21 September 2012: The 34th Annual Meeting of the North Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) took place in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, from 17-21 September 2012. The meeting set total allowable catches (TACs) for cod, redfish, white hake, thorny skates and shrimp, and took decisions to strengthen protection of Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs).

The meeting also resulted in NAFO adopting policies shifting it towards risk-based management, including through the adoption of conservation plans for several species and improving protections of VMEs. VME protections including strengthening existing provisions, adopting catch limits for fragile organisms, and continuing closure of 11 areas were corals and sponges are concentrated. The meeting did not agree on closures to protect sea pens and gorgonians as proposed by the EU and Canada, and considered by the NAFO Scientific Council to be the most effective solution to protecting these VMEs. [EU Press Release] [NAFO Press Release] [34th Annual Meeting of NAFO Website]