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Evaluation of Ecological Effects of the North Sea
any reduction in the reported industrial fishery being observed. Unless there is a full
accounting of the losses within both the industrial and human consumption fisheries, it
will be extremely difficult to predict the long-term functioning of the ecosystem. Using
increased estimates of unreported landings and catches, it is clear that some
improvement would occur with a reduction of the industrial fisheries in the North Sea.
This would ensure that the human consumption species would encounter levels of food
similar to those historically consumed when the cod, haddock, whiting and other
stocks were at higher levels. The overall spatial and temporal coherence of the North
Sea predator-prey interactions should improve as a result.
It is recommended that i) improved surveys of the North Sea sandeel stock be
undertaken immediately and that the surveys cover the four quarters of the year, ii) a
detailed analysis of the ecological changes in the North Sea be undertaken with full
participation from the industry and scientific community, so that consensus on the state
of the system can be obtained, iii) new analysis on the impact of over quota landings on
the economic and ecological aspects of sustainable management and the adoption of a
precautionary approach should be undertaken with full EU Member State support, iv)
interim technical measures should be examined including the use of an east-west
division of the North Sea along the 4 degree east longitude line, westwards of which
reductions in the sandeel extraction should be allowed particularly in sensitive areas
supporting large populations of birds, mammals and fish dependent on sandeel, v) the
United Nations FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing be adopted for the
North Sea, vi) an integrated GIS system for the North Sea fish resources be established
to hold all relevant data and contain analysis programmes for the calculation of future
resource strength.
Evaluation of Ecological Effects of the North Sea
any reduction in the reported industrial fishery being observed. Unless there is a full
accounting of the losses within both the industrial and human consumption fisheries, it
will be extremely difficult to predict the long-term functioning of the ecosystem. Using
increased estimates of unreported landings and catches, it is clear that some
improvement would occur with a reduction of the industrial fisheries in the North Sea.
This would ensure that the human consumption species would encounter levels of food
similar to those historically consumed when the cod, haddock, whiting and other
stocks were at higher levels. The overall spatial and temporal coherence of the North
Sea predator-prey interactions should improve as a result.
It is recommended that i) improved surveys of the North Sea sandeel stock be
undertaken immediately and that the surveys cover the four quarters of the year, ii) a
detailed analysis of the ecological changes in the North Sea be undertaken with full
participation from the industry and scientific community, so that consensus on the state
of the system can be obtained, iii) new analysis on the impact of over quota landings on
the economic and ecological aspects of sustainable management and the adoption of a
precautionary approach should be undertaken with full EU Member State support, iv)
interim technical measures should be examined including the use of an east-west
division of the North Sea along the 4 degree east longitude line, westwards of which
reductions in the sandeel extraction should be allowed particularly in sensitive areas
supporting large populations of birds, mammals and fish dependent on sandeel, v) the
United Nations FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing be adopted for the
North Sea, vi) an integrated GIS system for the North Sea fish resources be established
to hold all relevant data and contain analysis programmes for the calculation of future
resource strength.