Management Measures

NEAFC decides upon conservation and/or management measures for the regulatory area (see Article 5 of the NEAFC Convention). These 'measures' can cover different things, for example stocks or individual species and or a specific area or time period, depending on what policy makers want to achieve.

Measures are decided by the Parties which make up the Commission on the basis of scientific advice from an independent scientific body The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES). The majority of these measures are decided at the Annual Meeting of the Commission held in November, but decisions can also be taken by postal vote throughout the year should the need arise.

In order to operate within the regulations fishing vessels must abide by both the Current Management Measures and the NEAFC Scheme of Control and Enforcement. The NEAFC Scheme describes the procedures for Monitoring Control and Surveillance (MCS) of fishing activities within the NEAFC regulatory area. It the responsibility of the flag-state which licenses the vessel to fish to ensure that it complies with all the regulations.

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