Whether it will report on the outcome of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council held in Brussels on 21 and 22 December 2004.

I attended the Agriculture and Fisheries Council in Brussels on 21 and 22 December 2004 together with Margaret Beckett, Ben Bradshaw and Ian Pearson.
On fisheries, the Council agreed the total allowable catches(TACs) and quotas for 2005.
Significant TAC increases in four of Scotland’s most valuable fisheries were agreed: Northern Monkfish (47% initially); North Sea Herring (16%); North Sea Nephrops (12%) West of Scotland Nephrops (12%) with further significant TAC increases in important secondary fisheries: North Sea Whiting, Blue Whiting and West of Scotland Haddock (17%) also agreed. Rollover TACs were agreed for North Sea Cod and Rockall Haddock.
Due to strong scientific advice, there were significant reductions in Western Mackerel (27%) and North Sea Mackerel (59%) quotas, the economic impact of which should be ameliorated in part by market responses. In conformity with the new long-term management plan agreed with Norway in advance of the Council, the TAC for North Sea haddock was also cut, by 14%. The impact of this reduction is expected to be offset by the less than full uptake of current quota allocations.The restrictions for Scottish vessels associated with special haddock fishing permits were removed.
The UK delegation successfully rejected unjustified and unscientific proposals to close large areas of the North Sea to all fishing and also resisted the Commission’s alternative position of further reductions in days at sea for North Sea whitefish vessels. The current monthly allocation will be cut by a single day, but skippers using fishing gear with 120mm mesh size – as is already used by most of the Scottish fleet
- will be granted an additional day’s allowance, with a net neutral effect.
In light of scientific advice about the depleted West of Scotland cod stock, agreement was also reached on a reduction by two in the baseline number of permitted days at sea inside the West of Scotland cod recovery zone for vessels using whitefish (100mm plus) nets. However, an additional day is available to offset this, by way of a derogation for vessels fishing with nets of a mesh size of 120mm or above, subject to compliance with associated conditions. Days at sea available for other categories of fishing gear and areas of the cod recovery zone including to the west of Scotland are reduced by one day per month. However, the Commission’s proposals to extend the current area of closure and also to reduce the allocation of permitted days at sea by three were successfully modified. The current closed area will not now be extended.
Significantly the Council accepted our argument that the Scottish demersal fleet has already undertaken significant reduction in fishing effort alongside other conservation measures with the aim of recovering cod stocks, and that further radical measures at this stage – as was originally proposed
- would have been both disproportionate and premature.
Deep Sea TACs for 2005 and 2006 were also agreed at Council. Four new species; Alfonsinos, Deep Sea Sharks, Forkbeards and Greenland Halibut were added to the deep sea regulation. The TACs for all four species have been set at low levels, though the UK has secured a significant share of the TAC in all of them except Alfonsinos.
Otherwise there were significant reductions in most deep sea TACs including 17% for both North Sea and West Coast Tusk, 17% for West Coast Blue Ling and 19% for North Sea Blue Ling. Cuts were justified on the grounds of very strong scientific advice that fishing effort on these stocks needs to be reduced, but the more stringent initial proposals from the Commission were successfully modified.
Through working closely with our industry we have secured a deal on quotas that delivers on our priorities and maintains effective conservation measures. The deal restores flexibility for Scotland’s fishing industry and shares efforts to protect threatened cod stocks more equitably betwe