The EU Council of Fisheries Ministers today failed to set zero catch limits for economically valuable porbeagle and spurdog sharks, as proposed by the European Commission and scientists, says the Shark Alliance.
Instead, the Council reduced next year's total allowable catch (TAC) limits for these two seriously overfished species by just 25% and 50%, respectively, and introduced maximum landing sizes, with a promise to consider additional measures for porbeagle in 2009 and a near-zero spurdog limit in 2010.
"We are outraged that, despite overwhelming public support and scientific evidence of severe population declines, EU Fisheries Ministers have once again failed some of Europe's most threatened and vulnerable marine fish - spurdog and porbeagle sharks," said Sonja Fordham, Policy Director for the Shark Alliance. "By refusing to adopt the proposed zero catch limits, the Council has left these critically endangered species at risk for irreparable harm."
In its influential role as EU President, France led the charge to defeat the European Commission's proposal to set a zero TAC for porbeagle sharks. France is home to the EU's only remaining targeted porbeagle fishery which is driven by European demand for meat and the Asian demand for shark fin soup. The UK, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, Malta and The Netherlands expressed specific support for all of the Commission's shark and ray proposals before quota negotiations began.
"It is appalling that the short-term economic interests of one country - France - have thwarted the will of most EU Member States to protect Europe's porbeagles, among the most threatened sharks in the world," added Ms Fordham. "Allowing catches of porbeagle and spurdog runs counter to clear scientific advice and squanders opportunities put forth by the Commission to overhaul the EU's poor shark fisheries management record."
The Council's press conference offered no word on decisions on Commission proposals to ban the retention of severely depleted angel sharks, common skates, undulate rays and white skates. Some local populations of these species have already been wiped out, due mainly to unintended catch in fisheries for other species.
The Council agreed new EU limits for a mix of other skate and ray species based on recent catches.
