Potential quota crisis

Members Post.

Update ::

Scientific advice for 2010

West of Scotland Haddock

ICES advises that no fishing should take place in 2010 for haddock in VIa. ICES has also recommended the development of a management plan which is under development.

West of Scotland cod

ICES advises there should be no fishing on Cod in Division VIa.

West of Scotland Whiting

ICES advice is unchanged from 2008. Given that SSB is estimated at the lowest observed level and total mortality at the highest level over the time period, catches in 2010 should be reduced to the lowest possible level.

Original Post ::

The commercial catching sector will face another crisis next February according to Mike Park, the executive chairman of the Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association who recently said it is crucial that a conservation strategy be worked up quickly to counter the impact of the planned 10% effort cut in the North Sea next year.

According to Mr Park, the industry will need to be in the position to put forward a list of effective measures to be used in exchange for the effort cut in order to avoid another crisis.

Mr Park underlined that the 10% effort cut in the North Sea and 25% on the West Coat formed part of the Commission’s timetable for cod recovery- but the industry had to continue to try to match effort cuts with the kind of initiatives including real time closures and technical measures which had already been employed.

“I would say the biggest issue facing us at this time is coming up with ideas for next year to allow us to recover effort. Our calls to halt effort reductions must be loud and clear but I think we also have to ask ourselves whether we are recovering enough lost effort.

“We also have to ask ourselves if there is anything out there we are not thinking about and also if there are other things,through other initiatives, we can employ to protect the quota.”

Category: Commercial