The immediate reaction of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association to the ICES recommendation for a zero catch Northern Shelf cod quota for 2026 is this could wipe out the fleet ‘at the stroke of a pen.’
‘This is a mad proposal from an organisation that is fast losing any credibility. In the mixed fisheries that our vessels operate in, it is impossible to catch any fish without catching cod,’ said SWFPA chief executive Mike Park.
‘ICES is drastically overstepping the mark into management of the Northern Shelf cod stock which is not their preserve. It is driven by an ultra precautionary approach to rebuilding the southern sub-stock, one of three that comprise the overall stock, on the basis that it mixes with the other two.’
The ICES recommendation states that: Northern shelf cod consists of three substocks (Northwestern, Southern, and Viking) which mix and are caught together. ICES advises that when the maximum sustainable yield (MSY) approach and precautionary considerations are applied, there should be zero catch in 2026 for all substocks.
‘It flies in the face of the commitment by North Sea countries to ensure the stock continues to grow, in other words trying to deliver an output that protects the stock while at the same time ensuring the fleets in these countries can remain in business,’ Mike Park said.
‘Governments will need to treat this advice with great caution as any acceptance of the advice could have very serious consequences indeed.’
