DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (News Release ref
:476/07) issued by The Government News Network on 19 December 2007
Britain's
fishermen will be able to earn extra days at sea under new
conservation measures after the European Union (EU) backed UK
proposals designed to protect cod stocks and reduce the amount of
fish thrown back dead into the sea (discards).
UK Fisheries Minister Jonathan Shaw welcomed the support for an
action plan to reduce discards which lets fishermen adopt tailored
measures that work best for them.
A joint UK-Ireland initiative in the Irish Sea aimed at improving
understanding of the state of stocks and avoiding discards was
also backed, allowing participating boats to earn extra days at sea.
The deal reached in Brussels today by EU fisheries ministers on
catch limits and the number of days trawlers can go to sea next
year will see some increases in annual quotas as well as further
conservation measures designed to protect vulnerable stocks.
Other highlights for the UK include:
* 50 per cent increase in Rockall haddock quota.
* 11 per
cent increase in North Sea cod quota.
* 5 per cent increase in
Irish Sea haddock quota.
* 8 per cent increase in North Sea
megrim quota.
Jonathan Shaw said:
"The UK has shown that its fishermen are committed to
finding new ways of protecting vulnerable stocks. We wanted to
avoid cuts to days at sea for our fishermen, but the overall deal
that we achieved offsets some of those agreed.
"Today's agreement acknowledges efforts by our
fishermen to find new ways to safeguard stocks and to prevent
large amounts of the fish they catch having to be thrown back dead
into the sea.
"I want to pay tribute to my fellow Ministers from the
devolved administrations and their officials as well as Defra
officials - everyone worked together for a fair deal that has
benefits for fishermen throughout the UK."
ENDS
Public enquiries 08459 335577;
Press notices are available on our website http://www.defra.gov.uk
Defra's aim is sustainable development
To subscribe or unsubscribe to Defra's mailing list go to:
http://www.gnn.gov.uk/Once
on the GNN website see Sign up
Nobel House
17 Smith Square
London SW1P 3JR
Website
http://www.defra.gov.uk