Positions & Papers

Proposal to Baltic Sea Advisory Council for quota distribution in line with Article 17

January 4, 2017

In light of the significant cuts to the TAC for western Baltic cod in 2017, FishSec proposed a motion for adoption at the Baltic Sea Advisory Council that the limited quota should be allocated to the most vulnerable fishers, in terms of jobs and income, and to those who have the lowest environmental impact.


Joint NGO letter to DG Mare Director concerning Baltic quotas in 2017

November 28, 2016

In this letter the undersigned NGOs outlined their concerns regarding the science underpinning the quotas set for stocks, in particular western Baltic cod and Gulf of Riga herring, and their compliance with the Baltic multiannual plan. We welcomed the Commission's statements that this information would be made available and have requested that this is done so publically, so as to address the transparency concerns that have become apparent through the negotiations.


North Atlantic and North Sea TACs 2017: Council briefing from the Fisheries Secretariat & Seas at Risk

November 23, 2016

This briefing provide recommendations to the Fisheries Council on the European Commission’s proposal on fishing opportunities in the North Atlantic and North Sea for 2017. The Fisheries Council will conclude on 13 December, and we ask the Council to endorse our recommendations in order to ensure more sustainable utilisation of our common marine resources. Our news story can be found here


Council brief on Deep Sea TACs for 2017 & 2018

November 3, 2016

This briefing provide recommendations to the Fisheries Council on the European Commission’s proposal on fishing opportunities for certain Deep Sea stocks for 2017 and 2018. This is the first time that these TACs have been set since the recent agreement of the new EU deep sea access regime. The Fisheries Council will conclude on 15 November, and we ask the Council to endorse our recommendations in order to ensure more sustainable utilisation of our common marine resources. Our letter to Ministers can be found here.


Baltic TACs 2017

October 10, 2016

Here you can find a table with the quotas, decided by Council, in the Baltic Sea fisheries for 2017.


Council brief on Baltic TACs for 2017

October 1, 2016

This briefing provide recommendations to the Fisheries Council on the European Commission’s proposal on fishing opportunities in the Baltic for 2017. This is the first time that Baltic TACs have been set since the adoption of the Baltic multiannual management plan. The Fisheries Council will conclude on 11 October, and we ask the Council to endorse our recommendations in order to ensure more sustainable utilisation of our common marine resources. Our news story can be found here  


Baltic mulitiannual management plan

September 20, 2016

Here you can find the legislation relating to the Baltic multiannual management plan. This was decided through co-decision between the Council and European Parliament, and came into force in time to be the basis for the 2017 quotas.


Technical Measures Framework briefing and letter

August 25, 2016

In our letter to Ministers, FishSec and Seas at Risk provided recommendations on the Technical Measures Framework.

Technical measures are rules for where, when and how fishing may take place and are fundamental for regulating the impact of fishing on stocks and the wider marine ecosystem. In this paper, we have outlined our joint prorities for the forthcoming negotiations.


Request to Slovakian Presidency live stream Council meetings – joint NGO letter

August 22, 2016

In this letter, FishSec are one of eight organisations requesting that the upcoming Council meetings in 2016 are live streamed. There has been a lack of public scrutiny and transparency with regard to the setting of TACs and quotas and it is of public interest for these decisions to be taken in a more visible light.


Joint NGO position paper on the Commission’s Technical Measures Framework proposal

August 18, 2016

Technical measures are rules for where, when and how fishing may take place and are fundamental for regulating the impact of fishing on stocks and the wider marine ecosystem. In this paper, we have outlined our joint prorities for the forthcoming negotiations.