Agriculture and Fisheries Council : Unanimous political agreement on the revision of the cod stocks recovery plan
Joe Borg, Michel Barnier
© Le Conseil de l'Union européenne
- On: 19.11.2008
- In: Bruxelles
Revision of the cod stocks recovery plan
The Presidency, alongside the European Commission, enabled a unanimous agreement to be reached on the revision of the cod stocks recovery plan. This plan is a priority for many European countries, which have fishing activities over a vast marine area in Northern Europe (the Channel, North Sea, Irish Sea, West of Scotland, Skagerrak and Kattegat).
The final compromise, adopted after a number of bilateral meetings, enabled a balanced agreement to be obtained for all the Member States. This compromise essentially provides for:
- considerable work on the Member States' part to reduce the fishing effort in zones covered by the recovery plan, while planning more flexible mechanisms for vessels which fish very little cod;
- fixing Total Allowable Catches (TACs) in accordance with the status of the resource. For the North Sea, which is subject to management measures jointly with Norway, the aim is to obtain a rise in TACs between 35 and 44%.
Reform of the Fisheries Control Community framework
The Commission presented its proposal for the reform of the Fisheries Control Community framework. The Member States' initial reactions are favourable to improving control, but they also underline the financial, human and technical costs arising from this proposal.
Sustainable development of European aquaculture
In the follow-up to a memorandum on aquaculture, co-signed by 18 Member States (including France) at the Agriculture and Fisheries Council of June 2008, an exchange of views enabled several priority work approaches to be identified for the future:
- development of simpler aquaculture regulations which are consistent;
- promotion of aquaculture products and activities at Community level;
- census and reservation of aquaculture zones at Community level;
- measures to help young people start up;
- cover for risks and unpredictable events.
Photos: Fisheries Council
Agriculture Council: the ministers reached an agreement on the CAP health check (Report)
- Updated: 20.11.2008
