- North Sea cod stocks may now be so low they may never
recover, one scientist said yesterday.
-
- The warning came as European Union experts called for
a ban on cod fishing in the North Sea, Irish Sea and west of Scotland.
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- The annual assessment of the cod by the International
Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), in Copenhagen, shows there
has been no recovery as politicians chose to ignore scientists' calls for
a ban for the past two years.
-
- The annual report on the state of stocks, which will
be presented to the EU on Friday, will show that a "substantial"
amount of cod is caught illegally, even at a time when the stocks are in
danger of collapse.
-
- Council scientists also called for a ban on fishing for
mackerel in parts of the North Sea and recommended a reduction of fishing
effort for other key stocks such as sole, sandeel and plaice. But North
Sea haddock is at its highest level for 30 years.
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- Dr Euan Dunn, a fisheries expert working for the Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds, said: "I'm not sure that cod
will recover, even with no fishing."
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- David Griffith, the general secretary of ICES, said:
"There is still no clear sign that cod stocks in the North Sea, Irish
Sea and west of Scotland are making a recovery.
-
- "It also seems that fishing effort on these stocks
is still too high. A further problem that scientists face is substantial
under-reporting of catches of cod, which makes it difficult to get a true
picture of the state of these stocks."
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- A spokesman for the Department for the Environment, Food
and Rural Affairs, said: "The EU will consider this advice in its
scientific, technological and economic committee over the next two weeks
and then prepare proposals for next year's total allowable catches."
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