"Europe's Fisheries Ministers make woefully light of the critical state of
fish stocks. France and Italy would only agree to the tuna recovery plan,
for example, once rules on minimum fish sizes that can be landed were put on ice for another year," said Greenpeace policy adviser Saskia Richartz. "Ministers are also dishing out a top-up tuna quota, defying all scientific advice on stock recovery."
The Council agreed two so-called multi-annual management plans, one for
Baltic Sea cod and one for North Sea sole and plaice, and two recovery
plans, one for bluefin tuna and one for the European eel. All four plans
are aimed at returning the respective stocks to safe biological limits
and, eventually, to a state where the stocks can support sustainable
fisheries.
In the case of bluefin tuna, scientists have warned of an imminent
collapse of the populations in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean,
unless fishing pressure is drastically reduced. They have advised
large-scale fishery closures during the spawning season and rules on a
minimum landing size, and recommended that the total allowable catch
should be halved.
For Baltic cod and the European eel, scientists have issued similar urgent
calls for action. The levels of young European eels joining the stock have
dropped to 1% of their historic levels.
"Unlike the EU, the United States has adopted rules which prohibit fishing
at rates that exceed scientifically recommended levels," said Richartz.
"The US has also designated the largest fully-protected marine reserve on
the planet. The EU, on the other hand, continues to dish out fishing
rights based on political expediency," she added.
Greenpeace is campaigning for the creation of a network of marine reserves in Europe's seas, to protect some of the most important fish spawning grounds in Europe, among other areas. The Rainbow Warrior is in the Mediterranean sea for a three month expedition 'Defending Our Mediterranean'