The European Commission’s annual State of Fish Stocks in European waters’ seminar concluded that big improvements have been made in EU fish stocks in the North-east Atlantic, whilst Mediterranean stocks are under worsening threat.
The event held on 17 September in Brussels saw three scientists from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and from the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries present the latest biological and economic information as well as results from sea surveys.
European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Maria Damanaki, has welcomed the continued improvement in the state of the stocks in northern areas and in the profitability of the fisheries, whilst identifying the current state of stocks in the Mediterranean Sea as an issue for concern.
“Mediterranean stocks are as overfished as those in the northern areas were a decade ago. The Mediterranean countries now need to get moving quickly to sort out this overfishing before it leads to serious collapses and environmental damage, she said.
The seminar formed part of the preparation of decisions for fisheries regulations in 2014, including fishing quotas.
Mercator Media Ltd 2013