Fish stocks rising

A SHETLAND study that shows fish stocks in the North Sea are on the rise received an airing in Brussels this week.

A recent report by the NAFC Marine Centre revealed that in the past decade cod stocks have doubled, plaice stocks have trebled and hake stocks have quadrupled while the number of fish caught each year has fallen year on year.

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation said the story was the same in the north east Atlantic where all species had experienced a decline in catching over the past ten years.

Chief executive Bertie Armstrong said: “What is particularly significant and noteworthy about this new data is the sheer scope of the downward trend in fishing pressure, which is occurring across all species groups and over a broad geographical area.”

The reports were presented during a working breakfast where Scottish fishing skippers addressed the European Parliament.

Meanwhile in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday Shetland MSP Tavish Scott called for an end to the cod recovery plan and the introduction of regional fishery management at the earliest opportunity.