Protecting
sea bass The European Commission has announced a package of measures to protect sea bass Emergency ban on pelagic trawling of sea bass during spawning season (until the end of April) in:
The Irish Sea
The North Sea The Celtic Sea
The Channel Islands
Complementary measures will be proposed to manage recreational fishing and limit catches by all other commercial fisheries in coordination with:
The United Kingdom
France
Belgium
The Netherlands
Ireland
The European Commission will put forward a proposal to the Council
Why
pelagic trawling? Pelagic trawlers endanger sea bass during the spawning season (when they are most vulnerable) account
If the fishing of sea bass during the spawning season continues, the stock’s future will be jeopardised
25
%
of the reduction in stock
Sea bass
SSB in 1000 t
a stock in decline 20
SPAWNING STOCK BIOMASS
15 10 5
1985
1990
2000
1995
2005
2010
Below this limit, reproductive capacity risks being severely inhibited We are witnessing a rapid decline in sea bass stocks that could lead to a collapse
2015
Source: ICES 2014, advice for seabass in southern North Sea, Channel, Celtic Sea, Irish Sea
Sea bass & recreational fishing Sea bass is a popular target for recreational f ishers, especially anglers account
25
% toseabass landings
Top countries for recreational fishing 1 2
3
France United Kingdom
The Netherlands
1.3
900 000 anglers
million people
9
million
530
€
1.60
€
billion
million/year
Recreational angling supported
10 400 full-time
equivalent jobs
fishing trips every year
angling equipment, baits and boats
Fisheries
in 2012 in recreational fishing