters its long-term and permanent phase where MSY ranges apply. Therefore, the fishing opportunities for 2025 will be determined based on the new recommendations from the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF). These recommendations will be used to evaluate various management options and provide the most up-to-date scientific advice. The Commission published on 29 July 2024 the first report on the implementation of the MAP.
In 2017, the GFCM adopted a MAP for turbot in the Black Sea. This was the first set of management and control measures to be implemented at the regional level. The TAC of turbot under the MAP should be reviewed at the GFCM annual session in 2024.
Since 2019, the GFCM has adopted MAPs for demersal species and for small pelagic species in the Adriatic Sea, for European eel, red coral and common dolphinfish in the Mediterranean Sea, for blackspot seabream in the Alboran Sea and for the management of deep-water shrimps in the Strait of Sicily, the Ionian and the Levant Sea.
More information
Source – EU Commission