The European Parliament urges the European Commission to reconsider the present system of total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas and "its usefulness given the present fishing restrictions". On 13 January, the assembly adopted by a very wide majority (557 to 48, with 12 abstentions) an own-initiative report by Pedro Guerreiro (GUE-NGL, Portugal).rnIt reiterates that the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and the ecosystem approach it defends must ensure sustainable exploitation of fish resources, taking environmental, economic and social aspects on board.rnThe report follows on from the Commission's communication on 'The role of the CFP in implementing an ecosystem approach to marine management', in preparation for a reform of the CFP by 2012. While recognising that fisheries management tools based on TACs have a direct impact on catches and an indirect impact on fishing effort, the report notes that management of fishing effort is needed. It urges the Commission to study the different instruments for managing marine resources, "ensuring that existing instruments will not be changed until an alternative that ensures a more adequate exploitation of fisheries resources becomes available".
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