Deep-sea species are caught in depths of up to 1,500 metres, beyond the main fishing grounds of the continental shelves. This is a fragile environment. Once damaged, it is unlikely to recover. Highly vulnerable to fishing, deep-sea fish stocks are quick to collapse and slow to recover because they reproduce at low rates. Deep-sea species include fish such as alfonsinos, black scabbardfish, roundnose grenadier, red seabream and some sharks species.
Deep-sea fisheries in the EU account for less than 1% of all fish caught in the North-East Atlantic.
Every two years, the EU fisheries ministers set total allowable catches (TACs) for a limited number of deep-sea species, based on a proposal from the European Commission.
In 2016, the Parliament, the Council and the Commission reached an agreement on how to improve the state of deep-sea stocks and vulnerable deep-sea ecosystems by setting out clear rules and limits for access to these fisheries and fishing grounds. The rules are fully in line with the sustainability targets of the common fisheries policy: they aim to better protect deep-sea fish, sponges and corals by closing certain vulnerable areas and increasing scientific knowledge of deep-sea life while maintaining viable fisheries.
With this regulation
Member States must submit annual reports containing data on deep-sea fishing: the number of vessels involved, their fishing area, the type of gear, the size, the number of fishing authorisations issued, their port of origin, the total deep-sea fishing opportunities available to its vessels and the total use of these fishing opportunities.
2018
• Belgium has not issued any licenses to fish neither target nor by-catch fisheries to the Belgian vessels in 2018.• Denmark• Estonia• Finland has not issued any licenses to fish neither target nor by-catch fisheries to the Finnish vessels in 2018.• France• Germany• Ireland• Latvia• Lithuania has not issued any licenses to fish neither target nor by-catch fisheries to the Lithuanian vessels in 2018.• Netherlands• Poland has not issued any licenses to fish neither target nor by-catch fisheries to the Polish vessels in 2018.• Portugal• Spain• Sweden - Sweden has not issued any licenses to fish neither target nor by-catch fisheries to the Swedish vessels in 2018.• United Kingdom
2017
• Belgium has not issued any licenses to fish neither target nor by-catch fisheries to the Belgian vessels in 2017.• Denmark has not issued any licenses to fish neither target nor by-catch fisheries to the Danish vessels in 2017.• Estonia• Finland has not issued any licenses to fish neither target nor by-catch fisheries to the Finnish vessels in 2017.• France• Germany• Ireland• Latvia• Lithuania• Netherlands• Poland• Portugal• Spain• Sweden has not issued any licenses to fish neither target nor by-catch fisheries to the Swedish vessels in 2017.• United Kingdom
Deep-sea access regulation (EU) 2016/2336
A better future for the EU deep sea
Fishing quotas
/fisheries/file/f-twitter256-32png_mtf-twitter_256-32.png Alt Text : twitter icon Title Text : twitter icon
/fisheries/file/3019_mtbackground_icon1.gif Alt Text : Rss feed Title Text : Rss feed
Fittex fl-aħbarijiet kollha
The blue biotechnology sector is a fascinating niche in the European blue economy. It uses living marine organisms – algae, bacteria, fungi, shellfish – to develop new, sustainable applications for a variety of sectors, ranging from pharmaceuticals and textiles to chemicals, packaging, fuel and more.
When you think about marine pollution, probably you imagine floating debris such as plastic bottles, straws and bags, or discarded fishing nets trapping marine animals. Maybe you picture an oil spill. But would you think of mercury?
The European Commission has published a new action plan to accelerate the development of the organic sector. The plan will boost the production and consumption of organic products, in order to reach 25% of agricultural land under organic farming by 2030, as well as a significant increase in organic aquaculture, as set in the EU’s Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies.
