According to Article 43(3) of the Treaty, the Council, on a proposal from the Commission, is to adopt measures on the fixing and allocation of fishing opportunities.

Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 of 20 December 2002 on the conservation and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources under the Common Fisheries Policy1 requires that measures governing access to waters and resources and the sustainable pursuit of fishing activities be established taking into account available scientific, technical and economic advice and in particular reports drawn up by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF).

It is incumbent upon the Council to adopt measures on the fixing and allocation of fishing opportunities by fishery or group of fisheries, including certain conditions functionally linked thereto, where appropriate. Fishing opportunities should be distributed among Member States in such a way as to assure each Member State relative stability of fishing activities for each stock or fishery and having due regard to the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy established by Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002.

The total allowable catches (TACs) should be established on the basis of the available scientific advice, by taking into account the biological and socioeconomic aspects whilst ensuring fair treatment between fishing sectors, as well as in the light of the opinions expressed during the consultation of stakeholders, in particular those of the Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture and of the Regional Advisory Councils concerned.

Fishing opportunities should be in accordance with international agreements and principles, such as the 1995 United Nations agreement concerning the conservation and management of straddling stocks and highly migratory fish stocks2, and the detailed management principles laid down in the 2008 International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-sea Fisheries in the High Seas of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, according to which, in particular, a regulator should be more cautious when information is uncertain, unreliable or inadequate. The absence of adequate scientific information should not be used as a reason for postponing or failing to take conservation and management measures.

The latest scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES)3 and from the STECF4 indicates that most deep-sea stocks are harvested unsustainably and that fishing opportunities for those stocks, in order to assure their sustainability, should be reduced until the evolution of the stock sizes show a positive trend. The ICES has further advised that no directed fishery should be allowed for orange roughy.

Concerning deep sea sharks, the main commercial species are considered depleted, and therefore no directed fishing should take place. Until the amount of unavoidable by-catch will have been established by means of selectivity projects and other technical measures, no by-catch should be allowed to be landed.

The fishing opportunities for deep-sea species, as listed in Annex I to Council Regulation (EC) No 2347/2002 of 16 December 2002 establishing specific access requirements and associated conditions applicable to fishing for deep-sea stocks5, are decided on a bi-annual basis. Nevertheless, an exception is made for the stocks of greater silver smelt and the main fishery of blue ling, for which the fishing opportunities depend on the outcome of the annual negotiations with Norway. The fishing opportunities for those stocks are therefore established in another relevant annual regulation fixing fishing opportunities.

In accordance with Council Regulation (EC) No 847/96 of 6 May 1996 introducing additional conditions for year-to-year management of TACs and quotas6, the stocks that are subject to the various measures referred to therein must be identified.

To ensure the livelihood of Union fishermen, it is important to open these fisheries on 1 January 2011,