EU Ignores Calls for Cod Fishing Ban
EU fisheries ministers today ignored the advice of scientists and environmental campaigners and rejected a total ban on cod fishing in a new agreement on fish quotas
After 12 hours of talks, they opted instead for a 14% cut in the cod catch, and a reduction of between 7% and 10% in the number of days fishermen are allowed at sea. At the moment they are allowed up to 15 days a month, depending on the type of fishing gear and the exact fishing ground.
The deal also increased catch quotas for hake, prawns, mackerel and monkfish.
The British fisheries minister, Ben Bradshaw, hailed the agreement as good for conservation and for the UK fleet.
But fishermen were angered by the cut in fishing days. And environmental campaigners are likely to say that the deal does not go far enough.
Earlier this week, Greenpeace staged a symbolic funeral for the "last cod", warning that the species would be wiped out from the North Sea if cod fishing was allowed to continue.
Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, said: "There is no point in having quotas if we are physically incapacitated in the days we can catch it."
"There is huge disappointment within the industry, and there will be some anger in elements of the fishing fleet that are affected by the decision to reduce days at sea.
Mr Armstrong said today's decision meant that, over the last five years, the number of days at sea for fishermen had halved.
Mr Bradshaw said it would have been "irresponsible" not to have any cut in fishing days at all, given the continued poor state of the cod stocks.
He said that smaller quotas for over-fished cod had been balanced by bigger catches for many other more plentiful species. And he insisted record prices for fish meant incomes should increase.
Before the talks began, the European commission recommended a 25% cut in the permitted maximum cod catch in 2007, coupled with a 20% cut in the number of days fishermen go to sea.
In an effort to protect the fishing industry, ministers opted for less severe cuts.
Mr Bradshaw said the UK had been ready to endure a tougher cod reduction in the name of conservation, not least because the state of many other stocks allows real increases in catch allowances next year.
He admitted there was still no significant recovery in sight for North Sea cod, although the birth rate of baby cod last year was the highest recorded for a decade.
For the UK fleet, the other most significant results from the talks were:
· a 20% increase for south-west England hake catches; · a 17% increase for Irish Sea prawns; · a 13% increase for mackerel; · a 10% rise in North Sea and west of Scotland monkfish catches; · a six per cent increase for south-west England monkfish.
Mr Bradshaw argued today that the UK white fish fleet had already achieved its target for reducing cod fishing effort - by decommissioning boats, reducing days at sea and natural wastage - by 65%.
Other national fleets had not reached that figure and should bear the brunt of any further cuts next year, he said.
Speaking before the deal was reached, Willie Mackenzie, oceans campaigner for Greenpeace, said: "Cod in the North Sea will be wiped out if fishing is allowed to continue. This isn't just bad news for the ecology of the oceans; it'll be devastating for the fishing industry."
After 12 hours of talks, they opted instead for a 14% cut in the cod catch, and a reduction of between 7% and 10% in the number of days fishermen are allowed at sea. At the moment they are allowed up to 15 days a month, depending on the type of fishing gear and the exact fishing ground.
The deal also increased catch quotas for hake, prawns, mackerel and monkfish.
The British fisheries minister, Ben Bradshaw, hailed the agreement as good for conservation and for the UK fleet.
But fishermen were angered by the cut in fishing days. And environmental campaigners are likely to say that the deal does not go far enough.
Earlier this week, Greenpeace staged a symbolic funeral for the "last cod", warning that the species would be wiped out from the North Sea if cod fishing was allowed to continue.
Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, said: "There is no point in having quotas if we are physically incapacitated in the days we can catch it."
"There is huge disappointment within the industry, and there will be some anger in elements of the fishing fleet that are affected by the decision to reduce days at sea.
Mr Armstrong said today's decision meant that, over the last five years, the number of days at sea for fishermen had halved.
Mr Bradshaw said it would have been "irresponsible" not to have any cut in fishing days at all, given the continued poor state of the cod stocks.
He said that smaller quotas for over-fished cod had been balanced by bigger catches for many other more plentiful species. And he insisted record prices for fish meant incomes should increase.
Before the talks began, the European commission recommended a 25% cut in the permitted maximum cod catch in 2007, coupled with a 20% cut in the number of days fishermen go to sea.
In an effort to protect the fishing industry, ministers opted for less severe cuts.
Mr Bradshaw said the UK had been ready to endure a tougher cod reduction in the name of conservation, not least because the state of many other stocks allows real increases in catch allowances next year.
He admitted there was still no significant recovery in sight for North Sea cod, although the birth rate of baby cod last year was the highest recorded for a decade.
For the UK fleet, the other most significant results from the talks were:
· a 20% increase for south-west England hake catches; · a 17% increase for Irish Sea prawns; · a 13% increase for mackerel; · a 10% rise in North Sea and west of Scotland monkfish catches; · a six per cent increase for south-west England monkfish.
Mr Bradshaw argued today that the UK white fish fleet had already achieved its target for reducing cod fishing effort - by decommissioning boats, reducing days at sea and natural wastage - by 65%.
Other national fleets had not reached that figure and should bear the brunt of any further cuts next year, he said.
Speaking before the deal was reached, Willie Mackenzie, oceans campaigner for Greenpeace, said: "Cod in the North Sea will be wiped out if fishing is allowed to continue. This isn't just bad news for the ecology of the oceans; it'll be devastating for the fishing industry."
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