European Union, Norway and the United Kingdom - fisheries consultations: agreed records 2023

Cod

13.1 The Delegations noted that according to the ICES MSY approach catches in 2023 should be no more than 26,008 tonnes. This represents an increase of 82% in the advice compared to 2022. ICES estimates that discards and below minimum size (BMS) landings are at 20.3% of total catch (in weight) in 2021. ICES projects discard rates of 15.1% of total catch (by weight) in 2022.

13.2 The Delegations agreed to establish a TAC for 2023 in ICES Subarea 4 (North Sea), Division 7.d (Eastern Channel), and Subdivision 20 (Skagerrak) of 26,008 tonnes. This represents an increase of 63% compared to the TAC in 2022.

13.3 The resulting TAC for Subarea 4 is 21,652 tonnes (83.25%), the TAC for Subdivision 20 is 3,095 tonnes (11.90%), and the TAC for Division 7.d is 1,261 tonnes (4.85%).

13.4 The Delegations agreed to continue the closures of spawning grounds as described in Annex IV.

13.5 The Norwegian Delegation explained that three areas had been closed in the southeast part of the Norwegian Economic Zone (NEZ) from 7 July to 31 December 2022 in order to protect juveniles and small cod. The aim is to continue such closures in 2023. In addition to the closure of nursery areas, the Norwegian Delegation informed that Real Time Closures can be triggered in the demersal trawl and Danish seine fishery in the NEZ, if the intermixture of juvenile cod, saithe, haddock and whiting exceeds a certain limit. Finally, they explained that if the intermixture of juvenile cod is above the legal limit, vessels are obligated to change fishing ground.

13.6 The UK Delegation confirmed that a National Cod Avoidance Plan was still active in UK waters. The plan continues to cover a variety of measures in different areas of UK waters of the North Sea. The measures include restrictions on mesh size on nets, alongside real time closures and real time reporting to protect high abundances of cod of all ages. These are in addition to existing seasonal closures in UK waters for the protection of spawning aggregations of cod.

13.7 The EU Delegation explained that, given the lack of recovery and continued high levels of fishing mortality of this important stock, it intends to continue in 2023 the cod avoidance measures introduced in 2020 and 2021. These measures include specific selectivity measures, area closures for protection of spawning aggregations of cod as well as the possibility for member states to introduce National Cod Avoidance Plans. Such plans will be assessed by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries. In addition, the European Union explained that specific actions on control have been undertaken since 2020 including additional efforts on last haul evaluations and the triggering of real time closures and the procedures for the monitoring of these closures.

13.8 The Delegations noted the terms of reference for the North Sea Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Working Group (Annex V) which seeks to enhance the control of the cod and cod-related fisheries in the North Sea to ensure compliance with technical measures and catch registration obligations.