1. IT’S TIME TO LISTEN TO
SCIENTIFIC ADVICE
This Week. It’s time to set fishing limits that do not
exceed scientific advice

2. Overfished
Three out of four assessed EU fish stocks are
overfished, 63% in the Atlantic and 94% in the
Mediterranean

3. Lost
Revenue
The World Bank estimates that overfishing
costs the global economy $50 billion in lost
revenue per annum

4. Stocks
Collapse
Predicted
The European Commission has predicted without
drastic action, only eight out of 136 stocks will be at
levels viable for commercial exploitation by 2022

5. Unsustainable
levels of fishing
In Irish waters it is estimated nearly half of all
assessed commercial stocks are currently being
fished at unsustainable levels

6. Zero Catch
in 2012
In line with fisheries scientists recommendations since
2004, for 2012 the European Commission is proposing zero
catches of cod in the Irish Sea and West of Scotland

7. Limits
Exceeded
Between 1987 and 2011, for eleven fish stocks examined,
fishing limits exceeded the scientific advice by an average
of 33%

8. 60%
Discarded
60% of all fish caught in the EU are discarded

9. Stock sizes
can increase
If the right decisions are made, stock sizes and fish
landed could increase by up to 70 percent with a gross
value-added for the fishing sector of up to 90%

10. Decision
Week
On December 15th-16th, EU fisheries ministers
decide on fishing limits (TACs) for 2012;
Simon Coveney has the opportunity to take a stand against overfishing
by pushing for fishing limits that do not exceed scientific advice
In response to a recent Department stakeholder consultation eight of
the ten submissions received clearly requested that fishing limits not
exceed scientific advice
One submission represented a compilation of 4,500 individual
responses from the Irish public to an Avaaz.org action call
IT’S TIME TO LISTEN TO
SCIENTIFIC ADVICE

11. Decision
On November 23rd Simon Coveney presented Week
to the Dáil, a Sea Fisheries Sustainability
Impact Assessment, the synthesis of the
stakeholder consultation;
He stated, “*t+he balance of the contributions indicates a need for
greater adherence to the scientific advice available to enable prudent
and appropriate management decisions to be made. This is necessary
to provide for sustainable fish stocks and support the viability of the
fishing industry, while also protecting the broader marine ecosystem.”;
and “there are some stocks for which the scientific advice (including
from Ireland’s Marine Institute) for fishing limits differs from the
Commission proposal, in these cases the advice should still be adhered
to.”
IT’S TIME TO LISTEN TO
SCIENTIFIC ADVICE

12. Decision
Week
Setting fishing limits that exceed
scientific advice is like a five tonne
truck driving over a bridge with a three
tonne limit.
IT’S TIME TO LISTEN TO
SCIENTIFIC ADVICE

13. Decision
Week
Setting fishing limits that exceed
scientific advice is like a five tonne
truck driving over a bridge with a three
tonne limit.
IT’S TIME TO LISTEN TO
SCIENTIFIC ADVICE