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AGRIFISH Council: Ministers to decide on fishing catch limits for 2017

EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella will present the Commission's proposals for fixing fishing opportunities for 2017 for the Atlantic, North Sea and Black Sea to the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 12-13 December.

Related topics

TACs and quotas Fisheries

date:  09/12/2016

This proposal sets out how much EU fishermen may catch from the main commercial fish stocks next year.  The Gross Value Added (GVA) and gross profit generated (excl. Greece) by the fisheries sector in 2014 was €3.7 billion and €1.6 billion, respectively. For the second time the Commission has also proposed so-called quota "top-ups" for the fisheries that will be under the landing obligation in 2017. These top-ups aim to compensate fishermen for the fish they will have to land, without increasing pressure on stocks. Decisions are taken within the framework of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, which aims to have all stocks fished at sustainable levels by 2020 at the latest. EU Fisheries Ministers are set to reach political agreement so that the catch limits can enter into force on 1 January 2017.

The press conference can be followed online