Stressing that ”we cannot negotiate with nature”, Commissioner Maria Damanaki has presented a proposal based strictly on scientific advice for 2011 catch quotas in the Atlantic, the North Sea, and international waters.
In their scientific advice for 2011, based ICES assessments, experts of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF), once more underlined the poor state of many fish resources in EU waters.
ICES is the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.
A press release from the Commission underlined the fact that the contribution of European fisheries to the economy and food supply is far smaller today than it was just a few decades ago. “Progress towards bringing all European fish stocks to sustainable levels has been slow, because the fleets have not been able to adapt quickly enough to the scientific advice”, it noted, adding that for some 72 percent of assessed stocks, overfishing is so serious that more fish would be caught if there was less fishing, and only some 40 percent of assessed stocks are known to be fished sustainably.
“On the plus side there have been some improvements since last year, when these figures were 86 and 31 percents respectively; and there are clear improvements in some important stocks, such as hake and sole”, the Commission observed.
It said it was “very concerned” about the conservation of cod, with stocks in the Kattegat, the Irish Sea and the west of Scotland “showing no signs of recovery”. For those fisheries, the Commission proposes 50 percent TAC reductions and calls for member states to collaborate in an “in-depth review” of why measures set out in the long-term management plan have not delivered the expected results.
The Commission also axpressed grave concerns for the state of the North Sea cod, which is managed jointly by the EU and Norway.
All in all, the Commission proposed quota increases for 6 stocks, quota decreases for 64 stocks and an unchanged quota for 23 stocks. The changes would amount to a reduction in quotas of 89 400 tonnes, or an overall 10 percent.
“We must not lose sight of the basic facts. The amount of fish in the sea is limited and the amount of fish that can be caught each year without putting the future of the stocks at risk is limited too”, Commissioner Damanaki commented.
“I am keen to see the EU meet the World Summit on Sustainable Development target of exploiting fish stocks according to their maximum sustainable yields by 2015. That deadline is not far off and we need to start moving now. Clearly, science-based decisions are the only way to help rebuild fish stocks to levels that will sustain a healthy and profitable EU fishing industry. I regret to say there will be disappointing news on some quota levels, but past experience has shown that those who think they can negotiate with nature will not have a long future in fishing.”
The final TACs will be decided by the EU fisheries ministers at their 13-14 December Council meeting.