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Get your free copy19 July 2013, 13:51 PM
- A new major report has found that many European fish stocks are now being fished sustainably and are on the road to recovery
It focused on the status of 57 stocks monitored over 60 years in the northeast Atlantic, examining the data collected at sea, fish markets and on research vessels.
The report’s authors, from the University of Aberdeen, found that over the past ten years there had been major reductions in exploitation of fish stocks, which helped to improve their status.
The report means that the number of many at-risk species of fish are beginning to return to normal levels. However, stocks of cod are still lower than expected.
Dr Paul Fernandes, co-author of the report, said, “Contrary to common perception, the status of our fish stocks is improving. Many of our stocks are not overfished; nature now needs to take its course for these fish to rebuild their populations.”
Dr Roberts, from the University of York, added, “There is an improvement in some of the indicators, and that is good news. But what is monitored is only a small fraction of what is exploited – albeit it is among the more commercially relevant species that are being monitored.”
