The European Commission welcomed the latest ICES report released last Fridayon the state and perspectives of certain fish stocks and says that it looks forward to studying this report in detail with a view to making the necessary proposals for action over the coming months.
It said that the news is “rather bad” regarding the state of a number of important commercial European fish stocks, in particular for herring in the Celtic Sea and Northwest of Ireland, for both Baltic cod stocks, for herring and whiting in the North Sea and Norway pout. ICES has again advised the closure of fishing for cod in the North Sea and in the Kattegat. It has also called for the establishment of fishing possibilities at levels closer to scientific advice and for improved effectiveness of the days-at-sea scheme for fishing vessels to help bring more stocks to sustainable levels.
Joe Borg, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Maritime Affairs said: "The Commission is grateful to ICES for making its advice on a number of stocks available much earlier in the year than is normally the case. This will provide more time for in-depth consultation with Member States and stakeholders before the Commission tables its proposal for fishing opportunities on these stocks towards the end of the year."
