It is incumbent upon the Council to adopt measures on the fixing and allocation of fishing opportunities, including certain conditions functionally linked thereto, as appropriate. Fishing opportunities should be allocated to Member States in such a way as to ensure the relative stability of fishing activities of each Member State for each stock or fishery and having due regard to the objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) set out in Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013.

Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 provides that the objective of the CFP is to achieve the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) exploitation rate by 2015 where possible and, on a progressive, incremental basis, at the latest by 2020 for all stocks.

The total allowable catches (TACs) should therefore be established, in accordance with Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013, on the basis of the available scientific advice, taking into account biological and socioeconomic aspects whilst ensuring fair treatment between fishing sectors, as well as having regard to the opinions expressed during the consultation with stakeholders.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has indicated the biomass of Western Baltic herring in ICES subdivisions 20-24 to be below the conservation reference points of the spawning stock biomass as set out in Annex II, column A, to Regulation (EU) 2016/1139. In accordance with Article 5(2) of that Regulation, all appropriate remedial measures should be adopted to ensure a rapid return of the stock concerned to a level capable of producing MSY. To that end, it is necessary to take into account the timeline for the achievement of the objectives of the CFP in general and of the plan in particular in view of the expected effect of the remedial measures adopted, whilst at the same time adhering to the objectives of achieving economic, social and employment benefits as set out in Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013. Accordingly, and in line with Article 4(3) of Regulation (EU) 2016/1139, it is appropriate that fishing opportunities for Western Baltic herring are set below the fishing mortality range in Annex I, column A, of that Regulation, as such a level takes into account the decrease in the biomass.

As regards the Western Baltic Sea cod stock, scientific advice indicates that recreational fisheries contribute significantly to the overall fishing mortality of that stock and should be limited. It is therefore appropriate to set a daily bag limit per fisherman. This is without prejudice to the principle of relative stability applicable to commercial fishing activities.

As regards the Eastern Baltic cod stock, ICES has not yet been able to establish biological reference points, following changes in the biology of the stock. It is therefore appropriate, in order to contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the plan, to fix the TAC for Eastern Baltic cod in accordance with the precautionary approach as established in Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 and to set a closure period.

In order to guarantee full use of coastal fishing opportunities, it is appropriate to introduce a limited inter-area flexibility for salmon from ICES subdivisions 22-31 to ICES subdivision 32 for the Member State that has requested that flexibility.

According to ICES advice, 29 % of catches in the salmon fishery is misreported, in particular as sea trout catches. As most of the sea trout in the Baltic Sea is exploited in coastal areas, it is appropriate to prohibit fishing for sea trout beyond four nautical miles and to limit by-catches of sea trout to 3 % of the combined catch of sea trout and salmon in order to contribute to preventing misreporting of salmon catches as sea trout catches.

Based on new scientific advice, a preliminary TAC for Norway pout in ICES division 3a and Union waters of ICES division 2a and ICES subarea 4 should be established for the period from 1 November 2018 to 31 October 2019.

In previous years the TACs for anchovy in ICES subareas 9 and 10 and Union waters of CECAF division 34.1.1 have been fixed for a calendar year. In July 2018 ICES issued its advice for the period from 1 July 2018 to 30 June 2019 for that stock. Those periods should be aligned in order to match the TAC period with the period covered by the ICES advice. Exceptionally and only due to the transition, the TAC for anchovy should be amended to cover the period of 18 months, ending on 30 June 2019.