Brussels, 10/06/2004 (Agence Europe) - According to a European Commission working document (dated 1 June) taking stock of the inclusion of environmental factors in other EU policies, the reduction of fish breeding stock is largely due to overfishing. This report states that 40% of EU catch comes from stocks considered to be below their safe biological limits, up to 60% for various deep-water and diadromous species. The Commission points out that the situation is even more alarming for cod and trout, although all not all stock are in a poor state, as demonstrated by the increase of certain pelagic stocks (such as North Sea Herring), and stocks of shrimps and Norway lobster.
The Commission listed all measures taken since 2001 which have had a positive effect on the preservation of resources (reform of the Common Fisheries Police of December 2002, provisions adopted in June 2003 on methods to follow to remove sharks' fins, the adoption, in December 2003, of plans to replenish certain cod and trout stocks, etc), but recommends a continuation of efforts to realise the Johannesburg objective (sustainable exploitation of fish resources by 2015). Furthermore, the report indicates that the Union must "bear in mind" the effects of climate change on the size and distribution of stocks.