![\"Baltic_Sea_map\"](\"https:\/\/lifeplatform.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Baltic_Sea_map-280x300.png\")
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Warsaw,\u00a025th July 2016<\/p>\n
LIFE Platform<\/p>\n
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Following ICES advice for 2017, LIFE’s Members of the Baltic Region (including Poland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany) elaborated the following action plan, to be presented to decision-makers, with concrete proposals for a correct management of the Western Baltic Cod stock. Cod is one of the main sources of income for small-scale fishers and is vital\u00a0to maintain the livelihoods of local coastal communities in the Region.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Action Plan for Western Baltic cod stock\u00a0<\/strong><\/span>following the ICES advice for 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The situation<\/strong><\/p>\n LIFE<\/span> <\/strong>is extremely worried at the latest ICES advice outlining the fishing opportunities for Western Baltic cod stock for 2017. The advised TAC of 917 tons constitutes an annual reduction of ca. 93%. It is perhaps the toughest practical stress test<\/em> yet for the reformed CFP.<\/p>\n LIFE<\/span><\/strong> is of the opinion that the productivity of Western Baltic cod stock has been over-estimated for many years on the face of relatively strong year classes of 1990s and early 2000s. This unfortunate error allowed the long-lasting overfishing of the stock. The latest re-calculation of recruitment figures by ICES (table 8.3.4.11. as compared to advice from previous years) confirms this view. Another important problem is the amount of cod discards in pelagic trawling (SD24) and in demersal trawling (SD22), which may be higher than officially reported. Furthermore, towed gears are often used in a way that decreases or nullifies selectivity.<\/p>\n Moreover, recreational fishing and environmental\/ecosystem factors, in particular the cod mortality caused by increasing seal population, add to the pressure on the stock. The seal damage to catches causes extra hardship for small-scale fishing communities, as the seals eat fish caught in their passive gears.<\/p>\n For 2017, ICES draws particular attention to very weak recruitment. The latest incoming year class is estimated at roughly 6% of long-term average, even if the F is slightly falling and SSB seems to have stabilized at level below Blim.<\/p>\n We are strongly convinced that the current state of Western cod stock calls for a development of broad and inventive Action Plan, rather than just focusing on business-as-usual: the short-sighted fight over the TAC levels or their allocations to Member States for next year we\u2019ve been observing for too long.<\/p>\n Therefore, LIFE<\/span><\/strong> refrains from taking a position on specific TAC level for now, pending the developments on the Action Plan called for and outlined below. It is clear that overall, General thrust of the Action Plan<\/strong><\/p>\n LIFE<\/span> <\/strong>calls \u2013 in strongest terms \u2013 for recognition that just as we take utmost care for our most vulnerable fish stocks, we are obliged to take the utmost care for the most vulnerable fishers.<\/p>\n In concrete terms, this means that harsh measures needed to safeguard the stock should predominantly be targeted at those fleets that contribute the most to the fishing pressure on Western Baltic stock and are able, at least technically, to re-locate their effort to other areas and stocks.<\/p>\n The Action Plan is put together in the spirit of Article 5 of the new Baltic Multiannual Plan, which calls that all appropriate remedial measures be taken to ensure rapid return of the stock concerned to MSY levels and above.<\/p>\n LIFE<\/span><\/strong> calls upon EU Institutions, BALTFISH and Member States concerned to ensure that the measures outlined below are implemented without delay and become applicable as of 2017.<\/p>\n Elements of the Action Plan<\/strong><\/p>\n LIFE<\/strong><\/span> is ready and willing to discuss this action plan with all the interested entities and persons, in particular the decision-makers of all appropriate levels.<\/p>\n It is the call for action with a set of concrete and constructive proposals from those whose livelihoods are directly and definitively threatened by the Western cod stock crisis. We ask all concerned to please act decisively before it\u2019s too late \u2013 for the stock and for us<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n Warsaw,\u00a025th July 2016 LIFE Platform Following ICES advice for 2017, LIFE’s Members of the Baltic Region (including Poland, Sweden, Denmark and Germany) elaborated the following action plan, to be presented to decision-makers, with concrete proposals for a correct management of the Western Baltic Cod stock. Cod is one of the main sources of income […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[63],"tags":[376,335,132],"class_list":["post-5896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-nouvelles","tag-action-plan-fr","tag-baltic-fr","tag-cod-fr","has-post-title","has-post-date","has-post-category","has-post-tag","has-post-comment","has-post-author",""],"yoast_head":"\n
\na serious reduction of fishing opportunities, significantly more substantial than that of last year (-20%), has to be decided upon.<\/p>\n\n
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