Unless there is total co-operation on the new European agreement on quotas and measures to protect stocks, the only alternative may be a total closure of some fishing grounds. I am concerned that some sections of the fishing industry are still refusing to accept the scale of the crisis – especially the threat to cod stocks – and that in the end consumers will also be affected by ‘ever smaller fish and ever rising prices. In some way the agreement recently reached by EU fisheries ministers is an important step forward in that it does include a commitment to introduce long-term recovery programmes for cod and hake rather than the annual last-minute haggling we have seen over recent years. However, if these measures are to work everyone involved with the industry needs to recognise that this could well be the last chance to avoid a total disaster. There is widespread scientific evidence that cod stocks in the North Sea are now just a tenth of the levels in the 1970s. One of my main concerns is that the deal does allow significant increases in quotas for some species such as haddock and
prawns, but one has to question whether it is realistic or practical to expect that fisherman
will be able to catch more haddock without netting cod at the same time. The quotas for cod and hake have been frozen for the year ahead with the long-term recovery programme coming into operation in 2005 and a target of increasing cod levels by 30% and hake by 5%. The real question is will it work...will the industry support it and will EU countries with major fishing industries put long-term protection of stocks above the short-term interests? The fact is that the scientific advisers from the International Council for Exploration of the Sea have for the past two years called for a total ban on cod fishing in the North Sea, Irish Sea and off the west of Scotland – and twice their advice has been ignored. If this new agreement fails to deliver than I am sure the scientists will again be making a similar recommendation in 12 months’ time – and by then there could be no other choice.
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