Long-term plan for cod stocks and the fisheries exploiting those stocks: management

The European Parliament adopted a legislative resolution on the Council position at first reading with a view to the adoption of a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1342/2008 establishing a long-term plan for cod stocks and the fisheries exploiting those stocks.

In line with the recommendation for second reading by the Committee on Fisheries, Parliament approved the Council position at first reading without amendments.

The aim of the proposal is to amend the existing Regulation of 2008 for a long-term plan for cod stocks. It suggested inter alia to:

• insert a certain flexibility into the rules on Total Allowable Catches,
• better harmonise the calculation of fishing effort,
• insert new and amended incentives into the system of fishing effort restrictions which aim at avoiding cod and reducing discards.