COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION on the State of Play of the Common Fisheries Policy and Consultation on the Fishing Opportunities for 2018
Date: 2017-07-05
Institutions: Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission
Subjects: authorised catch, catch quota, common fisheries policy, conservation of fish stocks, conservation of resources, exploitation of resources, fishing area, fishing rights, sea fish, sea fishing

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 5.7.2017  COM(2017) 368 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION on the State of Play of the Common Fisheries Policy and Consultation on the Fishing Opportunities for 2018  {SWD(2017) 256 final}  
 
 
1. 

INTRODUCTION 

This  Communication  gives  an  overview  of  the  state  of  play  of  the  Common  Fisheries 
Policy (CFP). It reports on progress in achieving sustainable fisheries, and especially in 
ensuring that the exploitation of living marine biological resources restores and maintains 
populations  of  harvested  species  above  levels  which  can  produce  the  maximum 
sustainable  yield,  which  will  also  contribute  to  achieving  good  environmental  status  in 
European  seas  by  20201.  It  looks  at  changes  in  the  state  of  stocks,  the  state  of  the  EU 
fleet, the phasing-in of the landing obligation and progress with decentralisation2. It also 
sets out the principles underpinning the Commission proposals for fishing opportunities 
for 2018. Member States, Advisory Councils (ACs), other stakeholders and the public are 
invited to provide suggestions on these policy directions. 

2.  PROGRESS IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES  

Over  the  past  few  years  there  has  been  significant  progress  in  implementing  the  2013 
CFP reform: 

  Meeting  the  MSY  objective.  According  to  the  latest  assessment  from  the 
Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF), based on 
2015  data3,  39  of  66  stocks  assessed  in  the  North-East  Atlantic  were  exploited 
within  FMSY  (equating  to  59 %,  up  from  52 %  in  the  previous  year).  Median 
fishing  mortality  has  now  stabilised  at  around  1.0.  In  2017,  the  number  of  total 
allowable  catches  (TACs)  set  in  line  with  MSY  advice  increased  to  44, 
representing 61 % of all catches in the North-East Atlantic. 

  Rebuilding stocks. Average  stock  biomass in  the North-East  Atlantic increased 

by 35 % between 2003 and 2015.  

  Improving  overall  economic  performance.  The  EU  fleet  registered  record  net 
profits  of  EUR 770  million  in  2014,  a  50 %  increase  over  the  2013  figure  of 
EUR 500 million. 

  Better  balancing  fishing  capacity  and  fishing  opportunities.  In  recent  years, 
the  balance  between  fishing  capacity  and  fishing  opportunities  across  the  entire 
EU  fleet  has  improved.  Between  2007  and  2015  the  EU  fishing  fleet’s  capacity 
fell  gradually,  with  the  number  of  fishing  vessels  decreasing  by  6 %,  engine 
power by 14 % and tonnage by 24 %. 

  Shaping multiannual plans in line with the reformed CFP. After the adoption 
of  the  Baltic  plan  last  year,  the  Commission  proposed  multiannual  plans  for 
demersal fish stocks in the North Sea4 and for small pelagics in the Adriatic5.  

1 Directive 2008/56/EC, OJ L 164, 25/06/2008, p. 19. 
2  The  annual  Commission  reports  on  the  implementation  of  the  landing  obligation  and  on  the  balance 
between fishing capacity and fishing opportunities, required under Articles 15(14) and 22(4) respectively 
of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of 11 December 2013 (OJ L 354 of 28.12.2013) are included in the Staff 
Working Document accompanying this Communication.   
2017-04_STECF 17-04: Monitoring the performance of the Common Fisheries Policy, Ispra, Italy, 27-31 
March 2017. 
4 COM/2016/0493 final - 2016/0238 (COD). 
5 COM/2017/097 final - 2017/043 (COD). 

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  Decentralising  governance.  CFP  governance  has  clearly  shifted  to  a  more 
decentralised governance, including multiannual plans and delegated acts adopted 
through regionalisation. 

  Commitments  for  the  Mediterranean  and  Black  Sea.  Important  political 
agreements  to  achieve  environmental,  economic  and  social  sustainability  have 
been  reached  –  in  the  Mediterranean  Sea  through  the  Medfish4Ever  Ministerial 
declaration6, and in the Black Sea through the Bucharest Declaration7.  

Despite  this  progress,  further  efforts  are  needed  in  particular  to  bring  down  the  high 
levels  of  overfishing  in  the  Mediterranean,  to  reduce  the  number  of  individual  stocks 
exploited above FMSY in the North-East Atlantic and to implement the landing obligation.  

2.1. 

Progress in achieving FMSY  

8 has continued. In all TAC 
Progress towards fishing stocks at levels consistent with FMSY
regions the rate of fishing above FMSY has decreased considerably. Fishing compared to 
FMSY  was  at  99 %  in  2015  (down  from  158 %  in  2003  and  129 %  in  2008).  Overall, 
overexploitation  has  declined  drastically  across  all  areas  (with  the  exception  of  the 
Mediterranean and the Black Sea). 

A more detailed breakdown is given below. 

For  stocks  subject  to  coastal  States  consultations,  in  2016  the  TAC  for  mackerel 
increased by 14 %. The fishing opportunities of just over 1 million tonnes for all fishing 
parties resulted from the application of the long-term management strategy agreed among 
the  parties  (the  EU,  Norway  and  the  Faroe  Islands).  Benchmarking  will  take  place  this 
year.  The  blue  whiting  TAC  was  set  in  line  with  FMSY  and  rose  sharply  to  1.3  million 
tonnes. A new strategy for blue whiting in line with FMSY was agreed among the coastal 
States concerned. For Atlanto-Scandian herring all parties agreed to an overall catch limit 
below FMSY (in line with the strategy in place since 1999). This allowed the North-East 
Atlantic TAC to increase significantly, to almost 650 000 tonnes.  

The  Baltic  Sea  TACs  for  2017  have  followed  the  multiannual  plan9.  The  herring  and 
plaice  TACs  are  in  line  with  FMSY;  the  TACs  for  sprat  and  salmon  are  below  FMSY. 
Western cod is giving cause for serious concern and so the TAC was reduced by 56 % for 
2017.  Other  flanking  measures  have  been  taken  to  help  rebuild  this  stock.  TAC 
reductions  have  been  adopted  for  eastern  cod  (25 %)  and  for  Gulf  of  Finland  salmon 
(20 %)  under  the  precautionary  approach,  and  Gulf  of  Riga  herring  (11 %).  The  main 
basin salmon TAC follows MSY and remains unchanged in the last years; together with 
reducing  unreported  catches  and  national  river-specific  measures,  this  has  helped boost 
the number of returning spawners.  

6 https://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/sites/fisheries/files/2017-03-30-declaration-malta.pdf 
7  The  GFCM  organised  a  high-level  meeting  on  fisheries  governance  in  the  Black  Sea  in  October  2016. 
The  conference  adopted  the  Bucharest  Declaration,  which  underlines  the  need  for  common  and 
collaborative approaches among riparian States to address Black Sea fisheries issues. 
8 2017-04_STECF 17-04. 
9 Regulation (EU) 2016/1139 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2016 establishing a 
multiannual plan for the stocks of cod, herring and sprat in the Baltic Sea and the fisheries exploiting those 
stocks,  amending  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No  2187/2005  and  repealing  Council  Regulation  (EC)  No 
1098/2007, OJ L 191, 15.7.2016, p. 1. 

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North  Sea  stocks  are  continuing  to  improve,  with  59 %  of  landings  coming  from 
sustainably managed stocks. In line with FMSY, the TAC for sole has increased by 21 %; 
for Nephrops the TAC has risen by 46 %. Saithe is fished at levels below FMSY; its TAC 
is  53 % higher. In line with  FMSY advice, the haddock  TAC has  been reduced by 45 %. 
However, the stock is expected to increase, thanks to better recruitment in the past few 
years. Both cod and whiting continue to be fished at levels slightly above FMSY, but are at 
levels consistent with MSY BTRIGGER. Plaice and sole are fished at levels below FMSY.  

In North-Western Waters the Northern hake stock continues to grow and the TAC has 
increased by 10 % in line with FMSY. This stock now stretches further into the North Sea. 
Celtic  Sea  and  Irish  Sea  herrings  are  within  safe  biological  limits  but  have  undergone 
TAC cuts of 6 % and 10 % respectively, reflecting stock trends. The TAC for Nephrops 
in area VII has increased by 9 %, with a peak increase of 68 % for the Porcupine Bank. 
The  TAC  for  sole  in  the  Eastern  Channel  has  fallen  by  16 %  in  line  with  the  STECF-
approved  industry  management  approach;  additional  conservation  measures  have  been 
set for this fishery. The TAC for western horse mackerel has fallen by 23 %.  

In the West of Scotland 63 % of landings come from sustainably managed stocks. In the 
Irish Sea the figure is 55 %. Significant challenges remain in the latter, as both cod and 
whiting  stocks  are  severely  depleted.  Fishing  mortality  for  cod  is  well  above  FMSY. 
Whiting is now fished at levels well below FMSY, but as yet shows no sign of recovery.  

The Celtic Sea has 37 % of landings within sustainable limits. The mixed fishery for cod, 
haddock and whiting remains a challenge when setting fishing opportunities. The TACs 
for  whiting  and  haddock  have  risen  by  21 %  and  7 %  respectively,  alongside  a  38 % 
reduction  for  cod.  Whiting  is  exploited  at  levels  below  FMSY  and  haddock  is  exploited 
above  FMSY,  although  the  stock  is  above  MSY  BTRIGGER.  The  Celtic  Sea  cod  stock  is 
depleted and fished above FMSY. The difficulty here is that cod are caught across a range 
of  mixed  fisheries,  where  more  selectivity  for  cod  will  also  result  in  fewer  catches  of 
other target species.  

In the Iberian Sea and the Bay of Biscay, 68 % of total landings come from sustainably 
managed stocks. The TAC for anglerfish has increased by 54% in line with FMSY advice. 
For  some  years  now  sole  in  the  Bay  of  Biscay  has  been  subject  to  an  industry 
management  approach,  which  the  STECF  has  deemed  sustainable.  Thanks  to  this 
industry  initiative,  this  TAC  remains  unchanged  for  2017.  For  megrim  (Bay  of  Biscay 
and Western Waters), on which the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas 
(ICES)  has  provided  FMSY  advice  for  the  first  time,  the  TAC  has  been  reduced  by  a 
quarter.  The  southern  hake  TAC  has  fallen  slightly,  but  the  stock  is  still  fished  above 
FMSY. Anchovy in the Bay of Biscay is fished sustainably, and horse mackerel in area IX 
is within safe biological limits; its TAC has risen by 7 %. 

Fishing  opportunities  for  deep-sea  stocks  make  up  less  than  1 %  of  all  landings  in  the 
EU. They are fixed under a two-year cycle and TACs have been set for 2017 and 2018. 
The TACs for roundnose grenadier in North-Western Waters have been set in accordance 
with FMSY. All other stocks are data- or assessment-limited. Some still present significant 
challenges, given their low productivity. 

In the Mediterranean and Black Sea, moving towards FMSY remains a challenge, for a 
combination of reasons:  

- 

the  large  number  of  small-scale  fleet  vessels,  for  which  methods  to  control, 
enforce, monitor and report catches (landings and discards) are insufficient;  

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
- 
- 

- 

the multispecies nature of the fisheries;  
the  sharing  of  fish  stocks  between  Member  States  and  non-Member  States, 
making compliance with CFP objectives more challenging; and  
the fact that the number of fish stocks assessed yearly (about 35) is assumed to be 
very low.  

10 overall. 
In the Mediterranean, overfishing is broadly between two and three times FMSY
Despite  recent  improvements,  the  status  of  many  stocks  remains  unknown.  For  stocks 
such  as  hake,  red  mullet11,  black-bellied  anglerfish  and  blue  whiting,  current  fishing 
mortality rates have been up to six times higher than FMSY. The Commission is working 
on improved data collection for all relevant stocks, and has asked the STECF for advice 
on new stocks12. 

In  a  small  number  of  Mediterranean  fisheries  stocks  are  being  exploited  at  rates 
consistent  with  achieving  FMSY  and  fleets  are  making  progress,  particularly  in  landings 
(deep-sea pink shrimp and red mullet in the south and central Tyrrhenian Sea).  

Against  this  background,  complying  with  the  CFP  objective  of  achieving  FMSY  for  all 
stocks by 2020 will require more sustained efforts. This implies working with the EU’s 
international  partners  through  the  GFCM,  stepping  up  efforts  to  update  national 
management  plans  in  line  with  CFP  objectives,  and  reflecting  a  sufficient  level  of 
ambition  in  the  next  generation  of  multiannual  management  plans.  More  work  is  also 
needed:  
- 
- 

to further cooperation within sea basins – for example in the Gulf of Lion; 
to  adopt  ambitious  transitional  conservation  measures  in  heavily  overexploited 
fisheries; 
to  build  on  and  implement  the  objectives  and  targets  agreed  in  the  March  2017 
Malta  MedFish4Ever  Ministerial  Declaration  on  data  collection,  scientific 
evaluation,  ecosystem-based  fisheries  management,  the  fight  against  illegal, 
unreported  and  unregulated  (IUU)  fishing,  sustainable  small-scale  fishing  and 
coordination in the Mediterranean; 
in the Black Sea, where the October 2016 Bucharest Declaration should be used 
to tackle serious problems, including IUU fishing.  

- 

- 

Within the framework of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic 
Tunas (ICCAT)13, a TAC for bluefin tuna in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean 
was adopted for 2017. The TAC reflected the best available scientific information, based 
on a revision of the stock advice from 2014. High biomass levels – possibly the highest 
ever – made it possible to increase the TAC by 25 % compared to 2016. 

In  November  2016,  ICCAT  also  agreed  a  Recommendation  establishing  a  multiannual 
recovery plan for swordfish from 2017, with the goal of achieving BMSY in 2031 with at 
least  60 %  probability.  The  plan  has  set  a  TAC  of  10 500  tonnes  for  2017.  This  is  a 

10 For details see the Staff Working Document. 
11 With the exception of red mullet in the south and central Tyrrhenian Sea. 
12 (STECF) – Mediterranean assessments 2016-part 2 (STECF-17-06). 
13 ICCAT Recommendation 14-04, amending Recommendation 13-07 to establish a multiannual recovery 
plan  for  bluefin  tuna  in  the  Eastern  Atlantic  and  Mediterranean,  transposed  into  EU  legislation  as 
Regulation  (EU)  2016/1627  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  14  September  2016  on  a 
multiannual  recovery  plan  for  bluefin  tuna  in  the  eastern  Atlantic  and  the  Mediterranean,  and  repealing 
Council Regulation (EC) No 302/2009, OJ L 252 of 16.09.2016, p. 1. 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
  
                                                 
significant  development,  as  swordfish  is  one  of  the  most  overfished  stocks  in  the 
Mediterranean. 

On turbot fisheries in the Black Sea, as of 2018, GFCM contracting and cooperating non-
contracting  parties  have  committed  not  to  exceed  the  level  of  fishing  opportunities 
allocated in 2013-201514. Countries not applying a quota system will not exceed the level 
of catches or the level of fishing effort deployed in 2013-2015.  

2.2.  Biomass trends 

Both ICES and the STECF provide information on spawning stock biomass trends for the 
North-East  Atlantic  and  STECF  also  for  the  Mediterranean.  The  analysis  shows  that 
average biomass in the North-East Atlantic was 35 % higher in 2015 than in 2003. A less 
pronounced  upward  trend  is  apparent  for  data-poor  stocks.  By  contrast,  in  the 
Mediterranean Sea average biomass declined by 20 % from 2003 until 2014.  

The percentage of stocks within safe biological limits is also increasing in the North-East 
Atlantic. In 2015, 68 % of stocks were classified as being within safe biological limits. 
This is almost double the figure of just 35 % in 2003.  

2.3.  Economic performance of the EU fleet 

The latest Annual Economic Report produced by the STECF confirms that the EU fleet’s 
economic  performance  has  improved  significantly  in  recent  years.  Preliminary  data  for 
2015 point to a continued upturn and the economic forecasts for 2016 and 2017 remain 
upbeat.  The  EU  fleet’s gross  value added,  i.e.  the  fish-catching  sector’s  contribution  to 
the economy through wages and gross profit, amounted to EUR 3.7 billion in 2014. This 
is  a  substantial  increase  on  previous  years.  Average  salaries  in  the  EU  fleet  have  also 
risen in recent years, while overall employment continues to decline. 

Overall, it appears that the performance upturn is the result of a) increased revenue and 
b) reduced or stable fishing costs. Costs have been driven by relatively low fuel prices, 
and by a downward trend in fuel consumption and fuel use intensity, because many EU 
fleets now operate more efficiently. Despite this overall economic progress, performance 
varies  considerably  between  regions,  Member  States  and  fisheries.  The  North  Sea  and 
North-East  Atlantic  fleets  tend  to  perform  better  than  those  in  the  Mediterranean  and 
Black  Sea.  Recent  studies  and  scientific  publications15  suggest  that  the  EU  fleet  could 
substantially  improve  its  economic  performance  if  the  biomass  of  all  exploited  stocks 
recovered to MSY levels. They also suggest16 that the sooner fishing mortality rates are 
reduced to FMSY, the sooner the EU fleet will see its profits rise.  

14 Recommendation GFCM/40/2016/6 on scientific monitoring, management and control of turbot fisheries 
in the Black Sea (GSA 29). 
15  The  Sunken  Billions  Revisited:  Progress  and  Challenges  in  Global  Marine  Fisheries,  World  Bank; 
Sustainability  now  or  later?  Estimating  the  benefits  of  pathways  to  maximum  sustainable  yield  for  EU 
Northeast Atlantic fisheries, Marine Policy 72 (2016), pp. 40-47. 
16 In these simulations key external factors such as environmental fluctuations or economic factors such as 
fuel are held constant. 

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2.4.  Decentralisation 

The new CFP promotes decentralisation for fisheries management, consisting in regional 
multiannual plans and delegated acts shaped through regionalisation. 

2.4.1.  Multiannual plans 

Multiannual plans are one of the main instruments to achieve the  objectives of the new 
CFP.  They  shall  include  the  target  of  fishing  at  maximum  sustainable  yield  and  a 
deadline  for  achieving  this  target;  measures  for  the  implementation  of  the  landing 
obligation and safeguards for remedial action where needed, among others.  

An important step to this direction was the adoption of a multiannual plan for the Baltic 
Sea in 2016. Legislative work is under way on multiannual plans for demersal species in 
the North Sea and pelagic species in the Adriatic.  

On 3 August 2016 the Commission proposed a multiannual plan for demersal fish stocks 
in the North Sea. The proposal aims to ensure that stocks are fished at sustainable levels 
and follows the same basic principles as the Baltic Sea plan. 

In February 2017 the Commission also adopted a proposal for a multiannual plan for the 
management of small pelagic stocks in the Adriatic. The Adriatic stocks of anchovy and 
sardine  have  been  continuously  assessed  as  overexploited  and  their  biomass  levels  are 
estimated to be at historic lows. According to the latest scientific advice, there is a high 
risk  that  anchovy  and  sardine  will  collapse  if  rapid  action  is  not  taken17.  The  proposed 
plan  sets  target  fishing  mortality  rates  for  both  stocks.  This  represents  a  shift  in  the 
management of small pelagics towards an approach based on fixed fishing opportunities.  

2.4.2.  Delegated acts under regionalisation 

The  CFP  introduced  regionalisation  to  shape  a  number  of  measures  adopted  through 
delegated  acts,  in  particular  conservation  measures  needed  to  comply  with  obligations 
under EU environmental legislation and discard plans. Where regionalisation applies, EU 
countries  with  a  direct management  interest  may  submit  joint  recommendations  for  the 
adoption of Commission delegated acts. 

Regionalisation has played an important role in the phasing-in of the landing obligation, 
where joint recommendations from Member States have fed into 15 discard plans, some 
of which have accelerated the phasing-in of the landing obligation when compared to the 
legislative  deadlines.  These  plans  contain  details  of  the  implementation  of  the  landing 
obligation, including exemptions, when this is supported by scientific advice. 

Joint recommendations on fisheries conservation measures at a regional level in line with 
Article  11  of  the  CFP  have  been  less  forthcoming,  but  the  Commission  has  received 
seven  for  the  North  Sea  and  the  Baltic  Sea.  A  key  message  of  the  Mediterranean 
Ministerial Declaration of March 2017 is a commitment to do more to establish marine 
protected areas in this sea basin as well.   

The  Advisory  Councils  (ACs),  stakeholders  organisations  composed  of  representatives 
from the industry and from other interest groups at a 60/40 ratio, have played a central 

17 GFCM workshop on management strategy evaluation, February 2017. 

7 

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
                                                 
role  in  regionalisation.  They  are  tasked  with  providing  the  Commission  and  Member 
States  with  recommendations  and  information  on  fisheries  management  and  the 
socioeconomic  and  conservation  aspects  of  fisheries  and  aquaculture.  Member  States 
must consult the ACs on the joint recommendations they draft under regionalisation. In 
all, the number of recommendations between 2013 and 2016 increased by over a third. In 
addition, three of the new ACs established by the reformed CFP – for the Black Sea, for 
markets and for aquaculture – are now fully operational, bringing more stakeholders into 
the EU consultation and decision-making processes.  

2.5.  The Landing Obligation 

Today, all fisheries in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea as well as all fisheries for pelagic 
and for industrial species in all EU waters, fall under the landing obligation. Looking at 
the  regional  situation,  in  the  North  Sea,  82 %  of  all  TACs  are  now  under  the  landing 
obligation. In North Western Waters, this figure amounts to 86 % and in South Western 
Waters  to  77  %.  Looking  at  the  volume  of  demersal  fish  under  the  landing  obligation, 
this amounts to 28% in the North Sea, 46% in North Western Waters and 27% in South 
Western  Waters.  Whereas  the  implementation  of  the  landing  obligation  has  well 
progressed for North Western Waters demersal fisheries, more concerted effort is needed 
for North Sea and in South Western Waters demersal fisheries. 

In  the  Mediterranean  Sea,  where  the  landing  obligation  applies  to  species  which  are 
subject to minimum conservation reference sizes, 29 % of the total landings are currently 
under the landing obligation. On a fisheries basis, this figure amounts to 82 % for small 
pelagic species and 17 % for demersal species (including molluscs). Most catches from 
small  pelagic  fisheries  are  subject  to  the  landing  obligation,  whereas  further  work  is 
needed to better integrate demersal fisheries in the landing obligation by 2019.  

In  the  Black  Sea,  since  2017,  the  landing  obligation  covers  all  catches  of  the  species 
subject to TAC, i.e. sprat and turbot. 

The Commission must report annually specific information on the implementation of the 
landing obligation18. The first report was adopted in 201619 and covered the pelagic and 
Baltic  landing  obligation  in  2015.  The  second  report,  in  the  Staff  Working  Document 
accompanying  this  Communication,  provides  an  update  on  the  implementation  of  the 
landing  obligation  in  2016,  when  the  discard  ban  was  extended  to  some  demersal 
fisheries  in  the  North  Sea  and  the  Atlantic.  It  is  based  on  information  from  Member 
States, ACs and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA).  

Overall, reports from Member States have highlighted a number of challenges requiring 
concerted efforts from industry and administrations. The Commission will pursue efforts 
to discuss with Member States and the sector on how to make use of the available tools 
to  mitigate  choke  effects  and  to  address  issues  around  the  marketing  of  undersized 
catches. Industry and Member States should also do more to improve data on discards so 
as  to  assess  the  practical  impact  of  the  landing  obligation,  and  to  put  in  place  the 
necessary control and enforcement tools. 

18  Article  15(14)  of  Regulation  (EU)  No  1380/2013  as  amended  by  Regulation  (EU)  2015/812  of  the 
European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015, OJ L 133, 29.5.2015. 
19 COM(2016) 396 final. 

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3.  PROPOSALS FOR 2018 TACS  

Fishing opportunities for 2018 will follow the CFP objectives and be based on the best 
available scientific advice20. Where no scientific advice is available, the Commission will 
apply the precautionary approach in line with the CFP objectives.  

3.1. 

Stocks with MSY assessment 

To achieve the objectives of the CFP, the share of stocks fished at levels corresponding 
to FMSY must increase. As in previous years, the Commission intends to propose TACs in 
line with achieving FMSY the next  year, i.e. in  2018 in  case of the fishing opportunities 
proposals made this year. This will help bring compliance with the legal obligation in the 
CFP gradually closer. It will, however, require a commitment by the Council to align its 
decisions  with  this  approach.  For  stocks  with  an  FMSY  assessment  the  Commission 
intends to use the available point values, unless multiannual plans with FMSY ranges have 
been adopted.  

For  MSY-assessed  stocks  shared  with  non-EU  country  partners  the  Commission 
continues to seek agreement with them, taking the same approach. For stocks managed 
through  Regional  Fisheries  Management  Organisations  (RFMOs)  the  Commission 
follows  the  negotiation  directives  laid  down  by  the  Council  for  RFMOs,  following  the 
same standards and principles as for stocks in the EU. 

3.2. 

Stocks under multiannual plans 

Regarding the Baltic multiannual plan, the only one adopted since the entry into force of 
the new CFP, it specifies target fishing mortality ranges consistent with achieving MSY 
and  will  underpin  the  proposals  for  2018  TACs  in  the  Baltic.  These  ranges,  provided 
from  scientific  advice,  cover  all  fishing  mortality  rates  that  result  in  biomass  levels 
capable of producing MSY in the long term. 

Multiannual plans that were adopted before the 2014 CFP entered into force and enable 
fishing  opportunities  to  be  set  in  accordance  with  FMSY  in  2018  should  be  applied.  For 
plans  which  are  no  longer  compatible  with  this  objective,  for  example  because  they 
include a less ambitious objective, the Commission intends to adopt proposals for TACs 
in line with FMSY for 2018.  

3.3.  Other stocks 

For  stocks  without  full  MSY  assessment,  alternative  parameters  are  considered.  TAC 
proposals will reflect any changes in the available scientific advice, without jeopardising 
the conservation of the stocks. A number of different cases may arise here. 

3.3.1.  Stocks with data available to determine MSY proxies 

These  stocks  are  assessed  with  trend  forecast  models,  and  ICES  delivers  quantitative 
catch advice21. The approach will be similar to that for stocks with full MSY assessment. 

20 From ICES and, where applicable, from the STECF and the GFCM Scientific Advisory Committee. 
21 Based on a proxy for FMSY. 

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3.3.2.  Stocks with survey-assessed trends or with catch time series 

In  the  absence  of  an  FMSY  assessment,  scientific  advice  proposes  catch  limits.  The 
Commission will use the ICES advice on these stocks and will consider the situation on a 
case-by-case basis, applying the precautionary approach. 

3.3.3.  Stocks with a presumption of stability 

In  2013  the  Council  decided  to  keep  the  TACs  for  26  stocks  unchanged  until  2018, 
unless the biological advice called for adjustments. Generally, these are stocks exploited 
as  by-catches  only,  with  low  levels  of  quota  uptake;  their  economic  importance  is  low 
and information on their status is limited. The Commission intends to continue with this 
approach, unless there are ICES indications for review, in which case adjustments will be 
considered. 

3.3.4.  Stocks without biological advice 

In the absence of biological advice, appropriate TAC proposals under the precautionary 
approach  should  be  applied  in  line  with  Article  2(2)  of  the  CFP.  The  Commission  is 
working closely with ICES to further develop tools to fill existing gaps and enable it to 
adopt proposals in a more systematic, predefined and transparent way. 

3.4.  TAC adjustments and the landing obligation 

Under  the  CFP  rules,  fishing  opportunities  for  stocks  subject  to  the  landing  obligation 
should  be  fixed  taking  into  account  catches  rather  than  landings,  based  on  scientific 
advice.  TAC adjustments  are  part of the overall package of  measures to  implement  the 
landing  obligation.  They  should  not  jeopardise  the  FMSY  objective  or  increase  fishing 
mortality. 

The  Commission  is  considering  TAC  adjustments  for  stocks  subject  to  the  landing 
obligation as of 2018, as it did for 2017. When no validated or complete discard data are 
available, the Commission intends to extrapolate data to calculate the TAC adjustments 
where such methodology proves acceptable, on the basis of STECF advice.  

There  is  no  need  for  adjustments  to  TACs  in  2018  for  stocks  or  catches  for  which  the 
landing obligation enters into force in 2019. TAC adjustments for stocks jointly managed 
with international partners (non-EU countries, RFMOs) are subject to consultation with 
those partners.  

After a positive scientific assessment by ICES22, and based on a Commission proposal, 
the  Council  decided  to  scrap  the  TAC  for  dab  and  flounder  in  the  North  Sea  in  early 
2017.  Many  stakeholders  welcomed  this  move,  which  facilitates  the  implementation  of 
the landing obligation. With this in mind, the Commission is ready to discuss scrapping 
other  TACs  in  the  future,  if  there  is  no  risk  to  the  conservation  of  the  stock  and  ICES 
agrees to this.  

22  ICES,  EU  request  on  a  combined  dab  and  flounder  TAC  and  potential  management  measures  besides 
catch limits, 10 March 2017. 

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4.  CONCLUSION 

The  Commission  will  continue  to  pursue  full  implementation  of  the  CFP  and  will 
propose fishing opportunities for 2018 in line with the MSY targets in the CFP. With the 
first  multiannual  plan  under  the  CFP  now  in  place,  the  stage  is  set  for  the  gradual 
introduction of this priority management instrument in other EU sea basins, as a means 
of achieving the main CFP objectives. 

The  economic  performance  of  many  fleets  continues  to  improve  and  progress  towards 
better alignment of fishing capacity with fishing opportunities has been good. As for the 
exploitation of the resources, challenges remain in reaching MSY targets, particularly in 
the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. The EU must do more in areas where progress is 
slow.  Regional  cooperation  –  in  close  consultation  with  all  stakeholders  concerned,  as 
enshrined in the CFP – will play a key part in making that happen. 

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SCHEDULE  

The planned work schedule is as follows.  

When 

What 

July – September 

Public consultation on the Communication 

May/June/October  Stock advice from ICES 

26 September 

Seminar on the state of the stocks with stakeholders 

Adoption of TAC proposals for the Baltic Sea 

October 

Council on TACs for the Baltic Sea 

November 

Adoption of TAC proposals for the Atlantic/North Sea/Black Sea 

December 

Council on TACs for the Atlantic/North Sea/Black Sea 

12