Commission staff working document - Summary of the impact assessment on the proposal establishing a long-term plan for the northern stock of hake and the fisheries exploiting that stock COM(2009)122 final SEC(2009) 300
Date: 2009-03-17
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: catch of fish, fishery management, fishery resources, fishing area, impact study, sea fish

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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES 

Brussels, 17.3.2009 
SEC(2009) 301 

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

SUMMARY OF THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT 

on the proposal establishing a long-term plan for the northern stock of hake and the fisheries 
exploiting that stock 

COM(2009)122 final 
SEC(2009) 300 

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COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 

SUMMARY OF THE IMPACT ASSESSMENT 

on the proposal establishing a long-term plan for the northern stock of hake and the fisheries 
exploiting that stock 

The  Impact  Assessment  concerns  a  draft  proposal  for  a  Regulation  that  would  replace  the 
current  recovery  plan  and  set  long-term  management  objectives  and  implementing  methods 
concerning a fishery for the northern hake. 

The scope of the proposal covers the stock of northern hake distributed mainly to the west and 
south of Ireland, in the western Channel and in the Bay of Biscay and the fisheries exploiting 
that stock. 

In 2004, a recovery plan for the northern hake stock (EC Reg. No 811/2004) followed up a 
previous emergency plan (EC Reg. No 1162/2001, EC Reg. No 2602/2001 and EC Reg. No 
494/2002).  The  recovery  plan  aimed  at  achieving  a  stock  spawning  biomass  (SSB)  of 
140,000t (precautionary biomass level Bpa), by limiting the proportion of hake removed from 
the  stock  by  fishing  (fishing  mortality,  F)  to  0.25,  and  with  a  maximum  change  in  TAC 
between  consecutive  years  of  15%.  The  objective  of  a  recovery  plan  was  to  achieve  an 
increase  in  the  quantities  of  hake  stock  threatened  with  collapse  to  a  minimum  safe  level 
according to the precautionary approach. 

According to the current Regulation, the recovery plan should be replaced by a management 
plan  when,  in  two  consecutive  years,  the  target  size  level  for  the  stock  has  been  reached. 
ICES, with the agreement of STECF, should advise when the targets set in the recovery plan 
have been reached. 

Recent scientific assessments by ICES and STECF indicate that the objective of the recovery 
plan  has  been  achieved.  The  recovery  plan  should  therefore  be  replaced  by  a  management 
plan to ensure high yields and sustainable exploitation of the stock. 

This report assesses the options available to the Community to provide effective management 
for the stock of northern hake. It analyses the following options: 

Option 1: no policy change 

Retaining the management based on the fishing mortality as set in the current recovery plan 
has  been  considered.  The  option  implies  continuing  to  fish  at  the  precautionary  level  of 
fishing mortality (Fpa) of 0.25. 

This  option  was  assessed  as  having  a  negative  impact  on  the  northern  hake  by  retaining 
fishing  at  the  rate  which  is  too  high  for  the  stock  and  produces  high  discarding  rates, 
particularly of juvenile hake. It also implies abandonment of responsibilities falling upon the 
EU  under  the  Common  Fisheries  Policy  to  limit  fishing  to  sustainable  levels  in  order  to 
restore and maintain stocks to levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield, which 
in turn would benefit both the fishery and industry.  

Option 2: management plan 

This option is based on the approach based on maximum sustainable yield (MSY). It provides 
for  gradual  adjustments  in  fishing  mortality  to  let  the  stock  rebuild  towards  MSY  levels. 
Several scenario alternatives of the plan have been tested. 

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This option was assessed as having low negative economic and social impacts on the northern 
hake fleet in the short-term but benefiting the sector in the long-term. It was also assessed that 
this option would demonstrate a strong commitment by the EU to ensure sustainable fisheries 
resources. The option, however, would take too long to bring the necessary adjustments in the 
fleet capacity and improving its economic efficiency.  

Option 3: decommissioning of fleet 

This  option  is  also  based  on  MSY  approach  but  the  recommended  fishing  mortality  levels 
would  be  achieved  in  a  shorter  time.  The  option  implies  reducing  fishing  mortality  and 
addressing overcapacity of fleet through voluntary decommissioning.  

This  option  was  assessed  as  showing  EU's  commitment  to  achieving  a  balance  between 
fishing and the productive capacity of the stock. The option would also bring the necessary 
short-term reduction to hake fishing mortality while allowing for a development of a smaller 
but  more  efficient  and  more  profitable  fishing  sector.  As  a  result,  the  system  is  geared  to 
mitigate the economic impact that the fisheries sector may experience during the initial phase 
of the transition and ensure the sustainable fisheries resources. 

Conclusion 

The report concludes that Option 3 should be the chosen action. Adjusting fishing mortality to 
MSY levels through a short-term voluntary decommissioning of fleet, followed by fishing at a 
stable rate thereafter would best address the problem faced by the northern hake fishery.  

In the past the Commission tended to centre on providing for gradual adjustments in fishing 
mortality  through  long-term  management  plans  to  avoid  social  disruptions.  Given  a  current 
situation,  where  operational  costs  in  the  industry  have  significantly  increased  leading  to 
increased pressure to adopt the fleet capacity, the stakeholders request opportunities to allow 
for accelerated adaptations of the EU fleet. Decommissioning of fleet is therefore the option 
supported by DG MARE and stakeholders, who have been extensively consulted during the 
development of this policy. 

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