A speedy agreement on fishing quotas

On 19 December the Agriculture and Fisheries Council fixed the fishing opportunities for 2009, as is traditional at the end of every year under the common fisheries policy. The agreement covers fishing opportunities for Community vessels by fishing zone and species.

© European Communities

The aim of the common fisheries policy (CFP) is to ensure responsible fishing and to guarantee an income for fishermen, as well as to provide reliable supplies for consumers at reasonable prices. To that end, every year the EU fixes the total admissible catch (TAC) by species and fishing zone and allocates the authorised fishing quotas and days at sea between the Member States and third countries, in accordance with international agreements.

To ensure that resources are exploited in a sustainable manner, sound long-term stock management, based on scientific assessments, is necessary. The multiannual plans are thus a key feature of fisheries policy. For an increasing number of stocks, such as cod, sole, herring and bluefin tuna, fishing opportunities have been fixed on the basis of this approach.

Thanks to the "front-loading process", TACs for the Baltic, deep-water species and the Black Sea were adopted at an earlier meeting of the Council.

For more information:
Council press release (pdf)
Broadcast of the Council press conference

Forthcoming events:
Agriculture and Fisheries Council, 19 and 20 January 2009
Economic and Financial Affairs Council, 20 January 2009