[ INTERNATIONAL NEWS ] New step towards recovery of swordďŹ sh in the Mediterranean The European Commission has approved using stronger means to help salvage Mediterranean swordfish stocks. A new regulation incorporates the International Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) Recommendation 16-05 into EU law, a key step towards better management of this troubled stock and towards achieving the main objective of the MedFish4Ever Declaration: ensuring the environmental, economic and social sustainability of Mediterranean fisheries now and for future generations. Recommendation 16-05 establishes a recovery plan promoting coastal fishing activities and taking into account the use of
Allocated swordďŹ sh quotas 2017 and 2018 (in tonnes) Member State
Allocation Key (%)
Quotas 2017
Quotas 2018*
Croatia
0,216
16,00
Cyprus
0,796
59,00
15,52 57,23
Spain
24,593
1822,49
1767,82
France
1,714
127,01
123,21
Greece
16,280
1206,45
1170,26
Italy
50,419
3736,26
3624,17
Malta
5,982
443,26
429,96
7410,48
7118,17
EU
100,00
* Quotas 2018 are 3% lower than 2017 ďŹ gures
selective types of gear and fishing techniques that reduce the environmental impact and ensure a fair standard of living for local fishing communities. Measures such as quotas, the closed period (January to March) and the
relaxation of the landing obligation were already integrated in EU legislation at an earlier stage. The EU submitted its fishing and inspection plan to the ICCAT Secretariat in mid-March including
the number of EU vessels authorised to fish Mediterranean swordfish in 2018: 7,537 of which 5,464 are recreational vessels and 1,918 are long-liners less than 24 m in length. The swordfish fishery is open from April to December.
Eurofish Magazine 3 / 2018
' +74' " -0**
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