Press Release: Fisheries: ‘Alarming state of fish stocks’ requires further substantial cuts for 2002 fishing catches

The European Commission proposed on 4 December 2001 to substantially cut fishing opportunities for a number of important EU fish stocks. The reductions in Total Allowable Catches (TACs) are necessary to reduce pressure on stocks, which are in a parlous state. They are also the first step in a multi-annual strategy to help the recovery of a number of stocks, in particular cod and hake, whose capacity to replenish themselves is threatened. All Member States with a fishing fleet will be affected by these cuts. Some TACs which were substantially reduced last year will be maintained at those reduced levels this year. Among the TACs which the Commission proposes to reduce significantly for the first time is the cod TAC in the Kattegat by 58%, haddock in the Irish Sea by 52%, sole in the North Sea by 25% and nephrops (langoustines) in the Bay of Biscay by between 45 and 50% . The proposal does not include TACs for a group of stocks which the EU co-manages with Norway, pending an agreement with that country. The quotas for 2002 have to be decided in the Fisheries Council on 17 and 18 December.