North Sea fishermen are allowed to catch more cod

Created: 12/13/2022, 12:14 p.m

The EU countries have agreed on strict protection of eels and catches for cod.

© Axel Heimken/dpa

Every year, the EU countries bitterly argue about catches in European seas.

While fishermen are happy about every ton more, environmentalists point out the desolate condition of many stocks.

Brussels - The German North Sea fishermen will be allowed to catch more cod, saithe and haddock in the coming year.

The permitted catch volume for cod increases by 60 percent to almost 2,000 tons, for haddock by 25 percent to almost 1,600 tons and for pollock by 17 percent to a good 5,000 tons, as the Federal Ministry of Agriculture announced on Tuesday after nightly negotiations with the other EU countries.

On the other hand, the catch volume of North Sea herring, which is important for German fisheries, will decrease.

Around 37,500 tons and thus 9 percent less than this year may be caught in 2023.

No buffer for the climate crisis

In addition, the ministries agreed on strict protection of eels.

The German Ministry of Agriculture spoke of "difficult negotiations".

Environmentalists say the results don't go far enough.

"The agreed catch levels lack a buffer to absorb the effects of the climate crisis," complained Stella Nemecky, fish expert at the environmental and species protection organization WWF.

The significantly increased catch of North Sea cod endangers the growth of the stock.

"The North Sea remains a high-risk area for cod," said Nemecky.

The Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) assessed the negotiations as an improvement compared to previous years, but progress comes too late for many fish populations.

Every year, the EU countries determine the total allowable catches for certain waters.

On this basis, the respective national catches are allocated to the individual countries using fixed distribution keys.

The negotiations are based on a proposal from the EU Commission, which is primarily based on scientific recommendations.

Many fish stocks are not doing well. In addition to fishing, environmental influences such as climate change are causing them problems.

The European eel should have a closed season

There should be new protective measures for the European eel, which is threatened with extinction, as said by EU Environment Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius.

Money from EU pots is also available for this.

The Commission had proposed a six-month grace period, which was extended by three months.

Germany also supported this, the Ministry of Agriculture announced.

However, there is some leeway in implementation.

In addition, recreational fishermen should be prohibited from catching eel in coastal waters.

BUND and WWF welcomed this.

However, both organizations vehemently criticized the fact that such an endangered species should be caught at all.

BUND Managing Director Antje von Broock also expressed some appreciation for the work of Agriculture Minister Cem Özdemir (Greens).

"After a year we can see the first signs of a green change in German fisheries policy," she said.

According to EU information, bilateral negotiations with Great Britain and Norway are still ongoing.

For jointly managed stocks, it was therefore initially agreed to extend the existing catches to the first three months of the coming year.

dpa