Fishing quota
A limit on how much of a fish species may be caught in a year, often shared out among countries or boats.
Also: total allowable catch, TAC, catch share
Many fisheries set a total allowable catch each year from the stock assessment, then divide it among countries, fleets or boats as quotas. The European Union agrees quotas for North Sea and Atlantic stocks each December, and regional bodies set them for tunas. Some countries, such as Iceland, Norway and New Zealand, let boat owners buy and sell their shares, which supporters say ends the race to fish and critics say concentrates fishing in few hands. India manages its seas mainly through closed seasons, mesh sizes and licences rather than catch quotas.