Descriptor 3 applies for all the stocks covered by the Data Collection Framework (DCF) as described in Council Regulation (EC) No. 199/2008 (within the geographical scope of Directive 2008/56/EC) and similar obligations under the CFP.
The recommendations for the selection of the stocks, as complimentary decisions to the DCF list of stocks, are:
- 1. The Member States' lists of commercial stocks should first be derived at the MSFD (sub-regional) level, by including stocks that are assessed at the international level.
- 2. In addition to the internationally assessed stocks, there may be several fish and shellfish stocks that are important for small-scale/local coastal fisheries on a regional or national scale. Member States should identify these stocks and add them to their national list.
- 3. It should be ensured that the list set up in accordance with point 1 and 2 covers a very high proportion of the landings (e.g. >90%) in weight.
- 4. The selection of stocks based on the ranking of the landings by weight (or commercial value) should be applied using the longest available time-series in order to also include depleted stocks that in the past had much larger landings. Extirpated species should not be included but would be covered under Descriptor 1.