News / Cuts in ‘Days at Sea’ unjustified
AN UMBRELLA group of fish producer organisations has called on this week’s European fisheries council to reject European Commission proposals that seek further drastic cuts in fishing opportunities.
The European Association of Fish Producers Organisations said that despite scientific analysis that the Cod Recovery Plan doesn’t work the EC nevertheless proposes another substantial reduction in fishing effort.
This would bring several fleets to a halt without good reason, the EAPO said.
An EAPO spokesman said: “Continued cuts in effort (days at sea) by the Commission are unjustified. North Sea stocks including cod are continuing to improve under the current regime; further reductions in the time vessels can be at sea coupled with reduced quota will damage this recovery.
“What we need is common sense; fishermen don’t want to be forced to target small fish because they don’t have enough time to go further afield to catch bigger fish and they don’t want to have to discard good fish because the regulations require them to do so.”
EAPO President Sean O’Donoghue added: “The Commission has issued a set of unrealistic TAC and quota proposals for 2012 with arbitrary cuts across a large number of stocks.
“I am calling on the Council of Fisheries Ministers to reject these and replace them with a set of workable proposals that will enhance the sustainability of the stocks.”
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