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December 23, 2004

Fishing deal means no deal for cod

The Fisheries Council decision in Brussels yesterday leaves the cod stock stalled in limbo

The Fisheries Council decision in Brussels yesterday to reject closed areas
at sea for cod fishing leaves the cod stock stalled in limbo, with no
short-term prospect of the recovery that would help restore the fortunes of
the fishing industry.

With widespread Member State support for the UK-led opposition to the
closures, the Commission backed down and dropped its proposals to close
depleted cod fishing grounds in the North Sea, West of Scotland, and Irish
Sea.

The UK argued that the closures were unscientific but they were already a
Commission compromise on the zero cod catch recommended by ICES
(International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) scientists in
October. This is the third year running in which ICES advice to close cod
fishing grounds has been rejected by the Council.

Even the Scottish Executive concedes that the agreed measures, a trade-off
between days at sea and the use of a larger mesh size, means that the 'net
effect should be neutral for most of the Scottish whitefish fleet.'
Dr Euan Dunn, the RSPB's head of marine policy, said: "The lack of ambition
by Member States to support the closures adds up to business as usual for
the fleet, which rings even louder alarm bells for cod already teetering on
the brink of extinction.

"The key problem is that since 1980 we've seen a drop in half of the number
of cod surviving to breed and I'm not sure that cod will recover, even with
no fishing. So the cod recovery plan is skating on thin ice and desperately
needs the bolstering that closed areas would have given it."

1. As long ago as 1992, ICES advice was that 'recovery of the cod stock
would require at a minimum a marked and sustained reduction in fishing
effort or even a closure of the fishery.

2. ICES recommended zero catch of cod (ie.. total closure of the
fishery) in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

3. The current cod spawning stock is around 40,000-50,000 tonnes, only
a third of what is needed to guarantee the sustainability of the stock. It
is twenty years since the stock was last at 150,000 t.

4. There is good evidence that rising sea temperatures are killing
larval cod, so it becomes even more essential that the fishery for cod be
scaled down to avoid aggravating an already adverse set of conditions for
cod recovery.

5. As long ago as 1992, ICES advice was that 'recovery of the cod stock
would require at a minimum a marked and sustained reduction in fishing
effort or even a closure of the fishery.

6. ICES recommended zero catch of cod (ie.. total closure of the
fishery) in 2002, 2003 and 2004.

7. The current cod spawning stock is around 40,000-50,000 tonnes, only
a third of what is needed to guarantee the sustainability of the stock. It
is twenty years since the stock was last at 150,000 t.

8. There is good evidence that rising sea temperatures are killing
larval cod, so it becomes even more essential that the fishery for cod be
scaled down to avoid aggravating an already adverse set of conditions for
cod recovery.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
* The Lodge * Sandy * Beds SG19 2DL
Press office telephone 01767 681577
Website:www.rspb.org.uk

Registered charity no 207076

Grahame Madge
Media Officer, Conservation PR
RSPB, The Lodge, Sandy, Beds SG19 2DL
Telephone: +44 (0) 1767 681577
Fax: +44 (0) 1767 681284
Mobile and out of hours contact: 07702 196902
Pager: 07654 344078
grahame.madge@rspb.org.uk
www.rspb.org.uk

The RSPB is a UK charity working to secure a healthy environment for birds
and wildlife, helping create a better world for us all.

Posted by Surfbirds at December 23, 2004 06:21 PM

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