Irish Examiner:’It doesn’t help anyone’ – Irish academics back call to stop overfishing in EU

                                 

Irish Examiner: 'It doesn't help anyone' - Irish academics back call to stop overfishing in EU

Pádraig Hoare, Irish Examiner, 10 September 2020: ‘It doesn’t help anyone’ – Irish academics back call to stop overfishing in EU

Around 50 leading Irish academics are among more than 300 scientists who have called on the EU to “end overfishing” in the bloc.

In a letter to EU Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius, the scientists are calling for action by the European Commission, European Parliament and EU member states to end overfishing “as an urgent and necessary response to the biodiversity and climate crises”.

The scientists, including signatories from UCC, UCD, NUI Galway, TCD, Galway-Mayo IT and Queen’s University Belfast, are urging the EU to set fishing limits within scientific advice.

The EU must recognise that “ecosystem-based fisheries management is critical to the health of the ocean and its capacity to respond to climate change”, the letter said.

Rebecca Hubbard of Our Fish said the “science was clear” on overfishing and that the EU “must stop dragging its feet and take this clear and decisive action now before it’s too late”.