From the UK Angling Trust website
The Angling Trust has written to UK Fisheries Minister George Eustice calling on him to introduce a series of conservation measures to protect UK Bass stocks in the face of the latest scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), which has recommended a staggering 80 per cent cut in catches in order to protect the future of the species.
Failure to take immediate action to protect dwindling Bass stocks would deal a “fatal blow'” to the credibility of both the UK government and the EU in managing commonly-owned sea fisheries resources, claim the Angling Trust.
In addition to calling on the UK to take action to protect bass, the Angling Trust is part of a delegation of representatives from the European Anglers’ Alliance contributing to a workshop in Dublin next month where members of the Common Fishery Policy's Advisory Councils, including commercial fishing representatives, NGOs and the recreational angling sector, will be discussing joint recommendations for managing bass at an EU level which will then be put the EU Commission.
The measures set out by the Trust include:
Publishing the findings of the review, commissioned in 2012, into the evidence supporting an increase in the minimum landing size (MLS) for Bass.
Implementing an emergency increase in MLS to 45cm in order to protect the year classes upon which a stock recovery will have to be built.
Strengthen and enforce the UK's network of Bass nursery areas.
Incentivise the line caught fishery to reduce unwanted mortality and improve selectivity.
Re-profile the current exploitation pattern away from fishing methods that have biggest negative impacts on stocks towards methods that are most environmentally friendly, selective, and generate the best return from the fishery.
Support the UK-wide voluntary Give Fish A Chance code of conduct for recreational angling.
Ensure that policy is formed on the basis of science and evidence.
See More Here http://www.anglingtrust.net/news.asp?it ... Trust+News
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The Science, Technical and Economic Committee on Fisheries (STECF) was recently asked to consider management measures for Bass. The final report from the meeting can be found Here https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/plen1402
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