The Failure of the Common Fisheries Policy Rainer Froese Pew Fellows Meeting 17.10.2009 Sebasco, Maine, USA
International Agreements Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1985 FAO Code of Conduct 1995 Ask for depleted stocks to be rebuilt to the “biomass that can produce maximum sustainable yields” Bmsy Johannesburg Plan of Implementation 2002 gives this the target of 2015
Reaction of the European Commission (DG Mare) In 1996, in explicit response to UNCLOS and Code of Conduct, DG Mare asked ICES to provide reference points for a safe zone which would prevent the collapse of stocks. It did not ask for reference points to Bmsy ICES provided Blim and Bpa
The EC Reference Points Blim is the biomass below which recruitment is reduced Bpa is a ‘precautionary’ biomass above Blim
North Sea Cod
North Sea Cod
North Sea Cod
Status of European Stocks
Biomass Trends
Management
Time to Recovery (no fishing)
Conclusions The bad status of European stocks is caused by bad management Bmsy is no target and not known to managers Most stocks will not be able to recover by 2015 Europe will miss the deadline by more than 30 years