Proper Implementation of theMSY-Concept in the CFP

European ParliamentBrussels, 29 Nov 2011

Rainer Froese, IFM-GEOMAR

Overview

• Four terms• Legal background• MSY-Concept applied to European fish stocks• ‚Make-or-break‘ issues with the CFP reform

Four Terms • Biomass (B) is the body-weight of all fish in the

water• MSY is the Maximum Sustainable Yield that

can be taken from a population (=stock) of fish indefinitely

• Bmsy is the biomass that a fish stock must have, so that it can deliver the maximum sustainable yield MSY

• Fmsy is the fishing pressure (the proportion of fish killed by fishing) resulting in Bmsy

Biomass and Yield ofEastern Baltic Cod

Froese & Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010

Fishing Mortality of European Fish Stocks

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0.5

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1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015

Year

Fis

hin

g p

ress

ure

(F/Fmsy

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TargetPrecautionary

Overfishing

TrendThreatening the stock

Average fishing pressure on European fish stocks. The lower arrow indicates the path if 75% of the stocks were to be fished at the maximum sustainable rate in 2015. However, with the trend since 2000, that target will be missed by more than 30 years.

Froese and Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010

CFP

Status of European Fish Stocks

6Landings from ICES 2010, MSY from Froese and Proelß 2010

Legal Background

• The Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982), in force since 1994, requires countries to maintain stocks in their EEZ such that they can produce MSY

• The precautionary principle is contained in the EU-Treaty. It requires that in case of uncertainty, the less dangerous margin of error has to be used as target. This is explicitly applicable to the use of natural resources.

• UNFSA (1995) clarifies that after recovery, F has to be smaller than Fmsy.

• So far, UNCLOS and UNFSA have been implemented by New Zealand, Australia and the USA.

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Why is a Proper Implementation of the MSY-Concept of Global Importance? • 42% of the global trade in fish and fish products

is imported by Europe• A CFP reform that correctly implements the Law

of the Sea and UNFSA, such as done by USA, NZ and AUS, will force others to follow

• A failed CFP reform will encourage continued overfishing, in Europe and globally

• US$ 1.2 billion European fish exports into the USA will be endangered

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The First ‚Make-or-Break‘ Issue with the Basic Regulation Proposal

Article 6 and others prescribe that stocks are to be maintained ABOVE levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield.

This is a proper implementation of UNCLOS, UNFSA, and the precautionary principle.

MSY-Concept for European Stocks

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Biomass / BMSY

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B MSY 1.3 B MSY

MSY

0.9 MSY

Froese et al. 2011 Fish and Fisheries

Below MSY-Level Above MSY-Level

Below MSY Level

• Stressed ecosystems• Small fish• Small stock size• High fluctuations• Low, uncertain catch• High effort /cost• Low / no profit• Low impact impossible• MPAs problematic• Subsidies necessary• Social status low (stubborn

overexploiters)

Above MSY Level

• Healthy ecosystems• Large fish• Large stock sizes• Low fluctuations• High, certain catch• Low effort /cost• High profit• Low impact possible• MPAs unproblematic• Subsidies not necessary• Social status high (respected

custodians)

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How to get Above MSY-Level?

Background Info:The faster Above-MSY level is reached, the higher the overall profits in the fishery The fastest way is to close the fishery for 1-3 years, depending on the stock. This would bring the most profit to the fishery, but fishers still don‘t want it.

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Simulated Recovery ofNorth Sea Cod: Catches

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1 Comparison of two management scenarios with respect to total removals, which consist of landings, discards, and unreported catches: the bold line is the actual management, the broken line represents a simulated recovery, with only discard mortality in 2003-2005, and fishing at Fmsy from 2006 onward.

Simulated Recovery of North Sea Cod: Biomass

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1 Comparison of two management scenarios for the North Sea cod with respect to spawning stock biomass: the bold line is actual management; the broken line is a simulated recovery with three year closure and then fishing at Fmsy. Note that thesimulated recovery is based on actual recruitment.

Simulated Recovery ofNorth Sea Cod: Profits

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Comparison of two management scenarios with respect to profits, which consist of the difference between revenues (market price of cod times landings) and fishing costs: the bold line are profits according to STECF data, the broken line represents profits from simulated recovery, with only discard mortality (zero profits) in 2003-2005, and fishing at Fmsy from 2006 onward (Froese and Quaas, submitted).

How to Get Above MSY-Level?

1. For stocks where F at or below Fmsy: reduce F to 0.9 or 0.75 Fmsy

2. For stocks where F > Fmsy : reduce F to Fmsy by 2014 (transition period), apply 1) thereafter.

3. For stocks where F > Fmsy : if a good year-class is coming in, don‘t increase catches. This will reduce F and will allow the recruits to rebuild the stock, without pain for the fishers.

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Biomass and Yield ofEastern Baltic Cod

Froese & Proelß Fish & Fisheries 2010

The Second ‚Make-or-Break‘ Issues in the Basic Regulation Proposal

Article 16: The Council of Ministers is to fix 100+ fishing opportunities every year. This is political micro-management.Instead, the Council should only fix long-term mangement plans and other policies and leave the application to the administration.

Article 16 needs to be changed.

Refs and Acknowledgements• Froese, R. and M. Quaas. 2011. Three options for rebuilding the cod stock

in the eastern Baltic Sea. Marine Ecology Progress Series 434:197-2011.• Froese, R., T.A. Branch, A. Proelß, M. Quaas, K. Sainsbury and C.

Zimmermann. 2011. Generic harvest control rules for European fisheries. Fish and Fisheries 12:340-351

• Froese, R. and A. Proelß. 2010. Rebuilding fish stocks no later than 2015: will Europe meet the deadline? Fish and Fisheries 11:194-202

Thank You

Rainer Froeserfroese@ifm-geomar.de

www.fishbase.de/rfroeseIFM-GEOMAR, Kiel