BRUSSELS (AFP) — The European Commission on Wednesday proposed a 25 percent cut in cod fishing quotas for most of the EU's waters, warning that with it and other fish, "most stocks remain overfished".
In its proposals for 2008 fisheries, the EU executive arm proposed to reduce overall quotas for most species, including a 15 percent cut in North Sea sole, a 41 percent reduction in North Sea herring and a continued closure of all anchovy fishing in the Bay of Biscay.
The cod cuts were offset by an increase in the quota for North Sea cod by 11 percent, a measure already agreed with Norway.
European Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg said that while the overall situation remains "broadly stable ... most stocks remain overfished.
"We must make further efforts if we are to achieve progress towards sustainable fisheries," he said in a statement.
"If we do not, the result will be the rapid decline of overfished stocks and lasting damage to the fleets that depend on them."
To enter into force in January 2008, the Commission's proposals must be adopted by fisheries ministers of the 27 EU member states when they meet on December 17-19.
On Tuesday, the fisheries ministers agreed in Brussels to tighten up the rules protecting threatened tuna stocks, obliging member states to present detailed fishing plans before the season starts.
The Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF) called Wednesday's fishing quota cuts a "sad saga."
The campaigning group described the planned increase in the North Sea cod quota as "a complete nonsense.
"The end result of higher quotas will be a total failure of the management of this species," said WWF Fisheries Policy Officer Carol Phua.
Overall "this is a scandal", given that the European Commission "clearly recognises the immense proportion of illegal fishing" the group added.
The European Commission proposals are based on scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration and Economic Committee on Fisheries.
In general, the Commission aims to keep its proposals for quota changes to within 15 percent up or down "so as to provide a degree of stability to stakeholders."
Some of those stakeholders, around 100 Polish fishermen, protested outside the EU fisheries ministers meeting in Brussels on Tuesday chanting "we want to work, not starve."
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