History of minimum size in Europe Martin Pastoors PELAC focusgroup on Minimum Conservation Reference Size, The Hague, 6 June 2017
Technical measures Conservation Selectivity Carry over Market MLS MCRS Maturity Mesh size Discards Landing obligation Retention Not for human consumption
How has the minimum size been defined in Europe? What has changed with MCRS?
Reverse snowballing method
The history of technical measures • Council Regulation (EEC) No 2527/80 of 30 September 1980 laying down technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources. OJ L 258, 1.10.80. • Council Regulation (EEC) No 3094/86 of 7 October 1986 laying down certain technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources organisms. OJ L 288, 11.10.1986. • Council Regulation (EEC) No 345 / 92 of 27 January 1992 amending for the eleventh time Regulation (EEC) No 3094 / 86 laying down certain technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources. OJ L 42, 18.02.1992. • Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 of 30 March 1998 for the conservation of fishery resources through technical measures for the protection of juveniles of marine organisms. OJ L 125, 27.4.1998. • Regulation 2015/812 Of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 May 2015 amending Council Regulations (EC) No 850/98, (EC) No 2187/2005, (EC) No 1967/2006, (EC) No 1098/2007, (EC) No 254/2002, (EC) No 2347/2002 and (EC) No 1224/2009, and Regulations (EU) No 1379/2013 and (EU) No 1380/2013 ("Omnibus regulation")
Minimum sizes already defined in 1980 Council of the European Union (1980). Council Regulation (EEC) No 2527/80 of 30 September 1980 laying down technical measures for the conservation of fishery resources.
But what are MLS values based on?
Back to the old ICES reports… ICES (1977). Report of the ad-hoc meeting on the provision of advice on the biological basis for fisheries management, Charlottenlund, 5-9 January 1976, ICES. CRR 62: 15 p.
More work to be done …
MLS has been very stable: once defined, never changed? 1980 1998
Scientific basis of MLS values unclear (hazy)
What has changed with MCRS?
A ‘definition’ ! CFP 2013
STECF reviewed the basis for setting MCRS • “The EWG considers that plans should clearly state the objectives for setting MCRS and that the primary objective should be in accordance with Article 4 (17) and Article 15(10).” (STECF 14 -01) • “it is hard to find any biological justification for measures that in many instances are clearly conflicting e.g. input measures to control selectivity (mesh size) and output measures (MLS) to regulate the minimum size of fish that can be landed.” (STECF 14 - 01)
Trade-off between Markets – Ethics – Biology? STECF 2014-01
.. or: taking a new number as the standard: 50% maturity • “If MCRS in the future are to be set with more of a biological, rather than an economic objective then they could be set on the basis of: – Length-at- maturity (Lm50) (…) – Optimal length (Lopt ) (…)” STECF 2015-05
How to determine maturity? • By area? • Year trends? • Estimation methods? • Uncertainties? • Changing MCRS?
Conclusions • MLS • MCRS – Basis of MLS is unclear – Defined (loosely) in legislation – No published scientific – ‘Taking into account underpinning of values maturity’ – Rationale: strong link with – New scientific ‘dogma’: mesh size MCRS = 50% maturity – Values of MLS once defined, – How to measure (where and hardly changed when and how)? – Example: mackerel MLS poorly documented
Working with industry to improve science and management mpastoors@pelagicfish.eu
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