A proposal from the Fisheries Council for certain deep-sea
stocks will see drastic
cuts for many fisheries, said Europe’s Association of
National Organisations of Fishery
Enterprises (Europêche).
Such cuts included a 52
per cent reduction in 2015 and a 51 per cent in 2016 for Red
sea bream in one
particular region (Area IX) – reducing the catch from 780 tonnes in 2014
to
just 183 tonnes in 2016.
Javier Garat, President of Europêche, said the sector could not
afford such cuts in such
short spaces of time.
“The fishermen targeting this stock will suffer the consequences
with no room for
manoeuvring. They have contributed to the sustainable
fishing through management plans
and effort reductions,” he said.
Further, Mr Garat noted non-EU countries such as Morocco also
fished in the areas in
question, yet did not implement high-standard
management plans or conform to minimum sizes.
“Instead of proposing excessive unilateral restrictions for the
sector, the EU
should focus on the joint-management of the resource,”
continued Mr Garat.
Europeche said it was aware of the importance of the sensitive
deep-sea fisheries
and was supportive of contributing to more sustainable
fisheries management of
deep sea stocks – including fully adhering to the
objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy
(CFP) – albeit without jeopardising
the future of the sector.
Source: Baird Maritime
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