Author: dave

Our Fish Response to EU Commission Ban on Eastern Baltic Cod: Too Little Too Late

Brussels 24 July 2019:-  Our Fish today gave a guarded welcome to the European Commission announcement of “emergency measures to save the ailing eastern Baltic cod stock from impending collapse” by banning, “with immediate effect, commercial fishing for cod in most of the Baltic Sea until 31 December 2019”. Our Fish believes that the ban is too little too late, and criticised both the decision to broadly exempt industrial fishing vessels with Eastern Baltic cod bycatch, and the missed opportunity to introduce obligatory monitoring for these vessels as an incentive to reduce their by-catch [1].

Our Fish believes that while it is proportionate and fair to have an exception for small scale fishermen fishing near the shore, it is problematic that the Commission’s measures include a very broad exception for industrial fishing vessels not directly targeting Eastern Baltic cod, but having a considerable Eastern Baltic cod by-catch – and are allowed to continue their fishing operations without any restriction. Our Fish doubts that securing the future of Eastern Baltic cod populations can be assured in this way – especially as the measure states that  “Incidental by-catches of cod made by those vessels shall not represent more than 10% of total catch live weight of all marine biological resources landed after each fishing trip” – with no control of what is actually taken out of the sea.

The Eastern Baltic cod stock has been deteriorating for many years – the dire situation has been known since ICES provided advice on May 29 2019 [2]. The ICES advice confirmed what has been known among scientists, fisheries managers and stakeholders for quite some time: Eastern Baltic cod stock is in a critical state. In February 2019, NGS had urged Commissioner Karmenu Vella to implement emergency measures in accordance with article 12 of the EU Common Fisheries Policy to protect what little remains of the eastern Baltic cod stock [3]. Immediately following the publication of the ICES advice, NGOs called again for immediate emergency measures. The arrival of such measures almost two months later comes too late in the year, when most of cod fishing has been completed [4].

The Commission’s emergency measures for Eastern Baltic cod, which are in effect from July 23rd until the end of 2019,covers the most important parts of the Baltic Sea where Eastern Baltic cod occurs (SD 25-26 + SD 24 where both Western and Eastern Baltic cod occurs). Under the measures, fishing for the Eastern Baltic cod stock is – in principle – prohibited until year-end. Likewise it is prohibited to retain on board, transfer, tranship, process on board or land cod and fisheries products from cod caught in that area [1].

ENDS

Contact

Dave Walsh, Communications Advisor, dave@our.fish, +34 691 826 764

Notes:

[1] 23 July 2019: Commission approves emergency measures to protect eastern Baltic cod

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_19_4149

COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2019/1248 of 22 July 2019 establishing measures to  alleviate a serious threat to the conservation of the eastern Baltic cod (Gadus morhua) stock

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX%3A32019R1248&from=DE&fbclid=IwAR3tgmgM_xx7hcUCIwaVAPiG5KEHEXyHwZvhochLDwZkdy2lkU1baLGO6Wc

[2] ICES (2019), ICES Advice on fishing opportunities, catch, and effort, Baltic Sea Ecoregion. Published 29 May 2019. Cod.27.22-24

[3] February 2019: More garbage caught than cod: NGOs call for emergency measures to protect Eastern Baltic cod

https://our.fish/press/more-garbage-caught-than-cod-ngos-call-for-emergency-measures-to-protect-eastern-baltic-cod/

Article 12 of the EU Common Fisheries Policy allows the Commission to adopt immediately applicable implementing acts applicable for a maximum period of six months measures in case of a serious threat to marine biological resources. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex%3A32013R1380

[4] May 2019: Calls for Emergency Halt to Baltic Fishing https://our.fish/press/calls-for-emergency-halt-to-baltic-fishing/

About Our Fish

Our Fish works to ensure European member states implement the Common Fisheries Policy and achieve sustainable fish stocks in European waters.

Our Fish works with organisations and individuals across Europe to deliver a powerful and unwavering message: overfishing must be stopped, and solutions put in place that ensure Europe’s waters are fished sustainably. Our Fish demands that the Common Fisheries Policy be properly enforced, and Europe’s fisheries effectively governed.

Our Fish calls on all EU Member States to set annual fishing limits at sustainable limits based on scientific advice, and to ensure that their fishing fleets prove that they are fishing sustainably, through monitoring and full documentation of their catch.

Website: https://our.fish

Follow Our Fish on Twitter: @our_fish

Jyllands Posten: Alvorens time indfinder sig for fiskeriet – en nulkvote for fangst af torsk i Kattegat

Undercurrent, 11 July 2019:

A new website launched by the Our Fish campaign — Fishyleaks.eu — aims to provide a confidential, anonymous and secure way for people working in the fishing industry, public authorities or other areas to report what they believe are improper, unethical or illegal fishing practices, it has said.

Continue reading

Karen McVeigh, The Guardian, 16 July 2019:

“We created Fishyleaks to help those who want to share information with us, in a confidential, anonymous and secure manner,” said Rebecca Hubbard, programme director at Our Fish.

“Europe’s fisheries are a common resource, for the benefit of all citizens, that should be managed sustainably and legally to ensure the future of coastal communities, food security and ocean health in the face of the climate crisis. Fishyleaks aims to provide a platform for people who witness activity that undermines these important aspirations, so that they can share that information, while minimising risk to themselves.”

Continue reading

Brussels, 10 July 2019:- A new website launched today, Fishyleaks.eu, aims to provide a confidential, anonymous and secure way for people working in the fishing industry, public authorities or other areas to report what they believe are improper, unethical or illegal fishing practices.

“We created Fishyleaks to help those who want to share information with us, in a confidential, anonymous and secure manner,” said Rebecca Hubbard, Programme Director of the Our Fish campaign, which created Fishyleaks. “Europe’s fisheries are a common resource, for the benefit of all citizens, that should be managed sustainably and legally to ensure the future of coastal communities, food security and ocean health in the face of the climate crisis. Fishyleaks aims to provide a platform for people who witness activity that undermines these important aspirations, so that they can share that information, while minimising risk to themselves.”

“Our Fish often receives news of infringements, but lack the evidence to prove it. By receiving information via Fishyleaks, we hope to expose the problems in the sector, so that we can push for solutions.”

Fishyleaks.eu provides examples of the kind of report that could prove useful to achieving legal and sustainable fisheries. The website asks whether whistleblowers believe they have witnessed illegal or unethical activities, or witnessed improper practice at sea, such as illegal discarding or high-grading. For example, this video footage, shared with Our Fish, from 2014 off the coast of Scotland, shows large scale illegal discarding of small pelagic fish in contravention of the ban on high-grading (where the lowest value fish are discarded and only the highest value catches are recorded and landed).

The Fishyleaks website provides other examples: Has catch reported as landed at port failed to match what was caught at sea? Are important reports, detailing poor administration or management of the fishing industry, gathering dust, rather than being released to the public?

Our Fish plans to analyse information received, and to verify content via Fishyleaks’ secure messaging system and checking with other sources. Our Fish may share the content in reports to national fisheries authorities, national or EU parliaments, the EU Commission or other relevant authorities.

On the Fishyleaks website, detailed information is available on how potential whistleblowers can protect their security and identity – such as the use of secure web browsers, along with measures Our Fish has taken to ensure the anonymity of those seeking to send reports, and whistleblower resources in selected EU countries.

Fishyleaks.eu was created using the open source GlobaLeaks platform, which aims to  enable secure and anonymous whistleblowing initiatives. Globaleaks is developed by the Milan, Italy-based Hermes Center for Transparency and Digital Human Rights, whose mission “is to promote and develop in the society the awareness of and the attention to transparency and accountability, be they related to the society-at-large or not. Our goal is to increase the citizens’ involvement in the management of matters of public interest and to boost the active participation of workers and employees to the correct management of corporations and companies they work for.”

The Fishyleaks website is currently published in English, with other language versions are set to follow. In the meantime people submitting reports via Fishyleaks are invited to do so  information in the language they are most comfortable with – Our Fish will carry out translations of reports.

Visit https://www.fishyleaks.eu

ENDS

Contacts

Dave Walsh, Communications Advisor, Our Fish, dave@our.fish, +34691826764

About Our Fish

Our Fish works to ensure European member states implement the Common Fisheries Policy and achieve sustainable fish stocks in European waters.

Our Fish works with organisations and individuals across Europe to deliver a powerful and unwavering message: overfishing must be stopped, and solutions put in place that ensure Europe’s waters are fished sustainably. Our Fish demands that the Common Fisheries Policy be properly enforced, and Europe’s fisheries effectively governed.

Our Fish calls on all EU Member States to set annual fishing limits at sustainable limits based on scientific advice, and to ensure that their fishing fleets prove that they are fishing sustainably, through monitoring and full documentation of their catch.

Website: https://our.fish

Follow Our Fish on Twitter: @our_fish

Internationaler Rat für Meeresforschung (ICES) veröffentlichte heute neue Fangempfehlung für die Nordsee – ICES-Wissenschaftler empfehlen für 2020 Reduzierung der Kabeljaufänge um 70 Prozent – DUH und Our Fish fordern Bundeslandwirtschaftsministerin Julia Klöckner auf, die wissenschaftlichen Empfehlungen im EU-Ministerrat Ende 2019 durchzusetzen

Berlin, 28.6.2019: Die heute veröffentlichte Empfehlung des Internationalen Rats für Meeresforschung (ICES) für den Nordsee-Kabeljau zeigt die Folgen eines nicht nachhaltigen Fischereimanagements der letzten Jahrzehnte auf. Der ICES empfiehlt eine drastische Reduzierung der Kabeljau-Fangmengen für 2020 um 70 Prozent im Vergleich zu 2019. Die Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) und die Initiative Our Fish fordern Bundeslandwirtschaftsministerin Julia Klöckner auf, sich im EU-Ministerrat für die empfohlene Fangmenge des ICES stark zu machen und sich für Kontrollen des Rückwurfverbots einzusetzen.

Dazu Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Bundesgeschäftsführer der DUH: „Seit Jahren werden die Empfehlungen der Wissenschaftler ignoriert oder nicht ernst genommen. Nun erleben wir auch in der Nordsee, was dies für Konsequenzen für den Kabeljau hat. Von einem gesunden ökologischen Niveau in unseren Meeren sind wir mittlerweile weit entfernt, immer mehr Arten drohen zu verschwinden. Um einen Kollaps der Fischpopulationen zu verhindern, müssen die Empfehlungen der Wissenschaftler nun umgehend umgesetzt werden.“

Alle EU-Mitgliedstaaten haben sich bereits 2013 mit der Reform der Gemeinsamen Fischereipolitik (GFP) dazu verpflichtet, die Überfischung aller kommerziell genutzten Bestände in den EU-Gewässern bis spätestens 2020 zu beenden. Es bleiben also nur noch sechs Monate, um alle Fischbestände wieder auf ein gesundes ökologisches Niveau zu bringen. Dafür müssen die wissenschaftlichen Empfehlungen bei den Festlegungen der Fangmengen eingehalten werden.

Fangbeschränkungen wie für den Kabeljau in der Nordsee, werden zwischen der EU und Norwegen im November verhandelt und im Dezember vom Rat der europäischen Landwirtschafts- und Fischereiminister übernommen. Die diesjährigen Entscheidungen für die Fangbeschränkungen im Nordostatlantik, einschließlich der Nordsee, sind für die Fischereiminister von entscheidender Bedeutung, um das 2020-Ziel einzuhalten, die Kabeljaupopulation in der Nordsee wiederaufzubauen und die Überfischung, zu beenden.

Rebecca Hubbard, Direktorin der Our Fish-Kampagne, sagt: „Die schwindende Artenvielfalt und der Klimawandel bedrohen unsere Meeresumwelt und das Leben wie wir es kennen. Wir ignorieren dies, obwohl uns unsere Meere jeden zweiten Atemzug ermöglichen. Kurzfristige Gewinne einiger weniger haben politischen Vorrang vor Natur, Küstengemeinden, Ernährungssicherheit und einem widerstandsfähigen Ozean, der sich an den Klimanotstand anpassen kann. Norwegen und die EU-Regierungen tragen gemeinsam die Verantwortung für diese Tragödie und müssen jetzt handeln, um das Blatt zu wenden.

Neben der zu hoch festlegten Fangmengen gefährden auch die nicht gemeldeten illegalen Rückwürfe das Erreichen des 2020-Ziels und die Erholung der überfischten Fischpopulationen. Seit 2017 gilt das Rückwurfverbot auch für den Kabeljau in der Nordsee, doch es wird nicht ausreichend kontrolliert.

„Die EU-Regierungen haben es versäumt das Rückwurfverbot umzusetzen und eine vollständige Dokumentation aller Fänge zu etablieren. Deshalb geht die Verschwendung unsere kostbaren Meeresressourcen auf See weiter. Das Rückwurfverbot sollte dem entgegenwirken und den Einsatz von nachhaltigen und umweltschonenden Fanggeräte fördern. Doch ohne Kontrolle funktioniert es nicht. Es ist Zeit für eine effektive Überwachung durch den Einsatz elektronischer Fernüberwachung auf See“, so Sascha Müller-Kraenner.

Hintergrund:

Der Nordseekabeljau wurde fast ein halbes Jahrhundert lang nicht nachhaltig befischt und jetzt befindet er sich in einem kritischen Zustand. Um für eine Erholung der Population zu sorgen, wurden Maßnahmen ergriffen. Dadurch hat sich der Kabeljau seit dem historischen Tiefstand im Jahr 2006 zwar leicht erholt, doch dieses Wachstum setzt sich nicht fort, da der Nachwuchs in der Nordsee zu gering ist. Das zeigten auch die Prognosen des ICES in 2018. Der ICES schlug eine radikale Reduzierung der Fangmengen für 2019 um fast 50 Prozent gegenüber 2018 vor. Trotz der gesetzlich bindenden Verpflichtung, die Überfischung zu beenden, legte der EU Fischereirat die Fangmengen für den Nordseekabeljau für 2019 jedoch 25 Prozent über den wissenschaftlich empfohlenen Mengen fest.

Der ICES-Bericht liefert die wissenschaftliche Grundlage für den Vorschlag der EU-Kommission und die anschließenden Beratungen des EU-Ministerrates (Agrifish Council) über die zulässigen Gesamtfangmengen (Total Allowable Catches -TAC) in der Nordsee. Der Ministerrat legt die Fangmöglichkeiten für die Nordsee auf seiner jährlichen Tagung im Dezember fest.

Über Our Fish:

Die Initiative Our Fish will sicherstellen, dass die EU-Mitgliedstaaten die GFP umsetzen und für nachhaltige Fischbestände in den europäischen Gewässern sorgen. Die DUH koordiniert diese Arbeit in Deutschland.

Links: 

• ICES Webseite: https://www.ices.dk/community/advisory-process/pages/latest-advice.aspx
• Empfehlung für Nordsee Kabeljau:http://ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2019/2019/cod.27.47d20.pdf
• Mehr über Our Fish: http://our.fish/de/

Kontakt: 

Sascha Müller-Kraenner, Bundesgeschäftsführer
0160 90354509, mueller-kraenner@duh.de

Rebecca Hubbard, Programmdirektorin Our Fish
+34 657669425, rebecca@our.fish

Dr. Katja Hockun, Projektmanagerin Meeresnaturschutz
030 2400867-895, hockun@duh.de

DUH-Pressestelle:

Ann-Kathrin Marggraf
030 2400867-20, presse@duh.de

www.duh.de, www.twitter.com/umwelthilfe, www.facebook.com/umwelthilfe

Europese wetenschappers presenteren visadvies voor 2020

Vrijdag 28 juni, Den Haag – Vandaag presenteren Europese wetenschappers de jaarlijkse vangstadviezen voor de Noordzee en wordt er geadviseerd hoeveel er het komende jaar van iedere vissoort veilig kan worden weggevist. Ook dit jaar blijkt weer dat de bijvangstsoorten als kabeljauw en zeebaars, de zogenaamde rondvis, het loodje leggen tegen meer commerciële soorten als tong en schol.

Voor kabeljauw [1] wordt dit jaar een vangreductie van maar liefst 70% voorgesteld, waarmee het vangstadvies komt te liggen op bijna 10.500 ton. Kabeljauw leek een aantal jaar de weg naar herstel te hebben teruggevonden, maar het herstel heeft niet doorgezet en er is te vroeg gejuicht: Het bestand is momenteel ernstig bedreigd. Ook zeebaars zit als visbestand nog in de knel. Wetenschappers adviseerden al een aantal keer op een rij een nulvangst, echter kon er sinds vorig jaar weer een minimaal aantal kilo gevangen worden. Dit jaar kan er wederom een kleine hoeveelheid, bijna 8%, meer worden gevangen dan vorig jaar, maar het visbestand laat nog geen tekenen van herstel zien en is nog altijd zwaar overbevist.

“De status van deze visbestanden is zorgelijk, juist ook nu de wettelijke deadline om overbevissing te beëindigen steeds dichterbij komt” aldus Sharon Becker, campagne coördinator van Our Fish in Nederland. Alle Europese lidstaten hebben zich gecommitteerd aan een wet die overbevissing in 2015 moes stoppen. Uitstellen was alleen mogelijk met een gegronde economische reden en alleen tot uiterlijk in 2020. “Een half jaar voor de absolute deadline moeten er nog grote stappen worden gemaakt om te zorgen dat overbevissing ook voor kwetsbare bijvangstsoorten beëindigd wordt”.

Waar is de grote vis?

Opmerkelijke is dat de grote vis van een aantal visbestanden steeds verder uit het bereik van de Nederlandse vissers lijkt te liggen. Zo heeft het scholbestand [2] een all-time record gehaald met een biomassa van meer dan 1 miljoen ton, maar de meest vangbare schollen, van groot formaat, lijken steeds meer bij Noorwegen te zitten, waardoor een echte verruiming van het vangstadvies toch achterwege blijft. Ook is het de vraag waar de grote kabeljauwen zijn gebleven in de wetenschappelijke vangstgegevens. De precieze reden hiervan is onduidelijk, mogelijk komt het door klimaatverandering, waardoor de vis meer naar het noorden trekt. Hierdoor is juist extra voorzichtigheid geboden bij de Noordzeevisbestanden en dus noodzakelijk om de wetenschap te volgen in de adviezen voor veilige visvangst.

Opvolgen wetenschappelijk advies

In november en december dit jaar wordt in het Noorse Bergen en in Brussel onderhandeld over het uiteindelijke visquotum. Om de geadviseerde wetenschappelijke quota op te kunnen volgen moet er in de praktijk ook een slag worden gemaakt naar meer selectieve visserij. Dat is nodig, omdat de 300 Nederlandse vissersboten nog merendeels met schadelijke en niet-selectieve bodemsleepnetten vissen. “Alleen door middel van politieke wil om overbevissing te beëindigen en het starten van een transitie naar écht selectieve visserij kunnen we de Noordzee weer gezond maken”, aldus Sharon Becker.

Contact:
Rebecca Hubbard, Our Fish Program Director, rebecca@our.fish +34 657669425

[1] http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2019/2019/cod.27.47d20.pdf
[2] http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2019/2019/ple.27.420.pdf

Bruxelles, 28 June 2019 –  EU’s fiskeriministre, herunder nyudnævnte, danske Mogens Jensen, må trække hurtigt i arbejdstøjet og få gjort op med årtiers nedprioritering af den videnskabelig rådgivning, når fiskekvoterne for 2020 skal forhandles i December. Sådan lyder opfordringen fra Our Fish og Seas At Risk som direkte reaktion på en netop offentliggjort rådgivning fra Det Internationale Havundersøgelsesråd (ICES) for Nordøstatlanten – herunder Nordsøen. Rådet fra ICES lyder, at kvoten i Nordsøen og Skagerrak skal skæres med hele 70 % i 2020 sammenlignet med 2019. Der bør således kun fanges 10.457 tons torsk i området hele næste år. For Kattegat er rådgivningen endnu mere skarp. Forskerne anbefaler en nul-kvote for torsk i området, hvilken reelt kan betyde en nedlukning af trawlfiskeri efter jomfruhummer i Kattegat, da fiskeriet også fanger torsk som såkaldt uønsket fangst. [1]

“Behovet for at skære så drastisk i torskekvoten for Nordsøen er naturligvis en alvorlig sag for en masse fiskere, men det kunne faktisk helt have været undgået, hvis fiskeriministrene tidligere havde lyttet til rådgivningen fra forskerne i stedet for at sætte kvoterne på ikke bæredygtige niveauer, siger Andrea Ripol, politisk rådgiver hos Seas At Risk. [3]

Kvoterne for Nordsøen fastsættes hvert år i forhandlinger mellem EU og Norge og godkendes af EU’s ministerråd i December. Forud for forhandlingerne kommer ICES med deres rådgivning til, hvordan kvoterne bør sættes. Selvom EU og EU’s ministre har skrevet under på at stoppe overfiskeri i EU senest i 2020 [2], er det langt fra altid, at kvoterne sættes i tråd med videnskaben. Netop i år er kvoteforhandlingerne yderst afgørende for, om det kan lade sig gøre at genopbygge torskebestanden i Nordsøen og leve op til 2020-deadlinen om at stoppe overfiskeri, der er en af de største trusler mod sunde havområder.

“Vi står midt i en biodiversitets – og klimakrise men alligevel har fiskeriministrene gang på gang valgt at se stort på at lette presset på vore havområder, der giver os hvert andet åndedrag. Norge og EU deler ansvaret for nedgangen i torskebestanden i Nordsøen, og nu må vores nye, danske fiskeriminister og hans norske kollegaer se at få rettet op på skaden,” siger Rebecca Hubbard, programchef for Our Fish.

For højt satte fiskekvoter er dog ikke det eneste problem for torsken i Nordsøen. Forsat ulovligt udsmid af torsk trods indførelsen af Landingsforpligtelsen i 2018 er med til at presse bestanden yderligere. [4] Our Fish og Seas At Risk anbefaler, at fiskeriministrene indfører obligatorisk, elektronisk overvågning på alle fartøjer, der fisker efter torsk i området, og som vurderes at være i risikozonen af Det Europæiske Fiskerikontrolagentur (EFCA).

“EU’s regeringer har fejlet, når det kommer til at håndhæve Landingsforpligtelsen i Nordsøen, og det ulovlige udsmid er både spild af fisk og et alt for stort pres på torskebestanden, der i forvejen lider under overfiskeri. Derfor er der behov for overvågning,” siger Hubbard.

“Et halvt århundrede med for højt satte kvoter har presset Nordsøtorsken helt ud til kanten, og hvis dagens advarsel fra ICES ikke kan overbevise fiskeriministrene om, at det er tid til at stoppe legen, så lever de på ingen måde op til det mandat, som EU’s vælgere har givet dem,” said Andrea Ripol, Fisheries Policy Officer of Seas At Risk.

Kontakt:

Rebecca Hubbard, programchef, Our Fish Program Director, rebecca@our.fish +34 657669425

Christina Koll, kommunikationsansvarlig CFP2020, koll@kollcomms.com, +45 28109021

Andrea Ripol, politisk rådgiver, Seas At Risk aRipol@seas-at-risk.org + 32 486168396

Noter:

[1]  ICES rådgivning: “Advice on fishing opportunities, catch, and effort: Greater North Sea Ecoregion, 28 June 2019”: http://ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2019/2019/cod.27.47d20.pdf

http://ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2019/2019/cod.27.21.pdf

[2] Den Fælles Fiskeripolitik indeholder klare mål om progressivt at sætte fiskekvoterne på bæredygtige niveauer, eller mere specifikt på niveauer, der sikrer det maksimale bæredygtige (‘MSY’, Article 2(2) i CFP Basic Regulation, Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013). For at nå’MSY målsætningen’ siger loven, at MSY niveauer skal opnås senest i 2020 for alle fiskebestande i EU. Desuden står det klart i loven, at der skal tages hensyn til videnskabelig rådgivning (Article 3(c) of the CFP Basic Regulation).

[3] Torsken i Nordsøen er i farezonen efter at være blevet udsat for overfiskeri i et halvt århundrede. Bestanden var voldsomt presset i det meste af 1980’erne og 90’erne men begyndte i de seneste ti år at vise tegn på bedring efter diverse tiltag for at redde bestanden. I 2018 var der dog tegn på, at bestanden igen gik ned, og ICES foreslog derfor, at kvoten for 2019 blev skåret med næsten 50% i forhold til 2018. Alligevel valgte fiskeriministrene at sætte kvoten 25% over forskernes anbefalinger.

Se ICES rådgivning fra 2018 for 2019 her: https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.4436 

[4] I March 2019, viste undersøgelser på basis af aktindsigt fra Our Fish til de engelske fiskerimyndigheder, at der ikke var blevet landet en eneste undermåler af den engelske torskefiskeriflåde mellem 1 januar til 15. November 2018. Det var til trods for, at Landingsforpligtelsen blev indført for alt torskefiskeri i hele Nordsøen fra january 2018. Manglen på landinger af “ikke ønskede” fisk, til trods for at alt skal landes, tydede på, at Landingsforpligtelsen ikke blev overholdt, og det presser torsken i området hårdt, at der smides fisk ud.

——-ENDS ———————

Brussels, 28 June 2019 –  Today, NGOs demanded that EU fisheries ministers face up to the consequences of their poor record on protecting the fish populations that underpin the health of European Seas. In a freshly published catch advice from The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), scientists advise that the iconic North Sea cod population is at such depleted levels, that fishing limits should be capped at 10 457 tonnes in 2020 – a 70% cut compared to last year. [1]

The EU committed to end overfishing of all fish populations by 2015 or progressively by 2020 at the latest [2], however with just six months to go, consistent stonewalling by fisheries ministers and a refusal to follow the science has led to a situation where iconic fish like North Sea cod is again facing collapse, and our ocean ecosystems are suffering.

“The need to drastically reduce fishing of North Sea Cod is a disaster for many fishers – a situation that could have been prevented if decision makers had listened to the scientists in the first place, and delivered the healthy oceans and food security for all EU citizens that governments signed up to in the reformed Common Fisheries Policy,” said Andrea Ripol, Fisheries Policy Officer of Seas At Risk. [3]

North Sea cod fishing limits are negotiated between the EU and Norway, and approved by the  EU Council of Agriculture and Fisheries Ministers each December. This year’s negotiations on catch limits (TAC’s) for North East Atlantic fisheries, including the North Sea, are decisive for Fisheries Ministers to deliver on the 2020 deadline, rebuild the North Sea cod population, and put an end to one of the greatest threats to our ocean – destructive overfishing.

“We have a biodiversity and climate emergency on our hands, yet as we speak, we are ignoring this fact by undermining the ocean ecosystems that give us every second breath we take. Short term business profits for a few players are being politically prioritized over nature, healthy coastal communities, food security and a resilient ocean that can adapt to the climate emergency. Norway and EU governments share the responsibility for this tragedy and must now act to turn the tide,” Rebecca Hubbard, Our Fish Program Director, said.

Unsustainable fishing limits are not the only crucial pressure point for the North Sea cod population. Continued illegal unreported catches and discards – despite the introduction of the obligation to land and report all catches – is also obstructing the recovery of vulnerable stocks. Our Fish and Seas At Risk are calling on EU Fisheries Ministers to implement compulsory at-sea electronic monitoring on all fleet segments assessed as medium-high risk by the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) that catch North Sea cod, to ensure elimination of illegal unreported catches and discards of the vulnerable stock.

“EU governments have failed to enforce the ban on discarding unwanted fish at sea and fully documenting all catches. This unreported catch represents an enormous waste of valuable fish, and significantly worsens overfishing, including for the iconic North Sea cod. Unfortunately, it goes to show there is a need for mandatory electronic monitoring on vessels at sea,” Hubbard continued.

In March, Our Fish revealed that despite at least 7,500 tonnes of North Sea cod being accounted for in the UK’s 2018 quota for increased landings of undersize fish, zero undersize cod were counted or landed. This not only suggests the UK fishing industry continues to discard fish at sea, but also that overfishing has been worsened by accounting an increase of the quota in the first place and at the same time keep illegally discarding undersized fish. [4]

“Half a century of fishing above sustainable levels has brought the North Sea Cod population into critical danger. If today’s advice from ICES does not convince EU fisheries ministers to stop allowing for overfishing and degrading ocean health by setting fishing limits too high, they will fail to honour the mandate given by EU citizens,” said Andrea Ripol, Fisheries Policy Officer of Seas At Risk.

Contacts

Rebecca Hubbard, Our Fish Program Director, rebecca@our.fish +34 657669425

Christina Koll, communications coordinator CFP2020, koll@kollcomms.com, +45 28109021

Andrea Ripol, Fisheries Policy officer Seas At Risk aRipol@seas-at-risk.org + 32 486168396

Notes:

[1] ICES Advice on fishing opportunities, catch, and effort: Greater North Sea Ecoregion, published 28 June 2019: http://ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2019/2019/cod.27.47d20.pdf

[2] The reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) includes the fundamental objective to progressively restore and maintain fish stocks above sustainable levels, specifically above levels capable of producing the maximum sustainable yield (‘MSY’, see Article 2(2) of the CFP Basic Regulation, Regulation (EU) No 1380/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013). For the purpose of achieving this ‘MSY objective’, the law says that the MSY exploitation rate shall be achieved by 2020 at the latest for all stocks. Moreover, the CFP is clear that measures should be taken in accordance with the best available scientific advice (Article 3(c) of the CFP Basic Regulation).

[3] The North Sea Cod stock is in critical danger after being fished above sustainable levels for half a century. The stock was heavily overfished for most of the 80s and 90s, but due to strong intervention, had started to show signs of recovery in the last ten years. However, forecasts of the state of the stock again worsened in 2018, and ICES proposed a radical cut to the TAC of almost 50% from 2018 levels. Despite a commitment to end overfishing, the annual TAC for North Sea Cod in 2019 was set 25% above scientifically advised levels by the EU Agrifish Council.

ICES Advice on fishing opportunities, catch, and effort: Greater North Sea Ecoregion Published 29 June 2018 cod.27.47d20. https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.4436

ICES Advice on fishing opportunities, catch, and effort Celtic Seas and Greater North Sea ecoregions. Version 2: Published 2 July 2018 bss.27.4bc7ad-h https://doi.org/10.17895/ices.pub.4472

[4] 11 March 2019, A freedom of information request from Our Fish to the UK’s fisheries management body (the Marine Management Organisation) revealed that despite the landing obligation having applied to all catches of North Sea Cod from January 2018, zero tonnes of unwanted undersize cod were landed by the UK fleet from 1 January – 15 November, in comparison to at least 7,500 tonnes accounted for in the quota setting. The lack of landings of unwanted catches in the UK has also been confirmed by other members of the fish processing industry and suggest a large amount of North Sea Cod is still being discarded despite the discard ban.

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