Press Release: Commission proposes fishing opportunities in the Atlantic and North Sea for 2015

The European Commission proposed on the 28 October 2014 fishing opportunities for 2015 for the Atlantic and the North Sea. This was the annual proposal for the amount of fish which could be caught by EU fishermen from the main commercial fish stocks next year and it was for the first time based on the new Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). One of the key pillars of the new CFP was to have all stocks fished at sustainable levels, the so-called Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY). Whenever possible, the scientists advise how to bring the stocks to MSY levels. For fish stocks in European waters, ie not agreed with international partners, the Commission proposed to increase or maintain the catch limits for 29 stocks, and reduce them for 40 stocks, in line with scientific advice.

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