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Hudghton (Verts/ALE).
– Mr President, on Friday, the International Council for
Exploration of the Sea published its annual fish stock assessment figures,
advice which showed that North Sea haddock stocks exceed even last year's
record highs. Yet the headline story fed to the media, in advance of that
advice, referred only to cod stocks and the lack of improvement therein in
the North Sea.
This has echoes of last year's situation when, after the publication of
scientific advice, there followed threats to close the entire North Sea to
all fishing. Ultimately, at the December Council last year, the Commission
tabled a quota recovery plan which quickly proved to be unworkable. It did
nothing to safeguard cod and it prevented Scots fishermen from catching
their allowed haddock quota. If – and I say if – we have a new fisheries
Commissioner by the end of this week, I call upon him fully to involve the
new North Sea Regional Advisory Council in the setting of quotas in
advance of this December's Council, so that a sensible and workable plan
on quota setting procedure can take place. |
