The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has released its advice on the total allowable catch (TAC) for cod and haddock stocks in the North Sea for 2015.
For cod, ICES advised 2015 catches to be no more than 35,486 metric tons (MT), on the basis on the EU-Norway management plan.
If discard rates don’t change from those in 2013, this implies landings on no more than 26,713 MT.
The haddock quota should be no more than 54,580 MT for the whole assessment area.
If rates of discards and industrial bycatch do not change from the average of the last three years (2011-2013), this implies human consumption landings of no more than 48,176 MT.
“Publication of this science marks the start of the annual cycle of negotiating our fleet’s fishing opportunities for the coming year. My officials and I will continue to work closely with all parts of the fishing industry over the summer to explain the science in detail and to hear what impact these new assessments will have for them,” said Richard Lochhead, Scottish fisheries secretary. “This will help to shape our priorities we will take into the autumn’s talks to secure the best outcome possible for Scotland.
“For North Sea Cod, although numbers continue to increase, progress is slower. However, at a more local level in different parts of the North Sea, the science confirms what our fishermen have been telling me — that there are hotspots of abundance and these don’t align with the quota available. This can create a real headache for our fishermen who struggle to avoid catching cod even when they are targeting other fish, yet are forced to discard it because they cannot get enough quota. With the discard ban fast approaching, we must work with Europe to find a solution to this problem.”
