Implementation of the "Baltic 21 Action Programme for the Fishery Sector"

 

During the 24th Session, September 1998, a first in depth discussion took place on the implementation of the "Action Programme" which was adopted by IBSFC during its Extraordinary Session earlier that year. (See "Baltic 21")

Due consideration was given to the fact that only three proposed Actions were of direct competence of IBSFC in accordance with the Convention:

* Priority Action 1 on long term strategies for major fish stocks

* Action 2 on stocks in Coastal Areas

* Action 4 on quality of fisheries assessment.

The IBSFC Secretariat shall establish a tentative work programme and time table for the next years.

As to the other Actions, it was acknowledged that IBSFC can only play a co-ordinating role (to ensure that all Contracting Parties achieve progress simultaneously) and a liaison role with the Senior Officials Group (SOG) established in the framework of "Baltic 21". The principle was accepted of organising one meeting per year on a given "Action" with specialists from the Contracting Parties. Here also, the IBSFC Secretariat shall elaborate a tentative work programme for the next years.

 

Progress Report on the Implementation of the Baltic 21 Action Programme

(Sector Fisheries)

1. General information regarding the organization for the implementation of the Action Programme

A workplan for the period 1999-2002 has been agreed upon by the IBSFC Contracting Parties covering all Actions regarding the Sector Fisheries. (Annex 1)

 

2. Progress in implementing the actions that are included in the Agenda 21 for the Baltic Sea Region document Sector specific actions

In 2000 four Working Group meetings have been held to further implement the Action Programme Fisheries:

- as adopted at the Extraordinary IBSFC Session on "Baltic 21" Sector Fisheries (Warsaw, 16-20 February 1998);

-          as under 8.3 Sector Actions of the "Baltic 21" document (Nyborg, 22-23 June, 1998).

 

2.1. IBSFC Working Group on Control and Enforcement met in Rønne, Bornholm, Denmark, 11-13 April 2000 (Second Meeting).

In continuation:

1.       The Working Group on Control and Enforcement met as directed on Wednesday 6th September 2000 to consider the EC Draft document on a proposal for a uniform control form.

2.       The Mandate of the Working Group was to receive a briefing on the content of the draft inspection form and draw up a set of recommendations for the Group on the best courses of action with regard to its utilization.

3.       The Working Group concluded that the Draft form, subject to some modifications, could form the basis for a harmonized working methodology during the forthcoming inspection programme prepared for the period 15 March to 15 April 2000. To this end the Working Group recommends that each party review the document at a national level and provide suggestions for modification and improvements before 13th October 2000.

4.       Subject to the approval of the Group Mr. O’Shea (EC) offered to act as coordinator and drafter for the revision of the Draft Inspection form.

  1. Against this background the Working Group further recommended that the time line for the development of a new draft Inspection form would be:

13 Oct to 03 Nov : Consultations and redrafting

3 Nov : New draft circulated

27 Nov – 1 Dec : Reserve 2 days for briefing and distribution of inspection form.

  1. In the context of the proposed pilot inspection programme, 15 March to 15 April, it is recommended that the Group consider the following criteria with regard to the requirements for planning and coordination:

a.                   List of nominated Inspectors

b.                   List and availability of Inspection craft

c.                   Schedule for Inspections

d.                   Schedule for briefing inspectors and advising them on the use and compilation of the Inspection form

e.                   Final date for the submission of forms to the IBSFC

f.                     Evaluation process and report

 

2. 2. IBSFC Working Groups on Long Term Management Objectives and Strategies for Baltic Cod, Herring and Sprat/Fishery Rules met in Turku, Finland, 22-24 May 2000.

Terms of Reference for the further work(as adopted at the 26th IBSFC Session in September 2000):

 

Working Group on Long Term Management

“The Working Group is requested to evaluate any new scientific information on gear selectivity

The Working Group is requested to draft long term objectives and strategies for the management of the Baltic Herring and shall report to the 27th Session, September 2001. ICES is invited to be closely associated with this work.

The WG shall identify possible options for management goals, such as:

* Sustainable (target) harvesting level(s), considering also the interaction between cod and pelagic species and economic considerations for the fishing industry.

* The time span to reach sustainable levels for the stocks.

The WG shall identify possible options for management strategies corresponding to each of the identified management objectives:

* Evaluate the pro's and con's of changing the current management units to units corresponding to the assessment units.

* Evaluate the long term harvesting strategies and the pro's and con's of each alternative:

* constant long term TAC

* constant fishing mortality(F) rate

* a "semi-constant" fishing mortality(F) rate, increased or decreased (when appropriate) to maintain the TAC at a defined level with allowance for yearly fluctuations (up or down) of an agreed percentage (5, 10, 15, 20.%) .

* the "safety net": identification of precautionary biological reference points and actions to be undertaken when they are reached.

* options for flexibility in quota outtake (such as the EC year-to-year management of TAC's).

* options for penalty systems to discourage overfishing (such as the Russian proposal).

Evaluate short term strategies to reach sustainable stock levels:

* level of fishing mortality (F) allowing to be sustainable after 2 years

* other option(s)

Options for technical measures: pro's and con's of several proposals such as:

* temporary bans and/or temporary closed areas

* appropriate fishing gear and gear selectivity

* by-catch limits and minimum landing sizes

Consider and evaluate possible consequences for the fishing industry of the elaborated strategy measures."

The Group shall meet in the second half of June 2001, if appropriate.

 

Working Group on Fishery Rules

The Working Group shall undertake, as appropriate, evaluation of the Fishery Rules of IBSFC with the view to provide recommendation to the 27th Session. It shall review the Fishery Rules in the light of the need to support the long-term management plans for sustainable fisheries in accordance with the precautionary approach and the objectives laid down in the Baltic Agenda 21.

It shall evaluate the usefulness of existing rules in respect of:

·         effects on the conservation of the stocks

·         findings and recommendations by the Working Group on Control and Enforcement

In particular it shall examine appropriate measures to:

·         enhance the conservation of juvenile fish

·         increase the selectivity of gear used in Cod, mixed Cod and Flounder fisheries and other fisheries with the objective to enhance the Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) and reduce discard

·         evaluate and provide recommendation for amendment of Fishery Rule in regards of BACOMA window

It shall base its work on the existing IBSFC Rules, measures taken by the Contracting Parties, new scientific advice and other relevant data.

The Working Group shall meet at time and place to be decided.

 

2.3. IBSFC Salmon Action Plan Surveillance Group met in Gdynia, Poland, 14-15 June 2000.

 

Mandate for the further work of the Salmon Action Plan Surveillance Group

(as adopted at the 26th IBSFC Session in September 2000)

According to the Salmon Action Plan under the Long Term Objective for 2010 (item 4), and under Medium and Short Term Strategies (item 10), the Surveillance Group should advice on how to achieve that:

“To the greatest extent possible, the fishing pattern should be shifted from the mixed wild and reared population fishery to a fishery targeting mainly reared populations”

To this end the Contracting Parties are requested to:

- submit proposals for definitions and locations of terminal fishery areas to the IBSFC no later than 1 March 2001.

- make annual reports on the monitoring of the implementation of the IBSFC Salmon Action Plan. These reports should be submitted to the IBSFC no later than 1 March 2001. They should, if possible, give data on the situation in the years 1998-2000.

It is therefore agreed to give the Surveillance Group the following mandate:

The Salmon Action Plan Surveillance Group shall

1.       Further elaborate on how to shift the fishing pattern, to the greatest extent possible, from the mixed wild and reared population fishery to a fishery targeting mainly reared populations and to continue the work on definitions of terminal fishery areas;

2.       compile and comment on the annual reports in its meeting 2001;

3.       meet no later than 10 June 2001 and formulate possible draft recommendations to the 27th Session of IBSFC