Baltic Member States prepare themselves for the new CFP and strengthen their cooperation
date: 17/12/2013
Coming only a week after the signing of the new CFP regulation by the co-legislators, the Baltic Member States have already demonstrated their commitment to implementing some of the new provisions adopted. The MoU also continues the long tradition of cooperation in fisheries amongst the Baltic Member States have a long tradition of cooperation in fisheries and helps to ensure that the CFP's objectives can be delivered in a way that is best adapted to the specific ambitions and challenges of Baltic fishermen and Baltic fisheries.
European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki: "The Baltic countries have long made an important contribution to the effective implementation of the CFP and I am glad that with this MoU they have signalled their intent to continue their cooperation, their work with stakeholders and the Advisory Councils, and to ensure that the CFP is effectively and appropriately implemented in the Baltic Sea"
In the Baltic Sea good progress has already been made towards the key objective of a sustainable exploitation of stocks, in line with Maximum Sustainable Yield. Several Baltic stocks, such as herring in the Gulf of Riga and in the Sea of Bothnia and herring in the central Baltic, or cod in the eastern part of the Baltic, are already at MSY levels. Others, such as Western herring, are on track to reach MSY by 2015. The landing obligation is a key new milestone under the reformed CFP. Here too the BALTFISH countries are working hard. Discussions are well underway on a discards plan for Baltic stocks, and the priority now is to complete the task with a final decision needed early next year in order to meet the 1 January 2015 deadline for the entry into force of the landing obligation.
European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki: "The Baltic countries have long made an important contribution to the effective implementation of the CFP and I am glad that with this MoU they have signalled their intent to continue their cooperation, their work with stakeholders and the Advisory Councils, and to ensure that the CFP is effectively and appropriately implemented in the Baltic Sea"
In the Baltic Sea good progress has already been made towards the key objective of a sustainable exploitation of stocks, in line with Maximum Sustainable Yield. Several Baltic stocks, such as herring in the Gulf of Riga and in the Sea of Bothnia and herring in the central Baltic, or cod in the eastern part of the Baltic, are already at MSY levels. Others, such as Western herring, are on track to reach MSY by 2015. The landing obligation is a key new milestone under the reformed CFP. Here too the BALTFISH countries are working hard. Discussions are well underway on a discards plan for Baltic stocks, and the priority now is to complete the task with a final decision needed early next year in order to meet the 1 January 2015 deadline for the entry into force of the landing obligation.