Input to the EU Fisheries Council Meeting, 17-18 December 2018

The document urges EU Fisheries Ministers to set 2019 Total Allowable Catches (TACs) within scientifically advised levels to meet the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) goals by 2020. It recommends that TACs not exceed Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) or precautionary approach limits, calls for the correct implementation of the landing obligation through robust catch documentation like CCTV, and demands greater transparency in the TAC-setting process through public justification of any limits set above scientific advice.

• The authors argue that progress toward sustainable fisheries has been too slow to ensure all stocks are managed according to FMSY by 2020, leaving only two December Fisheries Councils to meet the legal requirements of the CFP basic regulation.
• To meet CFP objectives, the NGOs recommend that TACs should not exceed scientifically advised levels, specifically those under the MSY approach or FMSY point value catch limits, or precautionary approach limits where MSY reference points are unavailable.
• The document calls for the correct implementation of the landing obligation (LO), suggesting that TACs should not exceed ICES advice on catches or landings, and that robust documentation methods, such as CCTV on high-risk vessels, be implemented.
• The NGOs request improved transparency in the TAC-setting process, including the public provision of scientific or socio-economic justifications when TACs are set above ICES advice and the publication of detailed Council negotiation minutes.

APA

ClientEarth (2018). Input to the EU Fisheries Council Meeting, 17-18 December 2018. https://www.clientearth.org/media/nxwksjwy/joint-ngo-recommendations-on-fishing-opportunities-for-2019-cover-letter-coll-en.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. Input to the EU Fisheries Council Meeting, 17-18 December 2018. 2018. https://www.clientearth.org/media/nxwksjwy/joint-ngo-recommendations-on-fishing-opportunities-for-2019-cover-letter-coll-en.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=ClientEarth |title=Input to the EU Fisheries Council Meeting, 17-18 December 2018 |date=December 2018 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/nxwksjwy/joint-ngo-recommendations-on-fishing-opportunities-for-2019-cover-letter-coll-en.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{clientearth2018input, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Input to the EU Fisheries Council Meeting, 17-18 December 2018}}, publisher = {ClientEarth}, year = {2018}, month = dec, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/nxwksjwy/joint-ngo-recommendations-on-fishing-opportunities-for-2019-cover-letter-coll-en.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }