Press Release: European Commission proposes significant reductions in fishing catches to fend off moratorium on cod fisheries in 2003

The European Commission proposed on 11 December 2002 significant cuts in catches in its proposals for next year for a number of important EU white fish stocks, in particular cod, haddock and whiting which are caught together. These reductions, which are to be accompanied by a system to control fishing effort on the fisheries concerned, are seen as crucial if a moratorium on fishing for a number of cod stocks is to be averted.