10 Management of deep sea fish stocks
| (28343)
5881/07
COM(07) 30
| Commission Communication: Review of the management of deep sea fish stocks
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| Legal base | — |
| Document originated | 29 January 2007
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| Deposited in Parliament | 5 February 2007
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| Department | Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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| Basis of consideration | EM of 26 February 2007
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| Previous Committee Report | None
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| To be discussed in Council | No date set
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| Committee's assessment | Politically important
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| Committee's decision | Cleared
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Background
10.1 Although the Community has for many years now set limitations
on catches of the main species in its waters, it has done so only
relatively recently in the case of deep sea species (generally
considered to be those which live at depths greater than 400 metres).
It has therefore sought in this Communication to assess the effectiveness
of the measures which have been taken so far in Community waters,
and in the regulatory areas of the North East Atlantic Fisheries
Commission (NEAFC) and the Committee for the Eastern Central Atlantic
Fisheries (CECAF).
The current document
10.2 The Commission notes that, because of the depth at which
they live, the food available for these species is limited, and
that they are therefore typically long-lived, slow-growing and
late-maturing. In addition, they are generally of low fecundity,
all of which makes them particularly vulnerable to over-fishing.
The Commission also points out that the fisheries on these species
generally developed before sufficient information was available
for the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
to provide management advice, but that the most exploited of them
were considered to be outside safe biological limits, requiring
immediate reductions in fishing effort.
10.3 More specifically, the Commission observes that
total allowable catches (TACs) were first introduced for certain
of these species in 2002, on the basis of catches between 1990
and 1999, and that subsequent TACs — which have also applied
to the new Member States — have been set two years at a
time, reflecting the frequency of the relevant scientific advice.
These TACs have been accompanied by limitations on fishing effort,
under which all vessels which capture more than 10 tonnes of these
species a year are required to have a fishing permit, with an
upper limit being imposed on their aggregate capacity and special
reporting and control arrangements being imposed.
10.4 In assessing the effectiveness of these measures,
the Commission says:
- that the TACs have been set
at somewhat arbitrary levels, albeit much higher than would have
been required by the precautionary principle, but that they have
subsequently been reduced (though by a smaller amount than the
Commission itself would have wished);
- that, since deep sea fisheries (with few exceptions)
catch a mixture of species, TACs for the various stocks need to
fixed relative to each other at levels which minimise discards
and by-catches — a process which it says is extremely difficult,
even for shallow-water fisheries for which much more information
is available;
- that the problem of managing these species is
increased by the lack of knowledge of their geographical stock
structure, and the huge management areas involved;
- that, although TACs have probably helped to curb
fishing mortality, they need to be complemented by other measures,
in particular restrictions on fishing effort;
- that the effort limits actually established have
nevertheless probably had little effect, because shortcomings[40]
in the way in which they have been calculated have led to them
be set at too high a level; and
- that there have also been shortcomings in Member
States' arrangements for collecting and providing information
on fishing activity, for identifying designated ports for landings,
for providing information on vessels holding the necessary licences.
The Government's view
10.5 In his Explanatory Memorandum of 26 February
2007, the Minister for Local Environment, Marine and Animal Welfare
at the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr Ben
Bradshaw) says that the UK welcomes this Communication, which
presents very clearly the shortcomings of the existing system.
He says that the Government agrees with all the points made by
the Commission, and that it has always held the view that TACs
are not the best way to manage these fisheries, and that there
should be greater emphasis on effort restrictions. Consequently,
whilst it welcomes the reductions in the TACs adopted for 2007
and 2008,[41] it considers
that the whole system should be reviewed to ensure that it is
working properly, including control and enforcement, with the
limits placed on capacity being revisited to see if they are as
effective as they might be. He also suggests that it is crucial
that more data is gathered to help ICES produce detailed advice.
10.6 The Minister says that it is not clear what
follow up action the Commission now envisages, and that the UK
will be asking what it has in mind.
Conclusion
10.7 This Communication provides an interesting
insight into the problems which the Community has encountered
in its recent attempts to manage these fisheries, and, for that
reason, we think it should be drawn to the attention of the House.
However, as we noted when we reported on the proposal setting
the total allowable catches for 2007 and 2008, the UK is not a
major participant in these fisheries, and we are therefore clearing
the document.
40 For example, the capacity set includes many vessels
fishing primarily for shallow-water species, with only marginal
catches of deep-sea stocks. Back
41
(27882) 13421/06: see HC 34-xlii (2005-06), para 10 (7 November
2006). Back
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