Whitefish stocks hit historic lows in EU

Cod stocks have sunk to historic lows and are near commercial extinction in many European Union waters despite deep cuts in the fishing fleet and catch quotas, scientific evidence released in Brussels today showed.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea said cod stocks in three key areas – including the Irish Sea “are at such low levels that we have to resort to recommending zero catches as a final line in the sand”.

Fishing lobbies staved off a moratorium on cod fishing in several areas last year, but will face increasing pressure when EU fisheries ministers meet in December to set quotas for next year.

Environmental agencies want the EU ministers to take tougher action this time.

“Only a drastic reduction in fishing effort in the short term, coupled with financial support for the fishermen will now guarantee the survival of the industry for years to come,” said Charlotte Mogenson, the fisheries policy officer of the World Wildlife Fund.

The Copenhagen-based international council, known as ICES, said stock size of whiting in the Irish Sea stood at 1,700 tons, while ICES set its mark should be at 7,000.

There too, ICES calls for a halt in fishing.

Last year, the European Union agreed on an unprecedented fishing reform that cut further jobs from the 200,000-strong EU industry.

The deal keeps boats forcibly in ports for longer periods of time. It further cut quotas and set subsidies for new boats to be cut after 2004.