EU urges members to live up to fish catch agreement
The European Commission today urged EU governments to live up to international commitments to cut back fish catches to sustainable levels, and help ensure the future survival of stocks.
The EU said most regional fish stocks – such as cod, tuna, hake or place - were being overfished, causing lower incomes for fishermen and putting future stocks at risk.
In Brussels, EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg issued new proposals to ensure the priority of sustainable fishing, setting maximum catches for stocks to meet a UN 2015 deadline.
“The idea is to fish less, but better,” EU spokeswoman Mireille Thom said. “It is bad news for stocks if we continue what we are doing.”
The move comes after EU governments agreed to new €3.8bn fund to help Europe’s embattled fisheries cut back catches and fleet sizes.
The 25-nation bloc, along with other countries, agreed at a UN summit in Johannesburg in 2002 to limit fishing to sustainable levels by maintaining or restoring stocks.
EU nations have been at pains, however, to live up to that commitment, and stocks of some fish, such as cod, are on the verge of collapse.
