Brussels, 19/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - Pelagic trawling of sea bass, conducted principally by French fishermen in the Channel, is to be banned in European waters until April to protect this species, the European Commission announced in a press release on Monday 19 January.
This measure is to “protect the stock from being targeted when at its most vulnerable”, that is, during spawning season, say the services of Fisheries Commissioner Karmenu Vella. The decision is expected to “come into force before the end of the month”, once it has been formally adopted.
Pelagic trawling in the spawning season makes up 25% of the impact on the stock, the Commission states.
The provisional closure of the sea bass fishery will be complemented by further measures which the Commission and the countries affected (France, United Kingdom, Belgium and Netherlands) are putting together jointly. These measures will be debated at the next meeting of fisheries ministers at the end of January. “This will include measures to manage recreational fishing and limit catches of all other commercial fisheries” of this much sought after white fish, the Commission says.
At the last Fisheries Council, in mid-December, ministers failed to reach agreement on measures to protect the sea bass stock.
The Commission, then, has used its right to impose emergency measures to protect endangered species when the member states fail to come to an agreement on action in response to warnings from experts. ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Seas) has recommended an 80% reduction in catches in the Channel and the North Sea for 2015. The French fishermen make over 70% of these catches, followed by their Belgian and Dutch counterparts. (LC)