The UK’s NAFC Marine Centre says it is delighted with the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) decision to take monkfish from Northern Stocks off its ‘Fish to Avoid’ list.
This move follows a recent meeting at which NAFC staff Dr Chevonne Laurenson, Fisheries Biologist and Leslie Tait, Fishing Lecturer and Chairman of the Shetland Fisherman’s Association took part in a meeting with representatives of the Scottish whitefish fishing industry and the MCS to discuss the sustainability of the monkfish fishery.
According to NAFC, Dr Laurenson was able to provide scientific evidence based on recent and ongoing progress in terms of management and research including the Industry-Science Partnership monkfish project and the monkfish tallybook scheme, both of which are led by FRS Aberdeen with NAFC participation. The evidence suggests there has been a significant increase in Northern Stock abundance over the last five years and there are no biological indicators to suggest that monkfish is being exploited at unsustainable levels.
Results have shown there has been widespread recruitment into the fishery since 2001 and all evidence indicates that the stock is continuing to increase in abundance at the present time.
Earlier this year ASDA placed a ban on selling monkfish in its stores. It is now hoped that the move by MCS to take monkfish off its list of ‘fish to avoid’ will see ASDA returning monkfish to its shelves in the near future.
