WWF-UK: Decision time for cod
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Decision time for cod
Monday 17 December 2007
WWF reveals in a new briefing paper today called Hook, Line and Sinker that declining cod stocks have been badly managed in the past in both Europe and in Canada.
In both cases, decision-makers ignored scientific advice and chose to cash-in on the early signs of recovery, with the result of further deterioration of the stocks.
Helen McLachlan, Senior Marine Policy Officer at WWF says: "Europe cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes by fishing out cod at the first signs of recovery. EU Ministers and the European Commission have to wake up to the reality that what is at stake at the Fisheries Council next week is cods' survival in the North Sea."
Fishing quotas for 2008 in European waters will be decided by Ministers at the EU Fisheries Council in Brussels on 17-19 December.
Ahead of these talks, WWF calls on EU Ministers to put an end to the now traditional end of year horse-trading and to agree on sustainable harvesting of fishery resources, in line with scientific advice.
2008 will be a critical year for North Sea cod as the stock is experiencing the first signs of potential recovery in years. But real recovery will only occur if EU Ministers substantially cut the number of days at sea and adopt concrete measures to secure the much needed avoidance of cod (taken as bycatch) in the first instance. Currently EU Fisheries Ministers plan to increase quotas for North Sea cod by 11%, which will allow fleets to land up to about 22,000 tonnes of cod.
Helen McLachlan, Senior Marine Policy Officer at WWF says: "Europe cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes by fishing out cod at the first signs of recovery. EU Ministers and the European Commission have to wake up to the reality that what is at stake at the Fisheries Council next week is cods' survival in the North Sea."
Fishing quotas for 2008 in European waters will be decided by Ministers at the EU Fisheries Council in Brussels on 17-19 December.
Ahead of these talks, WWF calls on EU Ministers to put an end to the now traditional end of year horse-trading and to agree on sustainable harvesting of fishery resources, in line with scientific advice.
2008 will be a critical year for North Sea cod as the stock is experiencing the first signs of potential recovery in years. But real recovery will only occur if EU Ministers substantially cut the number of days at sea and adopt concrete measures to secure the much needed avoidance of cod (taken as bycatch) in the first instance. Currently EU Fisheries Ministers plan to increase quotas for North Sea cod by 11%, which will allow fleets to land up to about 22,000 tonnes of cod.
"Europe cannot afford to repeat the same mistakes by fishing out cod at the first signs of recovery."
Helen McLachlan, Senior Marine Policy Officer, WWF
Related links
- Read the report Hook, line and sinker
- Visit our Marine Act campaign website
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