EU ministers agree temporary fishing deal

EU ministers have agreed a temporary deal on fishing rights during crucial talks in Brussels last night.

EU ministers have agreed a temporary deal on fishing rights during crucial talks in Brussels last night.

All fleets face reductions on catches of overexploited species, such as haddock, sole and cod.

However, fishermen will be able to increase their share by 5% if they agree to fit CCTV cameras on their boats.

It is aimed at monitoring conservation measures and preventing the dumping of unwanted fish back in the sea.

Ireland managed to push through agreement that will allow trawlermen to fish up to 65% of 2009 mackerel levels.

Meanwhile, fishermen here face a 9% reduction in next year's Dublin Bay prawn catch - a huge improvement on the 30% figure mooted at the beginning of the talks.

The EU commission wants to allow 30 out of 35 fish stocks that are being overfished in the Atlantic and North sea a chance to replenish.

Tonight the European Commission described the deal as a "building block" in the EU strategy of achieving "environmental, economic and social sustainability" for the fishing industry.

A statement brushed aside the fact that some proposed quotas were increased by ministers, saying: "As is naturally the case with broad negotiations of this nature, the Commission’s initial proposal was modified to accommodate some concerns expressed by member states."

Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg commented: "The agreement we have reached here today is indicative of what Europe can achieve when we cooperate together in good faith and work as a team."

He said many stocks remained badly overfished, although a "small but increasing" number of stocks were now being fished at sustainable levels.

Fishermen who take up the experimental on-board camera scheme will have to fit three strategically-placed cameras on their vessels, including one in the hold where the catches are loaded, and one positioned to monitor for “discards” - the throwing back of mature fish, usually dead.

“Discards” occur because EU rules limit the quota of fish that vessels land in port, but not the amount they actually catch.

So fishermen have routinely thrown back “non-quota” species or surplus amounts of what they can catch.

However, the practice has been condemned by Governments and the Commission – and a recent report estimated that 880,000 tonnes of dead fish are dumped into the North Sea alone every year as fishermen trying to keep landed catches in line with quota limits.

Cod, haddock and whiting alone make up 60,000 tonnes of the wasted fish.

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