In response to the article ‘Scottish fish stocks increasing’ published on www.worldfishing.net last week, Charles Millar, director of the Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust (SIFT) has said that any ‘recovery’ must be put into context.
He told World Fishing & Aquaculture that although the NAFC Marine Centre report may show the beginnings of a recovery in some stocks, it is abundantly clear that for many commercially important stocks the increase in the last few years has been from a low baseline.
He said that whilst the beginnings of a recovery in cod stocks in the North Sea from an all-time low in 2006 is a welcome development, it should be emphasised that they are now still only just over 50% of the scientifically recommended minimum spawning stock - there is certainly no justification for any relaxation in quota levels.
Worryingly, he also said that there is no evidence from the West Coast (particularly the Firth of Clyde) of any recovery in landable white fish.
“Inevitably some fishermen’s leaders trumpet any upturn in fish numbers as the start of a new dawn,” said Mr Millar. “As one of Scotland’s most eminent fisheries scientists said recently, the biggest threat to achieving anything resembling the former abundance in fish stocks is fishermen’s expectations – which through premature political lobbying may scupper a full recovery.”
Mr Millar also said that the SIFT concurs with Bertie Armstrong of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation that stocks are best managed on a whole ecosystem basis.
To read the article ‘Scottish fish stocks increasing’ please click here.
