The Baltic Multiannual Plan (MAP) for cod, herring and sprat is a big step closer to reality following the European Parliament and Council defining their positions at meetings in April.
The European Parliament voted to adopt a collection of rules, the so-called Omnibus Regulation, on April 28 to implement the landing obligation. This vote maintains a critical loophole integrated during trialogue with the Council which allows damaged fish to be discarded. The Council of Ministers is soon expected to support the agreement, after which the new rules will be implemented in stages between 2015 and 2019.
The Swedish species databank have red listed the cold water prawn (Pandalus borealis) as a threatened species. Main justification for the red-listing is due to that the population has decreased with 30-50% over the last ten years.
FISH has together with other NGOs pointed out key priorities for the Plenary vote on the Baltic MAP and urge Parliament to support and further strengthen the Report from the Fisheries Committee, which voted on the file on the 31st of March 2015.
A user-friendly guide has been developed by the Environmental Defense Fund as a tool to help reduce discards and meet the EU landing obligation. The guide aims to help EU fishermen, fishery managers and Member State regulators find ways to successfully implement the CFP landing obligation requirements.
Last week saw the first major vote on the Baltic Multiannual Plan (MAP) in the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee. The European Commission’s proposal, released last October, failed to adhere to the objectives of the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Last week’s vote saw a positive reversal of some, but not all, of the shortcomings in the proposed Baltic MAP.
Changes in Baltic Sea ecosystems will cause financial losses up to 120 million euros per year new study shows. Showing that the regeneration of an ecosystem to an economic target is not straightforward, as there are multiple interacting drivers involved that need to be considered and understood.
FISH together with a number of NGOs urge Member States to adhere to the binding objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), to be mindful of the Fisheries Committee vote of 31st March, and to carefully address the objectives of multiannual plans, sustainable fishing mortality rates, conservation reference points, and the ecosystem-based approach.
Scientists study how environmental factors and food availability affect the cod and its body growth in different life stages.
From March 2-6, the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), met in Rostock, Germany to evaluate data and models for the Baltic cod stocks. The results of this meeting will contribute to the final ICES advice for Baltic Cod, due on May 29.