TACs and quotas

Current fisheries management systems are predominately based on quotas and Total Allowable Catches (TACs). These and many other regulations of EU fisheries are decided at the Fisheries Council meeting and are based on proposals from the Commission.

At the Fisheries Secretariat we aim to influence decisions in the Council of Ministers and European Parliament through briefings produced jointly together with other NGOs. Our briefings provide analysis and comment from an environmental perspective on fishing quotas and other proposals on the Fisheries Council agenda.

 

TACs, quotas and fisheries management

Current fisheries management systems are predominately based on quotas and TACs, where a quantity of a species (usually specified in tonnes) is allocated to a country, state and/or individual operator. This system is often complemented by or replaced with an effort system, specifying the amount of activity at sea allowed, usually expressed as “days at sea” or “kilowatt days”.

TACs and many other regulations of EU fisheries are decided by fisheries ministers at the Fisheries Council meeting. These decisions are based on proposals from the Commission, which seeks scientific advice from two main bodies:

• The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
• The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF)

The Baltic TACs are generally set at the October Fisheries Council meeting, while TACs for the majority of other EU fishing quotas are usually agreed at the December meeting. Quotas for a long line of vulnerable deep-sea species, particularly sharks and rays, are decided every other November and set for two years.

Last updated: February 10, 2021