EU request to ICES on the effect of increased quota flexibility for 2014 –2015 on Celtic Sea herring and Western horse mackerel

Background

To  mitigate  the  effects  of  the  Russian  ban  on  the  import  of  certain  fisheries  products,  the  European Commission  has  been  asked  to  allow  for  an  increase  in  the  proportion  of the  2014  quotas  of  Celtic  Sea  herring  and  Western  horse  mackerel that can be carried over to 2015.

Request

ICES  is  asked,  as  a  matter  of  urgency,  to  assess  the  level  of  risk  (in  terms  of  the  fishing  mortality  exceeding  Fmsy)  to  those  stocks  if  the  amount  of  the  2014  TAC  that  will  not  be fished  in  2014,  and  may  be  carried  over  to  2015,  is increased from the current limit of 10% to either:

a) 20%, or

b) 30%.  

This arrangement is exceptional and would apply only for one year; i.e. from 2014 to 2015.

For  the  purpose  of  this  calculation,  ICES  should  assume  that  the  long-term management  arrangements  currently  in  place regarding the fixing of TACs for these stocks will be adhered to unchanged in 2015.