WWF calls for action to preserve young fish stocks

Date: 25/07/02

By David Cronin

REFORMS to the EU's marine policy need to introduce measures preventing the catch of immature fish, according to a new study by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

The green lobby group is concerned about the widespread use of small-mesh nets by European trawlermen. Data from the Mediterranean area, for example, suggests more than 80 of swordfish and tuna caught by Spain's long-line fleet are in breach of EU rules setting a minimum length (120cm) and weight (6.4kg) for catches of the species.

The paper argues that an EU decision in May 2001 stipulating that those minimums should apply only in the wider Atlantic has paved the way for legalising enormous catches of young swordfish in the Mediterranean, putting stock conservation at risk.

'With fewer and fewer large fish and adult fish around, fishermen are landing smaller immature fish,' said Paolo Guglielmi, spokesman for the WWF's Mediterranean programme. 'This means that there are fewer fish that can reach maturity, start breeding and rebuild fish stocks.'

In many cases, the small fish are then discarded by the fishermen. Vessels in the North Sea which target flatfish such as plaice and sole are blamed for wasting 260,000 tonnes of fish per year in this way. The WWF wants discussions on improving the Common Fisheries Policy, due to take place in the Council of Ministers this autumn, to result in regulations limiting net size. It also wants updated rules on what sizes of fish can be caught.

Simon Cripps, director of the WWF's 'endangered seas' programme, said new trade rules were also necessary to ensure than non-EU countries had similar rules in place.

'A transparency of markets should apply to EU fish production, but also to fish products from third countries.'

Reforms to the EU's marine policy need to introduce measures preventing the catch of immature fish, according to a new study by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).