NAFO Annual Meeting 2024: Key Decisions on cod and red fish stocks

The EU took a leading role in the 46th Annual Meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) which took place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, from 23 to 27 September 2024. 

The focus of the meeting was the sustainable management of key fish stocks in the Northwest Atlantic, including those of cod and Greenland halibut, which are of particular importance to the European Union.  

Main decisions on several key stocks 

Cod 

On the basis of a joint EU-Canada proposal, NAFO adopted a measure on the fishery for ‘Northern cod’ (Divisions 2J, 3K and 3L of the ocean area covered by NAFO).   

NAFO reopened the fishery and established a revised sharing arrangement. Since the previous provisions dated from 1991, it was fair and necessary to increase the EU share to reflect the current composition of the EU.   

NAFO also increased the fishing opportunities for 3M cod, with the continuation of the existing technical measures for the protection of the cod stock.  

The NAFO decision rewards the sector for its efforts by increasing fishing opportunities while exercising caution to protect the stock. 

Greenland halibut 

It was agreed to adopt as a new methodology for the management of the stock, and to set fishing opportunities according to the new Harvest Control Rule.  

Redfish 

For redfish in Divisions 3L and 3N of the ocean area under NAFO, the EU supported an approach that takes due consideration of scientific uncertainties regarding the status of the stock. This approach protects the stock by reducing catches but does not entail a closure of the fisheries, which would have also had important repercussions on data collection. 

Control measures for Irminger Sea redfish 

NAFO voted to adopt control measures to support the sustainable management of the Irminger Sea redfish. These measures are aimed at ensuring that contracting parties do not contribute to unsustainable fishing in case of a moratorium. Parties will have to ensure that their vessels do not participate in transhipments and that any landings and transhipments of catches of this stock will be denied in their ports, unless in case of distress. The measure mirrors similar measures already adopted in the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission.  

Background 

The Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) is the regional  fisheries management organisation (RFMO) with the competence to regulate the fishing activities in the high seas of the Northwest Atlantic outside Canada's 200-mile exclusive economic zone, excluding the fisheries on tuna and tuna-like species, which are managed by another RFMO. 

It is an intergovernmental organisation gathering the countries bordering the Northwest Atlantic and the countries having an interest in the fisheries in the area. The objective of NAFO is 'to ensure long term conservation and sustainable use of the fishery resources in the Convention Area and, in so doing, to safeguard the marine ecosystems in which these resources are found' (Convention on Cooperation in the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries). 

The EU is a member of NAFO since its beginning in 1979. NAFO comprises of 13 contracting parties, the other members being Canada, Cuba, Denmark in respect of Faroe Islands and Greenland, France in respect of St. Pierre et Miquelon, Iceland, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. 

RFMOs 

RFMOs make sure that fishing activities do not cause significant adverse impact on biodiversity and marine ecosystems. 

Countries with fishing interests in a given geographical area form RFMOs, which are also open to coastal states. Those RMFOs can also be accessed by countries whose fleets have been traditionally fishing in these areas or are interested in participating in these fisheries. 

RFMOs have the power to adopt a variety of rules to manage the fishery. They use management tools like catch limits (quota), technical measures, spatial and/or temporal restrictions, and monitoring, control and surveillance activities to ensure compliance with the rules. RFMOs make decisions based on scientific advice provided by their respective scientific bodies and regularly review compliance by their members. 

Today, RFMOs cover the majority of the world’s seas. They can broadly be divided into RFMOs focussing only on the management of highly migratory fish stocks, notably tuna and tuna-like species (‘tuna-RFMOs’) and RFMOs that manage other fisheries resources (i.e. pelagic or demersal) in a more specific area. 

The EU, represented by the European Commission, plays an active role in 5 tuna-RFMOs and 13 non-tuna RFMOs. This makes the EU one of the most prominent actors in RFMOs worldwide. 

More information  

Regional fisheries management organisations (RFMOs)