Sea bass is the most coveted species by fishermen at sea and has been subject to a reinforced framework for several years by the European Union. Every year, new quotas are decided by the European Council. The Ministers in charge of sea fishing in each European country vote on the quotas, which are announced in December for the following year.
Brexit and bass fishing
Only, in December 2020, the Brexit complicated matters and a contingency plan was put in place in the first quarter of 2021 pending the UK withdrawal agreements. This plan aims to simply apply an interim rollover of the 2020 fisheries agreements. At the end of the first quarter, as the agreements with the United Kingdom have not been reached, the same measures are applied and the quota of the second quarter of 2020 is reapplied in 2021. Thus, the retainable catch quota remained at 2 sea bass per fisherman per day from April 1 to July 31, 2021.
Since the end of July, recreational fishermen are worried about the continuation of the episodes. What quota awaits us from August 1st? Speculations are running high.
Extension of the 2020 measures
This July 31, 2021, the European Union has validated an extension of the 2020 measures on recreational sea bass fishing, namely a quota of 2 bass per day per fisherman until November 30, 2021 from Dunkirk to Audierne (near Brest). From Audierne to Hendaye, this same quota remains valid all year long.
Fixed nets called trammel nets remain prohibited for recreational sea bass fishing.
Here is an extract from the Official Journal of the European Union:
" The European sea bass in the Celtic Sea, English Channel, Irish Sea and Southern North Sea (ICES Divisions 4b, 4c, 7a, and 7d at 7:00 a.m.) remains below the MSY Btrigger and is just above the Blim. While fishing mortality has decreased, ICES indications of fishing pressure remain a concern. The importance of the measures agreed to ensure alignment of conditions and opportunities for the UK and EU fleets is critical for sea bass as a shared stock, including monthly caps on commercial trawl and purse seine fisheries, and by-catch in commercial shore-based net fisheries, as well as maintaining the current recreational fishing restrictions . The Union and the United Kingdom also agreed to give priority to the improvement of the ICES assessment tool for sea bass to allow for predictive calculations based on MSY models. "
It is noted that the quota is maintained until November 30: " in point (b), the words "from March 1 to July 31" are replaced by the words " from March 1st to November 30th " . "
It is now necessary to wait for the publication of the text by the DIRM (Direction interrégionale de la Mer) on which the French maritime authorities will rely. A regulatory point from the DIRM Manche Est - Mer du Nord dated May 28, 2021 indicated a quota valid from March 1 to July 31, and then the following mention: " Outside these periods, fishing for European sea bass is prohibited . Before keeping a bar during the first week of August, it is better to wait for the publication of the new DIRM text! The latter should be published during the week of August 2 to 5 if we refer to the usual publication deadlines.
This year, decisions are being made piecemeal and without a scientific approach due to the friction in the Brexit negotiations. The FNPP was calling for a quota of 3 sea bass per day per fisherman. Despite everything, this renewal of the quota of 2 sea bass per day until November 30 is a relief for many summer boaters who were waiting impatiently for the good news to hope to conclude some fishing parties by a sea bass in salt crust with their family.
