At today’s meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH), the focus was on discussing the base principles of the fishing opportunities of 2018. The objective of the Estonian presidency is to adopt next year’s fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea and elsewhere.
At the meeting, the notice from the European Commission setting out the principles for fishing opportunities was discussed. Based on the notice, the members of the council can make their suggestions for next year’s catches.
The role of the Estonian presidency is to be liable at the EU level for the negotiations between the Member States and to achieve compromises acceptable by all parties. The objective of the negotiations is the effective implementation of fisheries policy while ensuring that maximum sustainable yield is reached by 2020.
‘2020 is not far away and we must make an effort to achieve the goals set for the good condition of fish resources. Adopting the fishing opportunities in our own Baltic Sea is the first order of business,’ Kiisler said.
Therefore, today’s topic of discussion, the criteria for fishing opportunities, is an important input for the council meeting in October, when the fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea will be adopted. In December, the fishing opportunities in the Black Sea and other Total Allowable Catches and quotas of the EU fishing fleet will be confirmed.
In addition to fishing opportunities, Kiisler, the Minister of the Environment, also told the council what the Estonian presidency intends to do with multi-annual management plans. Within half a year, Estonia hopes to reach an agreement with the European Parliament regarding the management plan for the North Sea. Discussions regarding the plans for the Adriatic Sea continue in the EU Council. Additionally, Estonia plans to renew and reopen the discussions regarding the multi-annual plan for managing the salmon resources of the Baltic Sea. This will ensure the sustainable management of natural salmon rivers and the protection of the salmon resources of the Baltic Sea.
AGRIFISH is the council of ministers of fisheries and agriculture. Estonian representatives in the council are Siim Kiisler, Minister of the Environment, and Tarmo Tamm, Minister of Rural Affairs. From September onward, AGRIFISH meetings will take place once a month.