Chapter 11 Fisheries-based management and advice in Europe

Abstract

The management of fisheries in European community waters is controlled by the European Union (EU). The management of fish stocks that are shared with non-EU Members is organized via regional fisheries bodies and/or agreements. For example several stocks in the North Sea (Cod, haddock, whiting, plaice, and herring) are shared between Norway and the European Union. The total allowable catches for these stocks are set with bilateral agreements between the two parties. There are also shared Mediterranean stocks between the European Union and some African countries. Management measures for these Mediterranean stocks are arranged via the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). A similar situation applies to the Baltic, where management measures are settled via the International Baltic Sea Fisheries Commission (IBSFC). Fishery-based advice and management are currently important topics especially in the North East Atlantic region of Europe, where traditionally stock-based advice and management is found. This chapter deals with the presence of fishery-based measures in the current EU legislation and with efforts made to include the fishery-based approach in the European advisory and management system. The chapter provides an overview of the European Common Fisheries Policy (CEP), the most important instrument of the European Union to manage its fisheries.