General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean - GFCM

Management plan | Black Sea turbot fisheries (geographical subarea 29)

Following the adoption of recommendations establishing minimum measures for bottom-set gillnet fisheries for turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) in the Black Sea and on measures to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing of turbot, the GFCM adopted two additional recommendations regulating this fishery to reduce the risk of stock biomass dropping below biologically sustainable levels.

MAIN PROVISIONS

  • Define an annual total allowable catch (TAC) at Black Sea level and allocation of quotas by CPC
  • Regularly assess the stock
  • Evaluate fishing effort
  • Assess alternative management measures
  • Define adequate dimensions of bottom-set gillnets and propose minimum requirements for their marking and identification
  • Require all vessels fishing for turbot to have a special valid fishing authorization, and each riparian country must ensure that adequate mechanisms are in place for:
    • recording each fishing vessel in a national fleet register
    • recording catches and fishing effort through both logbooks and remote sensing, as well as through catch and effort sampling surveys
  • Implement annual closure of at least two months during the turbot spawning season (April to June) for each riparian country
  • Advocate for the implementation of a traceability mechanism for turbot catch

Learn more about the GFCM's management plans.