The Hague, 29 August 2017

Boštjan Škrlec began his career as a State Prosecutor in 1999. He has more than 20 years of experience in the judiciary. Being recognised as a prosecutor with considerable professional expertise by the Prosecutorial Council, he was seconded to the Office of the Prosecutor General in 2005 and to the Ministry of Justice in 2007.

Throughout his professional career, Mr Škrlec has been involved in international relations and cooperation. He has participated in numerous international projects and has worked with international institutions in the field of criminal justice. He has been a member of the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures (MONEYVAL) at the Council of Europe since 2005, and is currently participating in the work of its European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). Since 2011, he is a contact point for Slovenia in the Genocide Network.

Mr Škrlec is a regular speaker at the Centre for Judicial Training at the Ministry of Justice and has participated as a speaker in several meetings and seminars organised by Eurojust. Currently, he is actively participating in the Twinning project between the Republic of Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina on strengthening the law enforcement agencies in that country.

In 2007, during the Slovenian EU Presidency, he chaired the working group negotiating the Council Decision on the strengthening of Eurojust and obtained in-depth knowledge about Eurojust as an EU body. From 2008 to 2012, Mr Škrlec served as the State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Slovenia. He actively participated in preparation and adoption of legislation introducing important reforms, such as plea bargaining in criminal procedure and the establishment of the Specialised Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Slovenia.

Before joining Eurojust, Mr Škrlec was the Director General at the Office of the State Prosecutor General of the Republic of Slovenia.

Upon his appointment, Mr Škrlec said, ‘It is with a strong sense of responsibility that I am taking over the tasks of the National Member of Slovenia. Increasing terrorist threats, growing cybercrime and human trafficking are presenting major challenges to investigation and prosecution of criminal offences. My intention is therefore to invest my knowledge, experience and energy into improvement of cooperation between Slovenian prosecution authorities and authorities of other Member States to enhance their efficiency when prosecuting the most dangerous types of cross-border crime. With energy, dedication and commitment, I will, together with my colleagues at the Slovenian Desk at Eurojust, aim to sustain and improve the existing high-quality standards, which are enabling Eurojust to achieve its success at establishing the European Union as an area of freedom, security and justice.’

Photo: © Eurojust

The Hague, 29 August 2017

Boštjan Škrlec began his career as a State Prosecutor in 1999. He has more than 20 years of experience in the judiciary. Being recognised as a prosecutor with considerable professional expertise by the Prosecutorial Council, he was seconded to the Office of the Prosecutor General in 2005 and to the Ministry of Justice in 2007.

Throughout his professional career, Mr Škrlec has been involved in international relations and cooperation. He has participated in numerous international projects and has worked with international institutions in the field of criminal justice. He has been a member of the Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures (MONEYVAL) at the Council of Europe since 2005, and is currently participating in the work of its European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). Since 2011, he is a contact point for Slovenia in the Genocide Network.

Mr Škrlec is a regular speaker at the Centre for Judicial Training at the Ministry of Justice and has participated as a speaker in several meetings and seminars organised by Eurojust. Currently, he is actively participating in the Twinning project between the Republic of Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina on strengthening the law enforcement agencies in that country.

In 2007, during the Slovenian EU Presidency, he chaired the working group negotiating the Council Decision on the strengthening of Eurojust and obtained in-depth knowledge about Eurojust as an EU body. From 2008 to 2012, Mr Škrlec served as the State Secretary at the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Slovenia. He actively participated in preparation and adoption of legislation introducing important reforms, such as plea bargaining in criminal procedure and the establishment of the Specialised Prosecutor’s Office of the Republic of Slovenia.

Before joining Eurojust, Mr Škrlec was the Director General at the Office of the State Prosecutor General of the Republic of Slovenia.

Upon his appointment, Mr Škrlec said, ‘It is with a strong sense of responsibility that I am taking over the tasks of the National Member of Slovenia. Increasing terrorist threats, growing cybercrime and human trafficking are presenting major challenges to investigation and prosecution of criminal offences. My intention is therefore to invest my knowledge, experience and energy into improvement of cooperation between Slovenian prosecution authorities and authorities of other Member States to enhance their efficiency when prosecuting the most dangerous types of cross-border crime. With energy, dedication and commitment, I will, together with my colleagues at the Slovenian Desk at Eurojust, aim to sustain and improve the existing high-quality standards, which are enabling Eurojust to achieve its success at establishing the European Union as an area of freedom, security and justice.’

Photo: © Eurojust

In particular, the Commission proposes to increase catches for Central Herring, Sprat and the Main Basin Salmon stocks, and to maintain the number of catches for the important stock of Western Baltic Cod. For the remaining stocks the Commission proposes reducing catches. This year’s proposal also includes a ban on Baltic Eel fisheries, not traditionally a part of the annual allowable catch proposals but a necessary step due to alarming scientific evidence and historically low levels.

Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, said: “We are proposing a balanced package that will ensure sustainable fisheries in the Baltic Sea. The good news is that important quotas for Baltic herring and salmon can be increased. Responsible management measures by Member States and the fishing industry are paying off. Now we must learn from these success stories and act urgently for those stocks that are still in a worrying state, like the European eel.”

The proposed total allowable catches (TAC) for herring, cod, sprat and salmon stocks are based on scientific advice from the International Council on the Exploration of the Seas and follow the Baltic multiannual management plan adopted last year by Member States and the European Parliament.

Efforts by stakeholders in recent years have already succeeded in rebuilding important stocks in the Baltic. Between 2012 and 2016, for example, the overall biomass of pelagic stocks increased by 50%. But further action remains necessary to ensure all stocks are exploited at sustainable levels.

European Ministers for Fisheries will now examine the Commission proposal, with the aim of adopting it during the Fisheries Council of 9-10 October.

Herring

The largest proposed increase (25%) for 2018 concerns the Central Herring stock. Responsible management of this stock has already borne fruit in recent years. This has allowed the fishing industry to reap the rewards and offer consumers a stable supply. Scientific advice for the Western Herring stock revealed a significant negative change in the state of the stock. The Commission is therefore proposing a corresponding reduction of 54% for the catch of 2018. For Herring in the Gulf of Bothnia the Commission is proposing a reduction of 50%, following the plan that was agreed by Member States and the European Parliament last year.

Cod

Western Baltic Cod is an important stock for many small-scale fishermen, and has been at very low levels in recent years. For 2017 allowable catches were reduced by 56% compared to 2016, and additional measures like closure periods and limiting recreational fishing were taken. Currently, the stock is still below the threshold of biologically safe limits. The Commission therefore considers it necessary to maintain existing measures to ensure that young cod can reproduce and help rebuild the stock. For Eastern Cod, scientists advice that catches are significantly reduced as the stock remains data-limited and scientists detect a slow growth. The Commission is therefore following a precautionary approach and proposes a reduction of 28%.

Salmon

The scientific advice for Main Basin Salmon, a stable stock, allows for an increase in catches by 11%. This reflects the responsible management of the fisheries by the industry. Thanks to this the number of returning spawners in the rivers of our Member States has reached record levels, with the Torne river now home to the world’s largest salmon population.

Eel

The European Eel stock has been at a historically low level since the late 1990s. It is today listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). In 2007 the EU adopted measures to allow this stock to recover. However, ICES advice published in May 2017 indicates that these measures have not been sufficient and the stock is still in a critical state. The Commission therefore proposes to ban all marine eel fisheries in the EU waters of the Baltic Sea for 2018. This ban would apply to commercial and recreational fishing. This also means that all eels caught accidentally will have to be released immediately. In addition, the Commission is planning to evaluate the Regulation on the recovery of the European eel.

Table: Overview of TAC changes 2017-2018 (figures in tonnes except for salmon, which is in number of pieces)

Background

The proposal is part of the European Union’s approach to adjust the levels of fishing to long-term sustainability targets, or maximum sustainable yield (MSY) by 2020 as agreed by Member States and the European Parliament in the Common Fisheries Policy. The Commission’s proposal is also in line with the policy intentions expressed in the Commission’s Communication on Fishing Opportunities for 2018.