Brussels, 13/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - On 12 October, the EU Fish Processors Association, AIPCE, published a study confirming the decline in stocks and landings in the EU of white fish (cod, coley/saithe, haddock, hake plaice, Alaska Pollack and redfish), while imports from third countries continue to rise.
AIPCE says that white fish catches fell by more than 6% between 2004 and 2005, a potential loss of 27.6% of volume. This is due to reductions in quotas set by the EU and to cod and hake recovery measures. The report shows that EU dependence on imports rose to 90% for white fish and 58% for overall fish and fishery products supply in 2005. The main third country suppliers of white fish are, in decreasing order of importance, China, Iceland, Norway and the United States. AIPCE also condemns black fishing (unrecorded fishing), particularly of cod in the Barents Sea (a sea in the Arctic Ocean north of Norway and Western Russia). (lc)