There has been major disappointment for the Scottish whitefish and pelagic fleets at the EU/Norway quota negotiations in Brussels following a significant cut in catching opportunities for cod and blue whiting.
According to the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, the biggest disappointment for the whitefish sector is a 14% reduction in the TAC (total allowable catch) for North Sea cod to 19,957 tonnes. Although this is an improvement on the original EU proposal for a 25% cut, it will have a major impact on the Scottish fleet, leading to a significant increase in the discarding of marketable fish.
The industry had been calling for this year’s cod TAC to be rolled-over into 2007, given the good initial signs of stock recovery and the imminent review of the cod recovery plan.
Bertie Armstrong, SFF Chief Executive, said: “A moderate reduction, which this is not, would have been in keeping with stock science and prudent progress while avoiding damage to the viability of North Sea mixed fisheries.”
At the forthcoming Council of Ministers meeting just before Christmas, the European Commission will be likely to seek additional restrictions on the whitefish and prawn fleets in the form of further cuts in number of the days-at-sea that boats can fish.
There is better news on haddock with the TAC between Norway and the EU being increased by 5% to 54,640 tonnes. Plaice, however, is down 12.5%, although the whiting and saithe TACs remain the same.
There was bitter disappointment for the pelagic sector in the shape of a 140,000 tonnes transfer of blue whiting from the EU to Norway, which was part of a complex arrangement of horse-trading at the talks.
Although the herring TAC was slashed by 25% to 307,000 tonnes, this was a considerable improvement on the original proposal on the table of a 47% cut and is in line with the industry’s desire for prudent management of this sustainable stock. The mackerel TAC had already been increased by 13% in earlier talks.
Bertie Armstrong, said: “The cut in the North Sea cod TAC is an extremely disappointing measure. Stock recovery is very important to us, and this does not represent a practical, workable approach to the management of mixed fisheries. It will inevitably lead to the discarding of fish and will have an impact on the Scottish whitefish fleet by putting on additional and unnecessary constraints.”
“The loss of blue whiting is bad news for the pelagic fleet - this species represents an important catching opportunity for these boats and again the measure places an additional constraint on the sector.”
