Danish fishing leader Svend-Erik Andersen questions ICES advice in relation to fishing opportunities for cod in the North Sea and Skagerrak for 2024
The 2024 cod quota recommendations for the North Sea and Skagerrak have been unveiled in 2024 which has sparked concerns and frustration within the Danish Fishermen’s Association.
Despite a 46% increase in the cod stock, ICES is recommending a 12.7% reduction in the total cod quota for the North Sea and Skagerrak. The encouraging news, says the Association, is that all three cod stocks are 46% larger than previously estimated, a development celebrated by the fishing industry. However, in contrast to this growth, ICES is proposing a 12.7% reduction in the overall cod quota for the North Sea and Skagerrak in 2024.
“This is grave news for the fishing sector. ICES acknowledges that the cod stock is expanding, and our catches affirm the same trend. This is undeniably positive. Nevertheless, ICES is recommending an overall quota reduction, which is a highly controversial piece of advice that could pose severe challenges for the fishing industry,” remarks Svend-Erik Andersen, Chairman of the Danish Fishermen’s Association.
Championing the Cod Fishing Industry
The Danish Fishermen’s Association is determined not to accept this advice without a fight. It is unprecedented for quotas to be reduced when ICES acknowledges a significant growth in the cod stock.
“We will vigorously pursue this matter. ICES’s recommendation is an affront to the fishing industry and common sense. When fish stocks expand, quotas should follow suit. Therefore, we, in collaboration with our counterparts in other countries, will vigorously pursue this matter on various fronts, including domestically, within the EU system, and within ICES,” asserts Svend-Erik Andersen.
Alignment of Stock and Quota
The Danish Fishermen’s Association advocates for the continuous alignment of fish stock size and fishing quotas. Deviating from this principle is likely to lead to problems.
“This advice places fishermen in a difficult predicament. It is problematic when there are more cod in the sea than the quota allows. This is absurd, especially when biologists themselves indicate that the stock is larger than previously estimated, suggesting there should be more room for sustainable fishing. I hope that the EU Commission and responsible policymakers will take this into consideration when determining fishing opportunities,” emphasizes Svend-Erik Andersen.
Confusion Arising from a New Management Model
One reason for ICES recommending a quota reduction is that, for the first time, ICES is tasked with providing advice for three distinct stocks distributed across the area, instead of a single stock. Since the southern stock is not in as good condition as the two northern stocks, the overall quota is set lower as a precautionary measure.
“In my view, this is a peculiar desk-based logic that hinders us from exploiting the two substocks that are thriving because of the less favorable state of the third stock. I find this puzzling, especially when all three stocks are experiencing significant growth. This situation introduces considerable uncertainty,” remarks Svend-Erik Andersen.
The final decision on the cod quota for the North Sea and Skagerrak will be made in December during the Council meeting. During this meeting, EU fisheries ministers will approve the outcome of trilateral negotiations on fishing opportunities involving the EU, the UK, and Norway.
FACTS: ICES Advice
ICES assesses that the combined spawning stock biomass of the three stocks will be 106,699 tons at the start of 2024. This year’s advice is based on recognizing three distinct cod stocks in the area.
In the previous year, ICES estimated that the spawning stock biomass for the three stocks was 73,038 tons. Therefore, the three stocks have grown by 46%.
Based on this, ICES recommends a cod catch of 22,691 tons in 2024, compared to the recommended catch of 26,008 tons in 2023. This constitutes a reduction of 3,317 tons, equivalent to a 12.7% reduction in the overall recommended catch compared to 2023.
