ICES has published its scientific advice for the 2011 TAC which suggested some positive signs for the North Sea/Skagerrak cod stocks, but the situation for their Kattegat cousins remains at a critical level. ICES said that there were now more spawning cod in the North Sea/Skagerrak, a positive sign, but that the fishing mortality is still too high, and quotas should be reduced next year.
The TAC for 2010 is 33.600 tonnes; for 2011 ICES suggests less than 18.000 tonnes if the MSY approach is to be applied, or 32.240 if the 2008 management plan is to be followed. As for the Kattegat cod stock, ICES underlines that, with low recruitment, insufficient spawning and too high fishing mortality, the stock is now at its worst level ever. The scientists recommend, for the tenth straight year, no catches of cod at all in Kattegat.
In a press release from the Swedish Board of Fisheries, Director-General Axel Wenblad noted that Sweden and Denmark last year jointly decided to close or restrict cod fisheries in some protected areas of the Kattegat, and that it now “becomes even more clear that this type of radical measures are necessary”.
