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Fear for birds as eel fishing resumes |
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Saturday, 15 July 2006 |
Fear for birds as eel fishing resumes
THE European Commission yesterday announced controversial plans to
end a 12 month ban on fishing for sandeels in the North Sea, sparking
renewed fears about the impact on Britain's seabird populations.
The unprecedented ban on the Danish-dominated fishery was imposed
last July, because of a major collapse in the sandeel stock, and
prevented millions of the tiny fish from being vacuumed up from the
seabed and turned into fish meal.
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Sandeels are at the bottom of the North Sea food chain and a vital
component in the diet of cod, haddock, and mackerel - crucial catches
for the Scottish white fish and pelagic fleets - as well as a number of
native Scottish seabirds.
The collapse of the sandeel stock was blamed for a series of disastrous
breeding seasons at many of Scotland's "seabird cities" and delays in
nesting and low seabird populations across the country.
But the European Commission yesterday announced that the sandeel
fishery is to reopen with the total allowable catch (TAC) for the North
Sea set at 300,000 tonnes this year. The lifting of the ban was
approved by the council of Europe's fisheries ministers at a meeting in
Luxembourg.
A spokesman for the Commission said: "These measures have been taken on
the basis of scientific advice provided by the scientific, technical
and economic committee which has estimated the number of sandeels born
last year and joining the North Sea stock to be no less than 324,000
million individuals."
He added: "The condition of the North Sea sandeel stock has been in
severe decline for a number of years. In December, 2004, council
approved a cut of 20 per cent in the TAC for 2005, subject to in-year
monitoring and revision. Following receipt of scientific advice that
the 2004 year class had fallen beneath 300,000 million individuals, the
Commission adopted a regulation on 15 July, 2005, closing the North Sea
and Skagerrak sandeel fishery until the end of the year.
"The Commission welcomes the fact that stock levels are now high enough
to permit the fishery to reopen on a commercial scale, but points out
that the condition of the stock remains fragile, and will require
continued monitoring and control so as to ensure that the TAC and
fishing effort levels set for 2006 contribute to its long-term
sustainability."
Kara Brydson, RSPB Scotland's marine and coastal policy officer, said:
"It is important to understand that the sandeel stock remains extremely
fragile. The ban on the North Sea fishery was only in place for one
season, and it may be too early to claim that this has been a success
and allowed stocks to recover.
"This fishery must continue to be very closely monitored to allow the
fishing effort to be altered at short notice. The RSPB will, as always,
be keeping a close eye on how the seabirds fare this breeding season."
Yesterday's meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers also approved
a new European fund of more than £2.5 billion which will operate for
seven years and support the fishing industry as they adapt to catch
cuts and help fishing communities to diversify their economic base. |
Bird News 