email editor
The Danish Fisheries Agency has issued notice that the following conditions for sprat in the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea
Effective from Friday 07 July 2023, the Danish Fisheries Agency has issued notice that the following conditions apply to fishing of certain industrial species in the North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, and Baltic Sea.
Danish boats fishing sprat will be allowed to catch 96,624 tonnes in the North Sea and 17,608 tonnes in Skagerrak. This doubles the sprat quota of 58,000 tonnes set for 2022 and has been welcomed by the fishery.
1. Fishing of sprat and sprat in the North Sea.
Vessels fishing for sprat and/or sprat in the North Sea may have a maximum of 30% bycatch of other quota species per landing.
If this bycatch limit is exceeded on two consecutive landings, or three times in total, or if the bycatch of other quota species in a single landing exceeds 40%, the vessel may not engage in any form of fishing for 15 days immediately after the last landing.
Failure to comply with the condition will result in the revocation of the vessel’s industrial permit with a corresponding deduction of annual quotas. After any period of at least 15 days where the vessel has not engaged in fishing, previous fishing trips with exceeding bycatch limits will not be counted.
After landing 4,000 tons of herring bycatch quota in the North Sea, a decision will be made, after consulting the Advisory Industrial Fisheries Committee, on whether to change the bycatch percentages.
2. Fishing of sprat in Skagerrak and Kattegat.
Vessels fishing for sprat in Skagerrak and Kattegat must be listed on license list no. 9900 “Special permit for fishing of industrial species in Skagerrak and Kattegat” and may have a maximum of 30% bycatch of other quota species per landing.
If this bycatch limit is exceeded on two consecutive landings, or three times in total, or if the bycatch of other quota species in a single landing exceeds 40%, the vessel may not engage in any form of fishing for 15 days immediately after the last landing.
Failure to comply with the condition will result in the revocation of the vessel’s industrial permit with a corresponding deduction of annual quotas. After any period of at least 15 days where the vessel has not engaged in fishing, previous fishing trips with exceeding bycatch limits will not be counted.
After landing 225 tonnes of the allocated quantity of 344 tonnes of herring bycatch in fisheries with a mesh size of 31 mm and below, a decision will be made, after consulting the Advisory Industrial Fisheries Committee, on whether to change the bycatch percentages.
3. Fishing of sprat in Skagerrak and Kattegat.
Vessels fishing for sprat in Skagerrak and Kattegat must be listed on license list no. 9900 “Special permit for fishing of industrial species in Skagerrak and Kattegat” and may have a maximum of 30% bycatch of other quota species per landing.
If this bycatch limit is exceeded on two consecutive landings, or three times in total, or if the bycatch of other quota species in a single landing exceeds 40%, the vessel may not engage in any form of fishing for 15 days immediately after the last landing.
Failure to comply with the condition will result in the revocation of the vessel’s industrial permit with a corresponding deduction of annual quotas. After any period of at least 15 days where the vessel has not engaged in fishing, previous fishing trips with exceeding bycatch limits will not be counted.
After landing 225 tonnes of the allocated quantity of 344 tonnes of herring bycatch in fisheries with a mesh size of 31 mm and below, a decision will be made, after consulting the Advisory Industrial Fisheries Committee, on whether to change the bycatch percentages.
4. Fishing of sprat in the Western Baltic Sea (ICES Sub-areas 22-24).
In 2023, it is not allowed to fish for sprat in the Western Baltic Sea (ICES Sub-areas 22-24).
5. Fishing of sprat in the Eastern Baltic Sea (ICES Sub-areas 25-32).
Fishing is prohibited in ICES Sub-areas 25 and 26 from May 1 to August 31.
Vessels fishing for sprat in the Eastern Baltic Sea (ICES Sub-areas 25-32), except for vessels fishing under permit no. 1205, may have a maximum of 20% bycatch of other quota species per landing.
If this bycatch limit is exceeded on two consecutive landings, or three times in total, or if the bycatch of other quota species in a single landing exceeds 40%, the vessel may not engage in any form of fishing for 15 days immediately after the last landing.
Failure to comply with the condition will result in the revocation of the vessel’s industrial permit with a corresponding deduction of annual quotas. After any period of at least 15 days where the vessel has not engaged in fishing, previous fishing trips with exceeding the specified bycatch limits will not be counted.
Regardless of the above, vessels using trawl gear with a mesh size less than 105 mm or stationary gear with a mesh size less than 110 mm may have a maximum bycatch of cod at 10% per landing.
If this bycatch limit is exceeded on two consecutive landings, or three times in total, or if the cod bycatch in a single landing exceeds 20%, the vessel may not engage in any form of fishing for 15 days immediately after the last landing. Failure to comply with the condition will result in the revocation of the vessel’s permit listed under license lists no. 99, 1000, 1200, 1201, and 1202 with a corresponding deduction of annual quotas. After any period of at least 15 days where the vessel has not engaged in fishing, previous fishing trips with exceeding the specified bycatch limits will not be counted.
This notice is issued in accordance with the rules of the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Fisheries’ Order no. 1586 of December 22, 2022, on the regulation of fishing, Section 17, and supersedes immediate regulation notice no. 4-2023 of December 22, 2022.
The notice came into effect on 07 July 2023, and is valid until December 31, 2023, unless otherwise stated.
Source: Press Release