Is Cod Recoverable?

Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) were formed as a result of the recognition of the need for stakeholder input into the management of fisheries, following a review of the EU's Common Fisheries Policy. 

Heavily dominated by fishing sector representatives, they bring together fishers, anglers and environmentalists to offer advice to EU fishery policy makers.  

Now two of the RACS are to work together to examine the EU's cod recovery programme.

The cod recovery programme has been heavily criticised in the past for putting the blame for disappearance of cod from some areas of the North Sea on overfishing, and basing recovery plans on reducing fishing effort that impacts cod, including fishing for other species that are relatively plentiful but where cod are taken as bycatch.

Although ICES scientists advising the EU have stated that overfishing is the principle reason for the decline in cod, fishery spokespeople have claimed that environmental factors are mainly responsible and that reducing fishing effort harms the fishing industry without any benefit to cod recovery.

The North Sea and North Western Waters RACS are together organising a symposium for Spring 2007 to look at the whole of the EU's cod recovery programme, and will be asking 'Is Cod Recoverable?'

See: FishUpdate.com