27 Sustainability in Community fisheries
| (27682)
11373/06
COM(06) 360
| Commission Communication implementing sustainability in EU fisheries through maximum sustainable yield
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 4 July 2006
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| Deposited in Parliament | 12 July 2006
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| Department | Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 14 August 2006
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | By the end of 2006
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared; but relevant to any debate of catch levels for 2007
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Background
27.1 According to the Commission, gradually phasing out over-fishing
would markedly improve the economic performance of the fisheries
sector within the Community, in that it would increase catches
and reduce costs, and sustainable fisheries are clearly needed
if the sector's potential is to be fully reached. It also points
out that both the Community and its Member States committed themselves
at the World Summit on Sustainable Development at Johannesburg
in 2002 to maintain or restore stocks to levels which can produce
the maximum sustainable yield,[71]
urgently in the case of depleted stocks, and where possible no
later than 2015; and it suggests that it is in any case time to
manage the fisheries in a manner which looks for success rather
than seeks merely to avoid failure. It has therefore set out in
this Communication ways in which this approach might be achieved,
including a faster move towards a longer-term fisheries management
system which focuses on obtaining the best from the productive
potential of Europe's living marine resources without compromising
their use by future generations.
The current document
27.2 The Communication points out that, whereas some stocks, such
as herring and mackerel, are exploited at levels approaching sustainability,
catches of many demersal species, such as cod and haddock, have
declined dramatically in recent years, as a result of too much
fishing in relation to their productive potential. It suggests
that a stock management system based on the maximum sustainable
yield will help to reverse that situation, and would also lead
to the development of larger fish stocks, which —
in addition to providing a greater guarantee of wealth —
would provide a buffer against the changes in the number of young
fish which join the stock each year as a result of environmental
factors. A further benefit is that a higher proportion of large-
and high- value fish in a stock will help to reduce discards of
small low-value fish, and would also reduce by-catches of non-commercial
species, such as dolphins and porpoises.
27.3 At the same time, the Commission cautions that
attempting to re-build stocks without a longer-term strategy is
a risky and difficult task, given the influence of environmental
and other factors, and that there is an over-riding need to balance
fishing activity against the productive capacity of the stocks.
It suggests that a target rate of fishing should be set for each
stock, together with a decision on the rate of the annual adjustments
needed to reach that target: and it believes that this should
be achieved by a range of measures, such as adjustments to the
levels of total allowable catches (TACs) and effort levels, incorporating
precautionary considerations, and the use where appropriate of
technical measures, such as closed areas and gear restrictions.
27.4 More specifically, the Commission suggests that
long-term plans should:
- be prepared in consultation
with fishermen, consumers and other interested parties;
- be based on impartial scientific advice;
- take into account the economic, social and environment
impacts of the measures proposed;
- define a target rate of fishing (rather than
manage biomass levels), and the means of reaching that target;
- aim at diminishing any harmful impact of fishing
on the marine ecosystem;
- include technical measures ensuring that stocks
normally caught together are fished in a way which is compatible
with their respective targets;
- include the possibility of some stocks being
exploited below maximum sustainable levels in order to increase
the productivity of other species;
- establish targets irrespective of the initial
biological condition of the stock, whilst recognising that stronger
measures may be required when there is a high level of depletion;
- specify appropriate guidelines where the available
scientific advice cannot quantify the action needed to achieve
the maximum sustainable yield; and
- be subject to periodic review.
27.5 The Commission comments that implementation
of this approach depends very much on the capacity of the fisheries
sector at national level, and that Member States face two broad
approaches —
focussing on reducing catching capacity to that needed to fish
at the maximum sustainable yield, or maintaining the fleet size,
whilst limiting vessels' capacity to catch fish. It suggests that
the first of these is more easily controllable, but that change
can be managed more easily under either approach if it occurs
gradually. For that reason, it stresses the importance of starting
the adjustment process soon, whilst making it clear that, insofar
as the main strategic decisions are for Member States, the Community's
role is essentially to provide the necessary management framework
to phase out over-fishing and to support structural change through
the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance and the proposed
European Fisheries Fund.
27.6 The Commission concludes by saying that it will
over the coming years propose long-term plans with the aim of
bringing all major fish stocks in the Community to rates of fishing
which achieve maximum sustainable yields (and to develop analogous
joint management plans for those stocks which are managed with
third countries). It will also give priority to those fisheries
where the industry has supported a specific approach through the
relevant Regional Advisory Council (RAC) and to those where the
most rapid conservation and economic benefits can be gained by
moving towards maximum sustainable yield fisheries. It comments
that, as a first step in the process of ensuring the necessary
long-term plans are in place by 2015, the Community should —
without prejudice to any recovery plans adopted to reduce short-term
risks to the stocks — adopt with effect from 2007 management
decisions which ensure that there is no increase in the fishing
rate for any stock which is already over-fished.
The Government's view
27.7 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 14 August 2006,
the Minister for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare
at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr
Ben Bradshaw) says that the UK recognises the need to begin the
debate on how the Community should meet its commitments from the
World Summit on Sustainable Development, and that some progress
has already been made in the direction of this Communication,
for example as regards haddock in the North Sea. However, he adds
that there are challenges in applying maximum sustainable yields
in some areas, for example mixed fisheries. He welcomes the Commission's
recognition of the need to involve Regional Advisory Councils,
and notes that some of them have already begun to consider long-term
management issues.
Conclusion
27.8 Although this document addresses an important
subject, it does so in fairly by-and-large terms, and, for most
part, covers familiar ground. For that reason, we see no need
to withhold clearance, but we think that the document would be
relevant to any debate held on the Commission's proposals for
total allowable catches in 2007.
71 The maximum yield which can be taken year after
year. Back
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