1. Lists of commercially-exploited fish and shellfish
Anna Cheilari DG Environment Marine environment & water Industry Unit
19th meeting of WG on good Environmental Status, Brussels, 22 March 2018

2. Background
2018 reporting on updates of MSFD Articles 8, 9 and 10 will be supported by web forms to aid completion of the XML files by Member States
It is planned to use, wherever possible, drop-down lists to facilitate data entry, thereby also helping to ensure consistency in the data entered
For Descriptor 3 assessments, there is a need to make available operational lists of commercially-exploited fish and shellfish from which Member States can select those to be reported (or add new ones if needed)
This is to include the species which are assessed (e.g. through CFP processes) and those which have not been assessed (e.g. due to lack of data)

3. Commission decision 2017/848/EU
A list of commercially exploited species shall take into account: (a) all stocks that are managed under the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP); (b) the species for which fishing opportunities (total allowable catches and quotas) are set by Council; (c) the species for which minimum conservation reference sizes are set under the Mediterranean Regulation; (d) the species under multiannual plans according to Article 9 of CFP; (e) the species under national management plans according to Article 19 of the Mediterranean Regulation; (f) any important species on a regional or national scale for small-scale/local coastal fisheries. Note: Commercially-exploited species which are non-indigenous in each assessment area shall be excluded from the list
Commission decision 2017/848/EU under Specifications and standardised methods for monitoring and assessment clarifies that:
“1. A list of commercially-exploited species for application of the criteria in each assessment area shall be established by Member States through regional or subregional cooperation and updated for each 6-year assessment period, taking into account Council Regulation (EC) No 199/2008 (4) and the following:
(a) all stocks that are managed under Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013;
(b) the species for which fishing opportunities (total allowable catches and quotas) are set by Council under Article 43(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union;
(c) the species for which minimum conservation reference sizes are set under Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006;
(d) the species under multiannual plans according to Article 9 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013;
(e) the species under national management plans according to Article 19 of Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006;
(f) any important species on a regional or national scale for small-scale/local coastal fisheries.
For the purposes of this Decision, commercially-exploited species which are non-indigenous in each assessment area shall be excluded from the list and thus not contribute to achievement of good environmental status for Descriptor 3.”

4. Methodology
Previous work by ICES (ICES Advice 2016, Book 1, special request advice ) ,
Lists of species used for Monitoring the performance of the Common Fisheries Policy (STECF-17-04)
Following the criteria in the Decision (EU) 2017/848
Operational lists of commercially-exploited species (fish and shellfish) for each marine region in the Baltic Sea and Black Sea and subregion in the NE Atlantic and Mediterranean

5. Challenges
Mapping of ICES assessment areas against MSFD marine regions and subregions and attribution of stocks to each MSFD marine region and subregion. For example: areas IVa and VIIe falls under both the Celtic Seas and Greater North Sea subregions
For species under national management plans: identification of relevant stocks as management plans refers to fisheries and not species. For example: French management plan for gangui fisheries in territorial waters that covers various coastal species
For species for which fishing opportunities (total allowable catches and quotas) are set by Council: attribution of stocks to each MSFD marine region and subregions, as in several cases assessments cover more than one ICES assessment area. For example: Red seabream stock (Pagellus bogaraveo) in EU and international waters of VI, VII and VIII (SBR/678) falling under both the Celtic Seas and the Bay of Biscay and the Iberian coast subregions

6. Further questions What constitutes a commercially-exploited species?
Besides the criteria included in the Commission decision 2017/848/EU should information on the contribution of populations (stocks) to landings be used to further refine the list?
Which are important species on a regional or national scale for small-scale/local coastal fisheries?

7. Further actions
Short term: We invite Member States to validate these lists by 18/05/2018, particularly by adding additional species they intend to report, before the list is made available in the web reporting system
Longer term: establish a list of commercially-exploited species by Member States through regional or subregional cooperation
Should ICES be asked to support the further work to refine the lists and address the challenges and questions identified during their development?

8. Thank you for your attention