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EU Expands Celtic Sea Cod Catch
EU - The European Council of agriculture ministers is to discuss an increase of the Celtic Sea cod quota (TAC) for 2008, at their meeting tomorrow (15 July).
The discussions are on the basis of the agreement reached last December that the TAC would undergo an in-year revision if new scientific advice was forthcoming.
After conducting a thorough analysis of all available data for this fishery, including contributions from a study carried out by the UK, Ireland and France, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) proceeded, on the Commission's request, to review the advice it had provided in 2007.
In 2007, ICES advised that the fishery for cod in the Celtic Sea should be closed. Council instead agreed on a TAC of 4,316 tonnes for the area, a decrease of nine per cent compared to the 2007 TAC of 4,743 tonnes.
The new ICES advice indicates a higher stock size at the start of 2008 than the previous advice, featuring a higher abundance especially of the youngest fish that have not yet spawned.
On this basis, the Commission can support an increase of the 2008 TAC to 5,174 tonnes, corresponding to a 25 per cent decrease in fishing mortality in 2008.
This reduction in fishing mortality is consistent with the approach embodied in the framework of the Cod Recovery Plan which the Commission is proposing to extend to Celtic Sea Cod. The Council is expected to adopt this point as an A-point.
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