1. Introducing the landing obligation for the COD in the Kattegat, Kenn Skau Fischer, NSAC, Charlottenlund 29 January 2016

2. The reform of the EU Common Fisheries Policy in 2013 2 major changes: - landing obligation (LO) and - a regionalized policy process Landing obligation ( alias discard ban) Implementing the landing obligation (discard ban) for quoted species in important fisheries. Introduction incrementally (for different fisheries) and phases - discard plans to be followed by management plans. A break-up of 30 years policy!

3. The introduction of the LO for important fisheries:  Is for the quoted demersal fisheries in the North Sea, the Skagerrak and the Kattegat foreseen ( through the legislation) to take place stepwise from 1 January 2016 to 1 January 2019.  Discard plans drawn by Member States Part of the transition: Quota top up; "Detailed and accurate documentation“; tools for practical implementation (flexibility) and adjustment of technical measures.

4. Preparation of discards plans: The relevant EU Member States makes a joint recommendation (JR) to deliver to the EU-Commission. If the Commission can agree on the JR, it is adopted through a delegated act (Commission regulation) For the Kattegat, the Skagerrak and the North Sea etc. it is the SCHEVENINGEN group that has prepared the JR for 2016 (and prepares JR for the subsequent years). Scheveningen group: o Germany, Holland, Belgium, France, UK (England and Scotland) Sweden and Denmark.

5. Landing Obligation for demersal fisheries and stocks in the Kattegat: From January 1, 2016 the landing obligation for certain fisheries in the North Sea, the Skagerrak and the Kattegat has been introduced for the following species:  Haddock  Norway lobster  Plaice  Hake  Sole  Deap water shrimps  Saithe COD and whiting not yet on the list...

6. Landing obligation for the Kattegat 2016: KattegatGearSpecies under LOExemptions IIIaS trawls and seines between 70 and 99 mm Haddock, Northern prawn (for Nephrops) (for Haddock using Swedish grid) IIIaStrawls and seines of 100 mm haddock, plaice, Northern prawn IIIaS nets, trammel nets and entangling nets Northern prawn, (sole) (for sole) IIIaSHooks and lines Hake, Northern prawn IIIaSPots Northern Prawn,(Nephrops) (for Nephrops) IIIaStrawls and seines between 32 and 69 mm Northern prawn

7. Landing obligation for the Kattegat 2016:  When fishing with trawl or Danish seines with mesh size 90-99 mm and SELTRA there is LO for all catches of haddock and shrimp.  When fishing with trawl or Danish seines with mesh size > 100 mm, there is LO for all catches of haddock, plaice and shrimp….  When fishing with nets there is LO for all catches of shrimp…. But more to come…!

8. Landing obligation for the COD in the Kattegat to implemented 1 January  2017?  2018?  2019? Depending on the faith of the present COD management plan…

9. Gross revenue for Danish Vessels in the different waters in 2014 (1000 DKK) Kilde: NaturErhvervstyrelsen. At an average price of around 20 dkk/kg the Danish cod quota in the Kattegat has a value of (62.000 kg x 20 dkk/kg) = 1,2 milllion DKK!

10. TAC for COD in the Kattegat: (By-catch quota only) Danish quota and number of fishermen with ”ITQ” ÅRTAC (t) 2015100 2016370 year DK Quota (t) Number of vessels with ITQ Average quota per vessel 201562131473 kg 2016228254898 kg At an average price of around 20 dkk/kg the Danish cod quota in the Kattegat has a value of (62.000 kg x 20 dkk/kg) = 1,2 milllion DKK!

11. Definition of the LO:  Any catch (of the regulated species) must be landed and recorded.....  (whether living, dying or dead fish).  Discard:  Catch not landed at the end trip!

12. Challenge: Can we avoid that the introduction of the LO for COD will close down the fisheries in the Kattegat? Exemptions and flexibility (Article 15)  Inter-species flexibility (9 per cent rule).  Year-to-year flexibility of 10 per cent.  De minimis exemptions of 5 percent.  Species, which have a high survival rate This will not solve the COD-issue!

13. Possible way forward: ”old-school”:  Getting the quota right!  Getting the restrictions right (i.e no by-catch restrictions)  Keep the cod out of the LO  ?

14. Alternative way forward: ”New thinking”:  Could we have a management based on a few target species combined with the monitoring of catches (risk assessment)?

15. Commissioner Damanaki talking to BBC March 1 2011: "I consider discarding of fish unethical, a waste of natural resources and a waste of fishermen's effort," she said. "If we continue with our policy, then we will soon face a situation where the production capacity of marine ecosystems is at risk; [and] discarding will erode the economic basis of our fishermen and our coastal regions.“ Consumers, she warned, would then turn away from fish because it would be seen as a tainted product.

16. Thank you for your attention! Kenn Skau Fischer E-mail: ksf@dkfisk.dk