Longer-term rules allowing for better protection of fish stocks in the western Mediterranean Sea are being introduced for the first time. The aim of these rules is to revitalise depleted stocks and ensure environmental and socio-economic sustainability for fisheries in the area.

The Council today formally adopted a new regulation establishing a multiannual management plan for demersal stocks (i.e. those that live at the bottom of the seabed) in an area covering mainly French, Italian and Spanish waters.

The main measures in the plan include quantifiable fishing efforts for the key fish stocks for all trawl vessels operating in the western Mediterranean, but they also allow for some flexibility to take account of mixed fisheries.

A 3-month closure area for the protection of juveniles will be introduced and specific technical conservation measures set up for all stocks. Recreational fisheries will be included through regionalisation.

Finally regional cooperation will be enhanced on issues such as the landing obligation and technical conservation.

The western Mediterranean Sea only accounts for around 31% of the total Mediterranean landings but its demersal fisheries have a high commercial value. Catches for these stocks have significantly decreased by around 23 % since the early 2000s and at current rate, more than 90 % of the stocks would be overfished by 2025.