North Sea cod has been removed from the Marine Conservation Society’s Fish to Avoid list.
In the autumn update to FishOnline, North Sea cod is now rated 4 and amber, which means it is showing signs of improvement.
“It’s fantastic to see this fishery finally off the red list. Years of sacrifice and a lot of hard work have led to population increases above dangerously low levels. Whilst this certainly is a milestone for North Sea cod, the job is not done yet. Efforts of recent years need to continue in order for the fishery to head towards the green end of the spectrum,” said MCS fisheries officer, Samuel Stone.
“Whilst we believe North Sea cod should never have been classed as a fish to avoid in the first place, given that the stock has seen a sustained recovery in recent years, we do nonetheless welcome the positive classification the MCS has now given the fish,” said Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation. “This remarkable recovery in the North Sea cod stock has been fuelled by a range of innovative conservation measures adopted by our fishermen.”
Despite this improving news for North Sea cod, there are nine other cod stocks in the north east Atlantic that are red rated by MCS. These are cod fished from: Celtic Sea; Faroes Plateau; Faroes Bank; Irish Sea; Kattegat; Norwegian Coast; Rockall; West of Scotland; and West Baltic.
“The UK has played a major role in the overexploitation of many of these stocks,” said Mr Stone. “It must now do more to improve their status. To achieve this, significant changes are needed in management including investment in research and monitoring. And many fisheries still need to better avoid incidental catches of juvenile cod when fishing for other fin fish, flat fish and nephrops also known as langoustine or scampi.”
