EU Fisheries Chief Calls For 25% Cod Quota Cut - Cites Years Of Non-Improvement - Reuters

BRUSSELS - Europe's fisheries chief called on Tuesday for a 25 percent cut in cod catches next year in many parts of the Atlantic, saying there had been no significant improvement in stocks depleted by years of chronic overfishing.

The proposed quota cuts would be accompanied by reductions in the numbers of days that vessels may spend at sea hunting other species where cod was also found as a by-catch, EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg said in a statement. "In the absence of any significant improvement in cod stocks ... the Commission proposes a cut of 25 percent on cod fishing possibilities," he said, adding it was "clear that more effective conservation measures will be required in future".

Scientists warned recently that Europe's fishermen should stop catching North Sea cod if the species is to survive. The Commission has usually rejected this kind of advice to avoid wrecking communities that depend economically on fishing. Now, its focus is on multi-annual management plans whereby a limited amount of fishing, strictly controlled, is allowed.

Conservation groups reacted angrily to Borg's proposal, saying it was one of the weakest since the EU's reform of fisheries policy in 2002. "It suggests only a 25 percent reduction for cod quotas, while scientists ... have been advising zero catch for the last five years," environment lobby group WWF said in a statement. "The situation is alarming particularly for cod in the North Atlantic, as not only high quotas are set, but also as 40 percent of the cod catches are unaccounted for," it said.

EDIT

http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/39342/story.htm

JOBS!

:sarcasm:

The European Commission has called for cuts in catches of cod, herring, plaice, whiting and haddock for 2007.

Announcing its annual recommendations to European ministers, the commission said there had been no significant improvement in cod stocks.

Conservation groups say the commission's proposed 25% cut in cod catch would make little impact.

In October, the EU's scientific advisory body recommended that no cod or anchovy should be caught next year.


Making continued adjustments to cod quotas alone will frankly not help cod populations recover
Dr Tom Pickerell, WWF

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (Ices) has made this recommendation on cod four years running, but each year the commission has recommended more modest cuts which have been made still more modest by European ministers.
***
more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6213042.stm