Brussels sets out 2019 fishing quotas proposal for the Black Sea
Black Sea fishing-Photo Pixabay
(BRUSSELS) - The EU Commission put forward its proposals Wednesday for fishing opportunities in 2019 for the most important commercial fish stocks in the Black Sea.
The catch limit and quota for the two species, sprat and turbot, are shared between Bulgaria and Romania.
The proposal is a roll-over from 2018 and is based on the scientific advice from the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF). It follows the multi-annual management plan for turbot fisheries in the Black Sea, approved in 2017 by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM).
For turbot, the Commission transposes the GFCM multi-annual management plan by proposing a catch limit of 114 tonnes, which will be distributed equally between Bulgaria and Romania, as well as a limitation of turbot fishing to 180 days per year and the complete ban over a 2-month period (15 April - 15 June) . These measures should allow for the recovery of this iconic Black Sea species.
For sprat, the Commission proposes to maintain a catch limit of 11,475 tonnes, of which 70% will be allocated to Bulgaria and 30% to Romania.
The Commission's proposal will be examined by the Member States at the December Council on Agriculture and Fisheries (17-18 December).