New stock assessments from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) recommend severe catch cuts, including a total zero-catch limit for plaice in the Irish Sea, joining a list of collapsed stocks that includes Irish Sea cod and whiting, and Celtic Sea cod, haddock and whiting.
The findings paint a grim picture of decades of overfishing, prompting environmental groups to warn that Britain’s seas are “teetering on the brink.”
Jonny Hughes, Fisheries Policy Manager at Blue Marine Foundation said: “These stocks are in serious trouble and these assessments show what should have been obvious – massive and continued overfishing is the biggest challenge facing fishing communities.”
Read the full article from Oceanographic here.
