April 27, 2012 – As the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform heats up, Oceana is urging the Council to favour responsibility over short term political gain and put the future of Europe’s fish stocks first.
Oceana has drawn attention to a new paper co-authored by fisheries scientist Dr Rainer Froese and resource economist Martin Quaas, linking the Council’s poor decisions and disregard for scientific advice to the collapse of North Sea cod. The international marine conservation organisation is urging Council members to put aside their talking points and make the strong decisions necessary to safeguard the future of Europe’s fish stocks and industry.
“For years, the Council has consistently disregarded science, and this study shows one of the many consequences of their careless inaction,” stated Xavier Pastor, Executive Director of Oceana Europe. “The Council had all the information they needed to prevent the collapse of cod in the North Sea – but they willfully chose to ignore it, and now the fishing industry is paying the price. European citizens have entrusted them with the responsible management of this public good and it is high time our Ministers repair that broken trust.”
Read the complete story from The Fish Site.