European Union, Norway and the United Kingdom - fisheries consultations: agreed records 2024

15 Cod

15.1 The Delegations noted that the Northern Shelf cod advice from ICES establishes a new stock definition merging West of Scotland cod with North Sea cod forming a single assessment unit with three sub-stocks: northwestern, Viking, and southern. They noted that the new sub-stock-based advice for the northwestern sub-stock includes Division 6.a. The Delegations noted that ICES advises that the TAC for Northern Shelf cod should be no more than 22,691 tonnes for 2024. ICES estimates that discards and BMS landings are at 29.6% of total catch (by weight) in 2022. ICES projects a discards rate of 17.5% of total catch (by weight) in 2023. The Delegations noted that the TAC in 6.a. was previously agreed bilaterally between the UK and EU. Given the lack of separate ICES advice for Division 6.a., they agreed that the quota allocation to Division 6.a. should be determined in this trilateral forum.

15.2 The Delegations agreed that, in the long-term, in order to respond to the substantially changed perception of the stock as a result of the ICES benchmark process, they would seek to devise a methodology that better aligns ICES sub-stock-based advice with effective TAC area management. They noted that this would require significant and in-depth technical and scientific work to ensure the effectiveness of measures. They therefore agreed that, ahead of that longer-term work being concluded, it was important to put in place an interim set of arrangements for the 2024 TAC year.

15.3 As part of those interim arrangements, the Delegations agreed to increase the TACs for all four sub-areas covered by this agreement by 15% compared to the TACs for 2023 in light of the increasing stock biomass. This means that the TAC for Northern Shelf cod for 2024 will be 31,301 tonnes. The TAC for Division 6.a should be 1,392 tonnes, the TAC for Subarea 4 24,900 tonnes, the TAC for Skagerrak (sub-division 20) 3,559 tonnes, and the TAC for Division 7.d 1,450 tonnes.  

15.4 To continue to support ongoing improvements in the sustainable management of the Northern Shelf cod stock, the Delegations agreed to continue the closures of spawning grounds as described in Annex III. 

15.5 The Norwegian Delegation informed the EU and UK Delegations that three areas had been closed in the southeast part of the Norwegian Economic Zone (NEZ) from 1 July to 31 December 2023 in order to protect juveniles and small cod. The aim is to continue such closures in 2024. 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.  

15.6 The UK Delegation informed the EU and Norwegian Delegations 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. The UK delegation also indicated that it was likely to restrict the amount of cod quota in Division 7.d which would be allocated to its fleet for 2024.

15.7 The EU Delegation informed the UK and Norwegian Delegations that it intends to continue in 2024 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 EU 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.

15.8 The Delegations agreed to set up a working group of experts from each party to assess the way that current spatial, seasonal and technical measures help to promote the sustainable management of the Northern Shelf stock. As part of this work, they should focus on possible improvements or modifications to such measures that could provide additional protection to the various sub-stocks. These measures should be developed with due regard to the levels of mixing between the three sub-stocks. The Delegations agreed that that work should be conducted at pace in 2024 and that the working group should report back to the Parties as soon as possible. The UK agreed to chair that working group. 

15.9 In parallel to the work of this working group, the Parties agreed that their respective experts would monitor the fishery closely throughout 2024 to ensure that the new management regime for the stock should not bring about changes in fishing patterns that would have a detrimental impact on the sustainability of any of the three sub-stocks. They agreed to discuss the outcomes of those monitoring activities at their meetings throughout 2024.    

15.10 The Delegations noted the current terms of reference for the North Sea Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Working Group (Annex IV) 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, and committed to continue to promote a culture of compliance within their respective fisheries. 

15.11 The Delegations noted that ICES in its 2023 advice for Northern Shelf cod stated that it was not in a position to provide area-specific catch advice without additional genetic data sampled routinely from both commercial fisheries and scientific surveys. The Delegations consequently agreed that the way forward in the management of these stocks would include additional sampling of genetic material and the exchange of information regarding ongoing relevant research on the topic. Moreover, the Delegations recommended that this workstream should be taken forward as a priority and agreed that they would approach ICES for guidance (Annex X).