News

Atlantic and North Sea Fishing Opportunities 2020 – Council agreement

Published on December 18, 2019

Council agreement and other related statements and commentary.

The press release and table of the Council agreement on fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and North Sea are on the EU Council website.

The Council has also agreed to a 10% reduction of fishing effort for demersal species in the Mediterranean Sea. Quotas for sprat and turbot in the Black Sea were also agreed. However, these decisions allow for continued overfishing and are not in line with the management objectives within the Common Fisheries Policy.

In addition to setting TACs, the Council agreed on additional measures regarding subsidies for scrapping vessels that have been fishing on the Baltic cod stocks and western spring spawning herring.

 

Other related information and links:

Press statement by Commissioner Sinkevičius

Press release by Seas at Risk – EU Fisheries Ministers flout law and allow overfishing to continue in 2020

Press release by Our Fish – EU Fisheries Ministers blow change to end overfishing

Chris Davies MEP – Chair of EU Parliament PECH Committee: @ChrisDaviesLD

Tweeted about the outcome:

Common Fisheries Policy calls for all fishing to be at maximum sustainable yield by 2020. We are not there yet. No room for political compromise with MSY – you either achieve it or you don’t. More work to be done. #CFP @VSinkevicius #overfishing #AGRIFISH