European sea bass in the North Sea and the English Channel is overfished and stocks are decreasing. That is the conclusion of the International Council for Exploration of the Sea (ICES) in its June 2013 advice on North Sea fish stocks. Therefore ICES calls for a 36% catch reduction for 2014.
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Whereas the commercial fishing pressure on sea bass has been increasing since the late 80s, the size of sea bass stocks has strongly decreased (with more than 20%) since 2005. Given the fact that sea bass is overfished, ICES calls for a 36% catch reduction for 2014. Commercial fisheries in the North Sea and Channel should thus be allowed a maximum catch of 2.7 thousand tonnes next year, compared with the 4 thousand tonnes that were caught in 2012.
Given the fact that most European countries – France excluded – do not favour a Total Allowable Catch (TAC), consultations about technical measures such as protected areas and closed seasons, prohibition of fishing near wrecks, larger mesh sizes and an increase in minimum landing size are held in Brussels. A giant step forward would be the closing down of the offshore winter fisheries on the spawning grounds in the English Channel. A combination of aforementioned measures is also an option.
That something has to be done to protect the future of European sea bass stocks, is now clearer than ever!
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