COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Concerning a consultation on Fishing Opportunities for 2015 under the Common Fisheries Policy
Date: 2014-06-26
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, EU waters, authorised catch, catch area, catch quota, fishing permit, fishing rights, international waters, sea fish, sea fishing, ship's flag













EUR-Lex - 52014DC0388 - EN











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52014DC0388

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL Concerning a consultation on Fishing Opportunities for 2015 under the Common Fisheries Policy /* COM/2014/0388 final */









COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT AND TO THE COUNCIL
concerning a consultation on fishing opportunities
for 2015
under the Common Fisheries Policy
Introduction
Fishing
opportunities for 2015 will be fixed for the first time under the new Common
Fisheries Policy (CFP)[1].
Setting fishing opportunities must contribute to achieving the objectives of
the new CFP. Fishing opportunities set in line with the maximum sustainable
yield objective, in combination with the other management instruments set out
in the new CFP, should ensure that fishing activities are environmentally
sustainable in the long run and are managed consistently to achieve economic,
social and employment benefits and contribute to the availability of food
supplies.
Fishing
opportunities must be set according to Article 2(2) of the CFP, and with the
objective of progressively restoring and maintaining populations of fish stocks
above biomass levels capable of producing maximum sustainable yield (MSY). The
MSY objective is to be achieved by 2015 where possible and on a progressive,
incremental basis at the latest by 2020 for all stocks. This objective will also
contribute to achieving good environmental status by 2020 as provided for by
the Marine Strategy Framework Directive[2]
(MSFD) and the CFP.
In order to
achieve this objective, the Commission's proposals will be based on bringing
the impact of the fishing fleets on the stocks (fishing mortality) in the
shortest feasible time-frame to the levels required to allow the stocks to
rebuild to biomass levels that produce maximum sustainable yield. When that has
been achieved the Commission will, as appropriate, propose measures to enable
further rebuilding.
2015 will also
be the year in which the landing obligation for certain fisheries[3]
comes into force. Fishing opportunities for stocks falling under the landing
obligation are to be fixed taking into account the change to fishing
opportunities that reflect catches rather than landings[4],
on the understanding that that should not jeopardise the MSY objective or
result in an increase of fishing mortality in the fishery.
The Commission
will base its proposals for the fishing opportunities on the best available
scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
(ICES) and the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries
(STECF) on achieving MSY. For stocks where such advice is not available, the
Commission proposals will apply the precautionary approach in line with Article
2(2) of the CFP. On request from the Commission ICES has prepared an advice for
a framework for the evaluation of good environmental status (GES) for
commercially exploited fish and shellfish stocks (Descriptor 3 of MSFD)[5].
Further work will be carried out to show how MSY contibutes to achieving GES
and thereby ensure coherence between CFP and MSFD implementation.
This Communication
sets out the principles for the Commission proposals for fishing opportunities
for 2015[6].
Stakeholders are invited to present their views to the Commission by 30.09.2014
Article 50 of the
CFP sets out that the Commission shall report annually to the European
Parliament and to the Council on the progress in achieving maximum sustainable
yield and on the situation of fish stocks. This Communication is also intended
to provide that information.
The new CFP and the
2015 TAC proposals
Management by multiannual plans 
The new CFP requires
adoption of multiannual plans. An inter-institutional Task Force was
established to solve the interinstitutional deadlock and to facilitate the
development and introduction of multiannual plans under the new CFP. The Task
Force finalised its work in April 2014 and reported to the European 
institutions.
The report is
based on the provisions on multiannual plans in the new CFP. Plans should
provide a robust and lasting framework for management, ensuring the
sustainability of fisheries with high and stable yields for the fishing
industry, while taking into account an ecosystem based appproach to fisheries
management by minimising negative impacts of fishing activities on the marine
ecosystem. The MSY objective, and the deadlines for reaching the objective, are
central elements of the plans. The MSY objective will be expressed in ranges
and should include safeguard conservation reference points. Decisions under the
plans must be based on the best available scientific advice. The plans should
allow for flexibility in annual decisions on fishing opportunities. Where
needed, the plans should allow for adopting alternative conservation measures
in relation to certain stocks, which would be a matter for regionalisation. In
mixed fisheries situations the plans should identify the species which drive
the fisheries and ensure that all the stocks are managed according to the MSY objective.
The Commission
will propose multiannual plans based on this report as soon as possible, and
will analyse the need to adapt existing proposals for plans based on updated
scientific advice. The Commission is also considering tabling new proposals to
replace existing recovery or management plans which have achieved their goals
or need replacement in order to be adapted to the new CFP. 
Stocks with MSY
assessment 
The CFP aims to
reach MSY exploitation rates by 2015 where possible. Consequently the Commission
intends to propose Total Allowable Catches (TACs) consistent with MSY in 2015
for the growing group of stocks with full assessments and MSY estimates. In the
most recent assessments, that group included 46 stocks of primary EU interest
in the north-east Atlantic and the Baltic Sea (see below and Annex I). Data for
the last three years for the Mediterranean and Black Seas have been taken into
account, but the number of unassessed stocks in that area is unknown.
Only if
achieving MSY by 2015 would seriously jeopardise the social and economic
sustainability of the fishing fleets involved would a delay in reaching the
objective beyond 2015 (and no later than 2020) be acceptable. This is in accordance
with the reformed CFP. 
Where
multiannual plans exist and are consistent with MSY, the Commission will
continue to apply them. Where the existing plans have become inapplicable (e.g.
because an objective other than MSY has been reached), the Commission will adopt
proposals for fishing opportunities on the basis of MSY. 
Simplification
of management is a priority under the new CFP; the Commission will examine the
added value of management through fishing effort limitation as an additional
system to TACs. It intends to remove management instruments which provide no
added value toward achieving the objectives of the new CFP.
For stocks with
MSY assessment which are shared with third countries or managed through
Regional Fisheries Management Organisations, the Commission will seek agreement
with our partners on the same approach. 
Other stocks
In cases where scientific
information is insufficient to determine those levels, approximate parameters
should be considered. Five situations are identified as below. In all cases, the
Commission intends to make proposals based on scientific advice and without jeopardising
the conservation needs of these stocks.
Stocks with data available to determine MSY proxies
That category of
stocks consists of stocks which are data rich, analytically assessed and with
trend forecasts. Generally an MSY proxy is available. The approach for setting
TACs will be similar to the situation of stocks with full MSY assessment. 
The Commission
envisages further evaluation of the need and possibilities for increasing the
knowledge of these stocks to full MSY assessment in the near future.
Stocks with survey-assessed trends or with catch
time series to develop MSY proxies.
ICES advice on those
stocks is quantitative only: proposed catch limits in the absence of an MSY
assessment. The Commission intends to use the updated ICES advice on those stocks
for its proposals and will consider the situation on a case by case basis
taking into account the precautionary approach. 
The Commission
envisages a stock-by-stock evaluation in the near future on the need and possibilities
for increasing knowledge of these stocks to enable the determination of MSY
proxies.
Stocks with a presumption of stability 
Council and
Commission have agreed in December 2013 on the desirability of maintaining TACs
unchanged for 25 stocks unless scientific advice indicates a need for change.
Generally, those are stocks taken only as by-catches or with low levels of
quota uptake, with limited information on stock status and of low economic
importance.  
Stocks without scientific advice 
Where no
scientific advice is available, the precautionary approach in line with Article
2(2) of the CFP should be followed in a systematic, predefined and transparent
way.
Deep-Sea stocks
In 2014 the
Council will set fishing opportunities for deep sea stocks for the years
2015-2016. Deep sea stocks must be managed sustainably in view of the sensitive
nature of some of these stocks and deep-sea marine life. For many stocks,
sufficient knowledge and data are still not available for scientific analysis.
The need to follow the precautionary approach in a systematic, predefined and
transparent way in line with Article 2(2) of the CFP is imperative. In making
its proposals, the Commission will have due regard for commitments in UN
Resolutions 61/105 of 2006, Resolution 64/72 of 2009, 66/68 of 2011 and the 2008
International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-sea Fisheries in the High
Seas of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Obligation to land all catches
In 2015 the
landing obligation will come into force for[7]:
·        
small
pelagic fisheries (mackerel, herring, horse mackerel, blue whiting, boarfish,
anchovy, argentine, sardine and sprat),
·        
large
pelagic fisheries[8]
(bluefin tuna, swordfish[9],
albacore tuna, bigeye tuna, blue and white marlin),
·        
fisheries
for industrial purposes (capelin, sandeel, Norway pout and others),
·        
fisheries
for salmon in the Baltic Sea, and
·        
from
1 January 2015 at the latest for species which define the fisheries and from 1
January 2017 at the latest for all other species in fisheries in the Baltic Sea.
Member States
have been cooperating at regional level on implementation of the landing
obligations. Parliament and Council are also examining a Commission proposal to
align the Regulations on technical measures and on control to the rules for the
landing obligation.
For the
fisheries concerned the fixing of the fishing opportunities shall take into
account the change to reflect catches instead of landings. Those adjustments
may involve adaptations in TACs depending on the extent of data on previous
discarding and on the need to avoid increases in fishing mortality.
The Commission
has requested ICES to include the available data on discarding in those fisheries
in the relevant stock assessments and catch forecasts. ICES will use available
data on discarding in the recent past as long as these data are validated for
use in the assessments and advice for 2015. That is expected to lead to the
adjustment of fishing opportunities for the stocks covered by the landing
obligation in 2015. It is essential that those adjustments remain compatible
with the attainment of MSY.
Under the new
CFP Member States are encouraged to implement pilot projects to prepare for the
landing obligation. That should be done within the available fishing opportunities.
Member States can use nationally available quotas in support of pilot projects to
improve  data. This will be helpful for fishing opportunities beyond 2015. 
The new CFP
provides some measures for additional flexibility to be used in the management
of the stocks in fisheries subject to the landing obligation[10].
Inter-annual quota flexibility, inter-species flexibility (catches of one
species may be counted against the quota of the target species under certain
conditions) de minimis exemptions and exemptions on the basis of high
survivability are relevant in relation to fishing opportunities. Information
about those flexibility provisions will be taken into account when making future
proposals for fishing opportunities. 
Mediterranean Sea
The
MSY objective also applies to Mediterranean stocks which are not managed by TACs.
The Commission and the Member States are reviewing whether the objectives of
the national management plans adopted under the Mediterranean regulation[11] are consistent with the MSY objective.
The plans currently adopted or close to adoption are listed below:
 CROATIA – Trawlers 
 CROATIA – Purse seines 
 CYPRUS – Trawlers 
 GREECE – Purse seiners 
 GREECE – Trawlers 
 FRANCE – Trawlers 
 FRANCE – Gangui 
 FRANCE – Shore seines 
 SPAIN – Trawlers 
 SPAIN – Purse seines 
 SPAIN – Boat seines Murcia 
 SPAIN – Boat seines Baleares 
 SPAIN – Boat seines Cataluña 
 SPAIN – Dredges Andalucía 
 ITALY – Surrounding nets (4 plans) 
 ITALY –Trawlers (8 plans) 
 ITALY – Boat seines Liguria-Tuscany 
 SLOVENIA – Trawlers 
 SLOVENIA – Purse seines 
 MALTA – Trawlers 
 MALTA – Purse seines (2 plans) 
Development of
State of Stocks
Overfishing has
reduced in the European Atlantic waters, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. For the stocks with MSY assessments, overfishing has gone down from 94% of the
stocks in 2003, to 63% in 2009 and to 41% in 2012. An increasing proportion of
the stocks have been assessed.
The number of
stocks that, according to available estimates, are fished at levels
corresponding to MSY has gone up from only 2 in 2003, to 13 in 2009 and to 27
in 2012 (Annex Ia). 
The number of stocks
with full MSY assessments  increased from 34 in 2005 to 35 in 2009 and to 46 in
2014. Significant progress has been made in the number of stocks with quantitative
advice from 59 in 2003 to 71 in 2014, as a result of the introduction of new
methods by ICES in 2013. 
With rapidly
increasing numbers of stocks being assessed, it is becoming apparent that
overfishing is still prevalent across the Mediterranean, as shown in Figures
1-3. Effective actions to phase out overfishing must be taken swiftly.
Figure 1. Number
of stocks where assessment is known from 2007 to 2012 by Mediterranean
sub-region and Black Sea.
Figure 2. Number
of stocks where assessment is known from 2007 to 2012 by fishery in the
Mediterranean and Black Sea.
Figure 3. Number of stocks
assessed as overfished from 2007 to 2012 by fishery in the Mediterranean and Black Sea
A preliminary
analysis is provided in Annex Ic. For some areas only a part of the resources
are assessed. Despite recent improvements, the unknown part is still large in
the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
Current
knowledge on the state of other fish stocks is described below on a regional
basis[12].

Northeast Atlantic pelagic
stocks
Most stocks of
herring (North Sea, west of Scotland, Irish Sea and Celtic Sea) are fished at or within MSY fishing rates. TACs corresponding to MSY have been set for
2014 in all cases.
The situation
has deteriorated for some other stocks: western horse mackerel and herring
northwest of Ireland are overfished. For mackerel, an agreement has been
reached among the Faroe Islands, Norway, and the EU for sustainable management.
ICES advice for 2014 indicated that the stock may have increased significantly.

North Sea, Skagerrak and Kattegat
Saithe,
plaice, haddock and Nephrops in the Skagerrak and on the Fladen grounds are
fished at levels consistent with MSY All other stocks are either overfished, or
in unknown state. 
Despite
recent increases in stock size and reductions in fishing mortality, the North Sea cod stock is only slightly above the limit biomass and still far from the
precautionary level. Fishing mortality is still above MSY levels. Discard rates
have been declining but are still around 25% of landings. In the Kattegat, the cod stock is at an extremely low level and further measures in addition to lower
TACs and effort may be needed.
Baltic Sea
The
Council followed the joint position of the Directorates of Baltic Member States
in the BALTFISH forum on the setting of TACs in line with scientific advice. 
Central
Baltic herring, Bothnian Sea herring and Baltic Sea sprat are fished consistently
with MSY. However, the latest advice indicates that for the western Baltic cod
stock the fishing mortality rate provided by the existing plan is far from the
MSY target. The eastern cod stock is showing developments that make it
impossible to use the current assessment models. A new multiannual plan for the
 Baltic Sea will be proposed by the Commission in 2014.
West of Scotland, Irish Sea and Celtic
Sea
In the west of Scotland certain stocks of whitefish other than haddock remain at low levels. Discards
remain high and need to be tackled. Technical measures were developed by Member
States to reduce cod mortality and to avoid unwanted catches, of which some
have demonstrated a reduction of unwanted catches (e.g. in the Irish Sea). Other measures are still under assessment and more work is needed.
In the Celtic Sea fishing opportunities have been reduced as the effect of some recent high
recruitments of young fish is disappearing. Following MSY advice, fishing
opportunities for cod and whiting were substantially reduced. Haddock has had a
period of reduced recruitment, but discarding has been a problem as well. Selectivity
measures introduced in the Celtic Sea in 2012 were reviewed, but STECF remained
inconclusive on the contribution of those measures for conservation purposes.
There is MSY
based advice for all stocks of Norway lobster with the exception of one
functional unit, including in the Porcupine bank, which continues to have a
seasonal (one month) closure and a separate sub-TAC. 
ICES has
provided MSY assessments for 18 stocks, with advice to reduce fishing
opportunities for 14 stocks, often substantially. MSY advice has been
implemented for 12 of these stocks for the fishing opportunities for 2014.
Deep-Sea species
For most
deep-sea stocks projections are not available due to lack of data. Recent ICES
advice for most stocks is that fisheries should be reduced or not be allowed to
expand in 2015-2016 unless they are known to be sustainable. Orange roughy,
deep sea sharks, red sea bream and some stocks of roundnose grenadier are the
main concerns. ICES notes that many fisheries targeting deep-sea species are
mixed fisheries with relatively large by-catches of non-target species. Setting
TACs for target species should take accout of the impact on by-catch species.
Iberian-Atlantic area and the Bay of
Biscay
Few stock
assessments are available for the Bay of Biscay and Iberian-Atlantic Seas. Southern hake, megrims and anglerfish are improving. While southern hake has experienced
good recruitment, the stock is still overfished and its long-term
sustainability is at risk. The catch and effort registration systems of the
Member States have been audited by the Commission in 2012. Follow-up actions
have been agreed and control is improving. 
Norway
lobster in the Cantabrian Sea is still subject to an advice to stop fishing.
Mediterranean and Black Sea
Between 2007 and
2012 more than 300 assessments were performed, by the General Fisheries
Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) and STECF. The number of assessed stocks
rose from 29 in 2007 to 104 in 2012. Despite this, knowledge is still limited
as the total number of stocks commercially exploited is considerably higher.
The number of assessed
stocks is higher in the Western and Central parts than in the Eastern part of
the basin. Little is known about the stock status in southern sub-regions.
The levels of
exploitation are well beyond MSY targets. Out of 97 stocks, 91% were
overfished. European hake, red mullet and deep-water rose shrimp are the most
commonly overfished demersal stocks. Sardine and anchovy are the two common overfished
small pelagic stocks.
In the Black Sea the status of 7 stocks is known and 5 of them are overexploited. Of TAC-managed
stocks, turbot is overfished and European sprat has been exploited sustainably
since 2007.
Highly migratory fish stocks in the
Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea
These stocks
include bluefin tuna, albacore, tropical tuna, swordfish and billfishes which
are assessed and managed in the International Commission for the Conservation
of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). 
Most tuna
species are long-lived and assessments are not performed annually. Available
information on conservation status of the different stocks is diverse and
several uncertainties still remain. The most recent assessments (2013) for
Atlantic swordfish showed that the stock has rebuilt after being overfished in
the early 2000s. The North Atlantic albacore was also assessed in 2013. Fishing
mortality rates are below the MSY level, although stock biomass still needs to
rebuild to levels which can produce MSY.
The Bluefin tuna
stock in the East Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea has grown in recent years.
There is a considerable uncertainty in the assessment but the implementation of
the ICCAT recovery plan has resulted in reductions in fishing mortality that is
now estimated to be below the MSY level. Catches at the current TAC will probably
allow the stock to recover fully in the medium term.
Changes in Economic Situation 
The economic
performance of the EU fleets in all areas has improved gradually over recent
years from a net profit margin of 1% in 2008 to 6% in 2011. Although costs
increased overall in 2011 due to increases in fuel prices, income increased to
a greater extent than costs. The Gross Value Added (GVA) generated in 2011 was EURO
3.4 billion (+4% compared to 2010), gross profit was EURO 1.3 billion (+7%) and
net profit was EURO 410 million (+22%). The EU fishing fleet landed less but
generated a higher first sale value in 2011. As the EU fleet is very diverse that
trend did not apply to all parts of the fleet. 
Experiences with moving to MSY fishing
Some examples of
moving to MSY fishing are explained further below.
For the Baltic Sea cod fishery, the economic performance of cod-dependent fleets improved
significantly upon implementation of the cod management plan which brought the
fishery closer to an MSY situation. Catches were held roughly stable and stock
sizes started to increase, which meant an increase in profitability. The costs
of catching reduced due to lower fuel burn and lower capital costs. The gross
value added by representative vessels increased by over 40% from 2008 to 2011.
Those fleets generated a gross profit six times higher in 2011 compared to
2008, or 40% higher compared to 2009. 
For the North Sea sole and plaice fishery, moving towards MSY fishing meant that most fleets could
remain profitable even in the face of a 32% increase in fuel costs up to 2011.
This occurred because plaice landings increased by 51% from 2008 to 2011 while
the costs associated with fishing fell considerably when the stocks became more
abundant.
The fishery for
sole in the western channel has been exploited at MSY since 2009. Since then up
to 2013 the size of the stock has increased by 16% and catches increased by 24%.
Prices for sole and other species targeted in the context of this management
plan increased up to 2011. Improved stability in the fishery may have
significantly improved the investment opportunities in the fleets.
Schedule 
The planned
timetable of work is as follows. 
 Fishing Opportunities Regulation || Advice || Commission Proposal || Possible adoption by Council 
 Stocks in Atlantic, North Sea, Antarctic and other areas || Late June - late October || October || December 
 Baltic Sea || Late May || August || October 
 Black Sea || Late October || November || December 
 Deep Sea || May - June || September || November 
Conclusion
This Communication
has set out the basic principles with respect to setting of fishing
opportunities for the first time after entry into force of the new CFP. Member
States, Advisory Councils and stakeholders are invited to reflect on the
orientations set out and to provide recommendations and suggestions to the
Commission in order to ensure that the 2015 fishing opportunities help in
attaining the objectives of new CFP.
ANNEX Ia –Scientific
Advice concerning stocks in the North-East Atlantic and adjacent waters[13]
 
Safe biological limits are pertinent for
the application of Article 15(8) of Regulation 1380/2013.
* Compared to an increasing proportion of stocks being subject to
quantitative advice.
 
Stocks where a
non-quantified advice is provided are not included in Table 5.
Not included in
this analysis : Deep sea species, including ling, tusk and boarfish; TACs for
herring by-catches;  TACs which are linked to another decision on the same
stock (e.g. Saithe West Scotland),  TACs representing exchanges of fishing
oportunities with third countries,  TACs outside the NE Atlantic area, TACs
where an unregulated fishery exists on the same stock (e.g. blue whiting prior
to 2006), stocks for which there is an advice but no TAC (e.g. porbeagle), TACs
where the primary management tool has been effort management (e.g. sandeel).
Where a TAC covers two species for which there is an assessment (e.g. Megrims,
Anglerfish, VII and VIII) the analysis refers to the more abundant of the two
species covered by the TAC.
The method used
for compiling this information concerning the European Atlantic waters is
unchanged since previous editions of this report, though some year columns have
been relabelled to reflect the fact that data are collected and measurements
are made two years before the year in which advice is implemented.
Annex Ib. Situation of stocks with
respect to Fmsy[14] 

Figure 1: Proportions by EU landed
weight of demersal stocks fished at or below Fmsy (light grey),
above Fmsy (=overfished) (black), or of unknown status (chequered).
In the Mediterranean Sea the proportion of catches of unknown status has not
been fully assessed but is thought to be of  the order of 70 to 85% of
landings. Panel headings show the assessed landings (tonnes, t, or thousand
tonnes, Kt).
Figure 2:
Proportions by EU landed weight of pelagic stocks fished at or below Fmsy
(light grey), above Fmsy (=overfished) (black), or of unknown status
(chequered).  In the Mediterranean Sea the proportion of catches of unknown
status has not been fully assessed but is thought to be of the order of 70 to
85% of landings. Panel headings show the assessed landings (tonnes, t, or
thousand tonnes, Kt). 
Figure 3:
Proportions of demersal stocks fished at or below Fmsy (light grey),
above Fmsy (=overfished) (black), or of unknown status (chequered).
In the Mediterranean Sea the proportion of stocks of unknown status has not
been fully assessed. 
Figure 4:
Proportions of pelagic stocks fished at or below Fmsy (light grey),
above Fmsy (=overfished) (black), or of unknown status (chequered).
In the Mediterranean Sea the proportion of stocks of unknown status has not
been fully assessed. 
The analysis in
figures 1-4 covers the year of the most recent catch data. For Mediterranean
stocks, the state of the stock is considered to be known for up to three years
after the latest assessment.  
[1]
Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 11December 2013 on the Common Fisheries Policy, amending Council
Regulations (EC) No 1954/2003 and (EC) No 1224/2009 and repealing Council
Regulations (EC) No 2371/2002 and (EC) No 639/2004 and Council Decision
2004/585/EC (OJ L 354, 28/12/2013, p.22)
[2]
Directive 2008/56/EC, Oj L 164, 25/06/2008, p 19-40.
[3]
Small pelagic fisheries, large pelagic fisheries, fisheries
for industrial purposes, fisheries for salmon, and species which define the
fisheries in Union waters of the Baltic Sea (Article 15.1 of Regulation (EU) No
1380/2013).
[4]
Article 16.2 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013.
[5]http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2014/Special%20Requests/EU_Draft_recommendations_for_the_assessment_of_MSFD_Descriptor3.pdf
[6] For deep-sea stocks the reference to 2015 should be understood as a
reference to 2015-2016, since for these stocks fishing opportunities are set
for two years.
[7] All catches of species which are subject to catch limits and, in
the Mediterranean, also catches of species which are subject to minimum sizes
as defined in Annex III to Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 of 21 December
2006 concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery
resources in the Mediterranean Sea, amending Regulation (EEC) No 2847/93 and
repealing Regulation (EC) No 1626/94 (OJ L 409, 30/12/2006, p. 11)–.
.
[8] Without prejudice to international obligations.
[9] In the Mediterranean, depending on international obligations.
[10] Article 15 of Regulation (EU) No. 1380/2013 
[11] Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/
[12]             A full analysis of the state of fish stocks can be
found at www.ices.dk for Atlantic and nearby waters and https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu   for all areas.
[13]
Advice is provided using data and measurements made two years
before the year to which the advice applies. 
[14] Preliminary analysis. The Commission has requested a methodological
review by STECF.