Report from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on Member States’ efforts during 2012 to achieve a sustainable balance between fishing capacity and fishing opportunities

Member States are responsible for achieving a stable and enduring balance between the fishing capacity of their fleet and their fishing opportunities, and to take appropriate measures to ensure this balance. This has been a requirement under the Common Fisheries Policy since 2002 and is continued in the new CFP as adopted in December 2013. Such balance contributes to the objectives of the CFP, in particular to achieve Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) in order to ensure that fishing activities are environmentally sustainable in the long term and consistent with achieving economic, social and employment benefits.

This report is based on Member States’ reports on their efforts to achieve a sustainable balance between fishing capacity and fishing opportunities. Member States are expected to apply the Commission guidelines when preparing their reports. Data collected under the Data Collection Framework (DCF) are also used (Annex I). The Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) has assessed the Member States' reports.

The analysis of Member States’ fleet capacity shows some progress towards achieving a balance with the available fishing opportunities, although more remains to be done to ensure that stocks are managed in accordance with the objective of MSY.

In its report on the Member States' effort during 2011 on achieving the balance, the Commission introduced a set of elements to improve the analysis of the balance. In that report a series of indicators were listed concerning the sustainable and viable operation of fishing fleets, such as whether fleets:
- rely on stocks fished above MSY levels
- are breaking even
- are economically sustainable
- are underutilised
- are inactive.

These indicators are again used for this report. In addition, an indicator of stocks at high biological risk that are affected by a fleet segment has been added due to concerns that this aspect had been neglected.

• Primary Source

EUR-Lex: COM(2014)233: Follow the progress of this report through the decision-making procedure http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/HIS/?uri=COM:2014:233:FIN

ESO: Background information: Fishing capacity: EU Member States comply with obligations to downsize their fleet – but more can be done http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-fishing-capacity-eu-member-states-comply-with-obligations-to-downsize-their-fleet-but-more-can-be-done/

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