Tuesday, 21st October 2008
Scots Tory MEP calls for new approach to cod recovery
Scots Tory MEP, Struan Stevenson last night (Monday 20th October 2008) called on ICES and fishermen to join forces to devise a plan that takes account of climate change and natural predation.
Speaking at the “Busk Report on Recovery of Cod Stocks” debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, Mr Stevenson, said:
“Trying to fashion management rules that will enable cod stocks to recover is a thankless task that seeks to defy the laws of nature and is doomed to ignominious failure.”
He continued:
“Over the years, we have had annual cod recovery programmes which increase in intensity year on year, becoming more and more draconian in their punitive measures. The drive to save North Sea cod stocks has led to drastic cuts in TACs and quotas, not only for cod, but for haddocks, whiting and prawns and everything associated with this mixed fishery.”
Tie-ups, lay-offs, days at sea restrictions, de-commissioning and job losses have been experienced on a grand scale. Around 60 per cent of the UK fleet has disappeared in the last six years alone and the cod stocks have not recovered. And, the scientists press on with ever more restrictive management plans.
In addition, Mr Stevenson noted that no cognisance has been given to the solid scientific evidence that the North Sea has warmed up by 1.5 degrees and the phytoplankton on which cod larvae feed has moved several hundred miles north, where the water is cooler. That he says, explains why all the big, mature cod that we eat in the UK are being caught around Norway, Iceland and the Faeroes.
He continued:
“No cognisance is taken of the fact that we have a burgeoning grey seal population now numbering over 170,000, each of which consumes around 2 tonnes of fish per year, including cod. But it is not PC to talk about seals when you are devising a management plan for cod. Seals are apparently more important than fishermen and their numbers are allowed to spiral out of control, while the numbers of fishermen steadily decline.
Mr Stevenson concluded:
“Until we accept that the cod will not return to our waters until they cool down again, we will strive in vain to over-turn the laws of nature. Meanwhile we will have denied our fishermen the right to catch haddocks, whiting and prawns, which are in great abundance, simply because of the introduction of ever stricter rules to prevent the accidental by-catch of cod. It is time our ICES scientists sat down with the fishermen and took a long hard look at the real situation in the North Sea and devised a management plan that took account of climate change and natural predation, rather than always attacking the fishermen."
