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[Norway] Next year's TACs set with EU
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Europe
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Fish
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Policy
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2001.12.20
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Norway and the EU have agreed to reduce blue whiting fisheries in each
other's economic zones next year. The agreement reflects the difficult
situation for bottomfish in the North Sea with the parties agreeing to
reduce fish mortality by 30 per cent for cod, haddock and whiting.
The Norwegian blue whiting quota in EU waters has been reduced from
190,000 tonnes this year to 120,000 tonnes next year. The EU may catch
120,000 tonnes in Norwegian waters next year.
"We see this as an attempt to reduce the total catch of blue whiting,
" Paul-Gustav Remøy of the Norwegian fishing vessel owners' association
(Fiskebatredernes Forbund) told FIS.com. The total catch of blue whiting
is 1.7 million tonnes this year, while the recommendation by marine
scientists was 650,000 tonnes.
The Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for cod in the North Sea next year will be
49,300 tonnes, haddock 104,000 tonnes and whiting 41,000 tonnes. Next
year's plaice TAC will be 77,000 tonnes. The saithe stocks are in good
condition. Next year's TAC will be 135,000 tonnes, which is 48,000 tonnes
more than this year. Norway's saithe quota will be 70,200 tonnes.
Norway and the EU have entered a new three-year agreement on the management
of the North Sea herring stocks. The agreement builds on the same
principles as the 1997 herring agreement. The agreement contains
regulations on the taxation level and involves the implementation of
measures when the spawning stocks are below the precautionary limit. The
North Sea herring for human consumption TAC for 2002 is 265,000 tonnes,
the same as this year, and Norway's quota is 76,850 tonnes.
The mackerel quota has been slightly increased. Norway may catch 178,007
tonnes next year and the parties have agreed to do more research into
distribution, migration and new methods of computing the stocks of mackerel
next year.
Norway's sprat quota in EU waters has increased from 10,000 tonnes to
35,000 tonnes and the Norwegian sandeel quota in EU waters has increased
from 5,000 to 35,000 tonnes in 2002.
"This is the EU bill for cod quotas in the Barents Sea," Remøy explained.
EU vessels may catch 16,355 tonnes of cod in the Barents Sea next year.
The increased Norwegian sprat and sandeel quotas are converted so-called
cod equivalents.
"We would have preferred to have the cod equivalents converted into
mackerel, but the EU was not willing to give away any mackerel," Remøy
said.
FIS(2001/12/18)
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