06
Apr
Joined-up Government 1
UK vessels took over 80% of the North Sea Nephrops quota in 2005, a minimum mesh size of 80mm being allowed for both single and twin rig trawlers.
Consider though, that from 1999-2001 there had been a gradual move in the Scottish fleet towards a larger mesh size in the mixed nephrops / whitefish fishery, some vessels using 100 mm or more in this fishery to reduce discards.
However, from 1 February 2003 a new days-at-sea regulation awarded 16 more
days at sea per month to vessels using nets with mesh sizes from 80-99 mm (25 days) compared to those with mesh sizes of 100 mm or more (9 days).
Flying in the face of common-sense did nothing to help reduce the significant discards of juvenile whitefish such as cod, saithe, haddock and whiting with over 300,000,000 fish being discarded anually.
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