EAPO issues comment on the ICES cod advice issued regarding fishing opportunities for cod the North Sea
The European Association of Fish Producers Organisations (EAPO) has provided its perspective on the ICES cod advice issued on September 19, 2023, regarding cod populations in Subarea 4, divisions 6.a and 7.d, and Subdivision 20 (North Sea, West of Scotland, eastern English Channel, and Skagerrak).
In a communication addressed to the European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans, and Fisheries, Virginius Sinkevicius, and Ms. Eva Carballeira, DG MARE, Head of Unit C5, EAPO expressed its views on the recommended fishing opportunities for 2024.
The ICES benchmark workshop in 2023, focusing on Northern Shelf Cod Stocks, led to the amalgamation of North Sea and West of Scotland cod stocks, resulting in three distinct substocks. ICES advised a precautionary approach, proposing catch scenarios for these substocks and suggesting a uniform reduction in fishing opportunities across them. However, EAPO members emphasised the importance of translating increases in Spawning Stock Biomass (SSB) into increased Total Allowable Catch (TAC), particularly for stocks caught in mixed fisheries.
The ICES advice indicates that by 2024, the biomass of the Southern, Viking, and Northwestern cod substocks will have increased significantly, with reduced fishing pressure. ICES suggests an alternative precautionary approach, implementing relative fishing mortality reductions for the southern substock to align with the Viking and northwestern substocks. This would set the TAC for North Sea cod at 22,691 tonnes for 2024, compared to 34,120 tonnes with a differentiated approach.
EAPO supports the MSY approach, proposing a TAC of 34,120 tonnes for 2024, distributed among the southern, Viking, and Northwestern substocks. This approach aligns with an increase in SSB for 2024 and 2025 while mitigating potential losses for fishers. EAPO members stress the need for ongoing closures on cod spawning grounds in 2024 and express their commitment to improvements in North Sea Cod management.
The association recommends further work on stock identity, urging a focus on understanding substock boundaries and linking commercial catches to respective substocks. Drawing inspiration from successful herring genetic stock identification projects, EAPO calls for the development of genetic tools and comprehensive sampling programs. This approach aims to enhance knowledge and management of North Sea cod by providing essential data on stock areas and substock mixing.
In conclusion, EAPO advocates for the adoption of the MSY approach in setting fishing opportunities for North Sea cod in 2024, emphasising the importance of balancing SSB increase and limiting fishers’ income loss. The association’s recommendations signal a commitment to sustainable fisheries management and continued collaboration with stakeholders to address key concerns in the ICES benchmark on North Sea cod.
