Fishery researchers have seen plaice stocks return to a sustainable level and have adjusted catch advice accordingly.
Fishing has been increasingly restricted over the last few years as stocks were reduced, however, there now appears to be more plaice in the sea than biologists initially thought - good news for the Dutch flatfish fleet.
"Now we require rapid action by the Minister of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality to ensure the flatfish fleet survives the crisis caused by high fuel prices”, says Jan Odink chairman of the Dutch Fish Product Board. “Otherwise we'll be in a situation with plenty of fish available, but no fleet left by the end of the year. At the moment 90% of the large beamtrawl fleet makes unviable journeys to sea, because they can no longer cover the high fuel costs.”
The Board says that as stocks have recovered, it may now be possible to begin the transition to a sustainable fishery.
“The fishermen are now looking to the NGOs that publish the Fish Purchase Guide - a reprint would seem appropriate as plaice has been removed from the danger zone and is now completely in the 'green'. The environmental organisations North Sea Foundation and WWF, will have to remove plaice from the 'red column'”, says Mr Odink.
According to the latest ICES advice, the stock and the fishing effort on North Sea plaice are now at a sustainable level. The fishing effort is 35% lower than the precautionary level set by the fishery researchers. There are some 265,000 tonnes of plaice in the North Sea, whilst the precautionary level is set at 230,000 tonnes. The numbers of sole in the North Sea are also rising. Last year these stocks were still in the danger zone, but they have now increased to just below the precautionary level.
