Brussels warned today it might have toban cod fishing in northern European waters next year afterscientists issued a dire warning over dwindling numbers of thespecies.
A moratorium on cod fishing off the Irish coast, could soon be in place unless drastic action is taken toprotect cod numbers, European agriculture commissioner Mr FranzFischler said.
The commission's scientific and economic committee is examiningan alarming report on cod stocks issued Friday by the independentInternational Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), andwill report back on November 11th.
"Unless it says anything different, which is very unlikely, Ican see no other solution in the short term than to propose for 2003a zero (quota) for cod, haddock and whiting and substantialreductions for plaice and nephrops," Mr Fischler said.
"Nephrops norvegicus" is a small lobster common around theIrish and British coasts.
The ICES report recommended closing all fisheries catching cod"either as a target species or as by-catch" in waters including theIrish Sea, North Seaand channels west of Scotland.
"Needless to say that the economic impact of taking ICES adviceliterally would leave many coastal areas in deep trouble," Mr Fischlertold a news conference, pledging unspecified compensation toaffected fishermen.
AFP