The European Commission presented a long-term plan to replenish dwindling cod stocks by significantly limiting authorised fishing quotas in northern European waters.
"Despite measures taken in the last two years, the quantity (of cod) taken from the stocks remains larger than the quantity that can be replaced by reproduction," the Commission wrote in a text presenting its project.
Mr Franz Fischler, the EU Commissioner responsible for fisheries, suggested setting up fishing programs over several years with the aim of replenishing stocks of adult cod in the North Sea, the Skagerrak-Kattegat area off Denmark and the eastern English Channel from 38,000 tonnes recorded in 2002 to 150,000 tonnes within the next five to 10 years.
The proposed regulation aims to increase quantities of adult cod by 30 per cent in targeted zones - including the North Sea, western Scotland, the Skagerrak, the eastern English Channel and the Irish Sea - by determining new total allowable catches, as well as limiting fishermen's time spent at sea.
"I am aware this will cause problems for many people active in this sector," said Mr Fischler.
"Millions of EU euros have been set aside to support the troubled white fish sector," he said: "I would encourage member states to use these funds."
The plan is to be presented to the EU Council by the end of May to replace temporary regulations passed last December amid diplomatic clashes between southern EU countries and Ireland, concerned with protecting the interests of their fishermen, and northern EU countries and the Commission, concerned with stopping the depletion of fish stocks.
An additional proposal concerns monitoring fishing vessels and the daily cod catch to ensure quantities landed in do not exceed fixed levels.
AFP