MARINE ENVIRONMENT:COD STOCKS in the Irish Sea are now considered "to be in a state of collapse" and are expected to decline further in 2008, the EPA examination of estuarine and coastal waters has warned.
Overall, many commercially-important fish stocks in Irish waters are "heavily overexploited and in decline," while many species, as much as 75 per cent, are now being harvested outside safe biological limits, according to the EPA.
Given the "perilous state" of cod stocks in Irish waters, the EPA said it is likely that severe measures, such as multi-area closures in certain areas will be required to ensure the long-term sustainability of these stocks.
Last night, the Friends of the Environment group welcomed the call, saying "the Minister must now ensure that the advice of the EPA and the Marine Institute are taken on board when he negotiates European fish quotas this year".
The EPA said, that in terms of human activity, it was clear that commercial fishing has the greatest and most extensive impact on the ecological quality status of Ireland's marine environment.
It said that recovery of fish stocks will be slow and substantial reductions in fishing pressure through a reduced number of days at sea and "greater enforcement of existing fishing regulations, which apply to both Irish and foreign vessels, are required to ensure the survival of the most vulnerable stocks".
The implementation of a recent Government report on the Irish fishing industry, which recommended substantial decommissioning of the Irish whitefish and shellfish fleet and the establishment of the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, offers "some hope" in this regard, according to the report.
However, further actions such as the establishment of recovery plans and the adoption of technical conservation measures have the potential to aid the recovery of the most vulnerable stocks.
"Other measures such as the establishment of long-term or permanently-closed areas also have to be considered," according to the report.
The EPA was more positive about water quality in the majority of estuaries and coastal waters, saying general environmental conditions remained good despite substantial population growth and economic development in recent years.
It cautioned, however, that a number of areas continue to be seriously affected by direct municipal discharges and elevated nutrient inputs from diffuse sources.
"A number of major estuaries, predominantly in the southeast and south of the country, have persistently displayed symptoms of nutrient enrichment since the EPA began to assess their trophic status in the early 1990s."
The report noted that the discharge from the Sellafield reprocessing plant in Britain continues to contaminate the Irish Sea and Ireland's local marine environment, though exposure is "not considered to pose a significant health risk to the Irish public".