EU agrees fishing opportunities for Mediterranean and Black Sea

EU agrees fishing opportunities for Mediterranean and Black Sea. For the western Mediterranean, the Ministers agreed to continue the implementation of the EU multiannual management plan (MAP) for demersal stocks, adopted in June 2019. According to the scientific advice, the goal of sustainable fisheries management (maximum sustainable yield – MSY) by 1 January 2025 can be achieved by making use of the management tools and other flexibility elements available under the plan. The agreement, therefore, continues the reduction of the trawling fishing effort by 9,5%, combined with the implementation of additional management tools, such as reduced catch limits for deep water shrimps and continuing the effort freeze for longliners. Furthermore, to strengthen ecosystem resilience, the regulation expands the compensation mechanism, granting gradually from 4,5% to 6% additional fishing days for trawlers, depending on the number of additional conservation measures implemented by the vessels. ...