NEWS | OCTOBER 2018
EU Fisheries Ministers
to Consider Bass Limits
EU Fisheries Ministers are
considering a proposal
from the European
Commission which is
expected to recommend the
reinstatement of a bag limit
for recreational catches of
sea bass for the remainder
of 2018.
This follows a publication
in June of revised
scientifi c advice from the
International Council for the
Exploration of the Sea (ICES)
which signifi cantly reduced
the estimated impact of
recreational fi shing on bass
from 1,627 tonnes down to
212 tonnes, giving scope to
reinstate a bag limit.
In October 2017, ICES
provided an estimate of sea
bass mortality attributable
to public sea angling of
1,627 tonnes, which resulted
in the introduction of a
complete ban on sea anglers
taking a bass for the table
in 2018. This was while
commercial fi shermen
could continue landing bass,
effectively privatising the
bass fi shery. A proposed ban
on anglers targeting bass on
a catch & release basis in
the fi rst six months of 2018
was overturned, following
a 13,000 signature petition
organised through the
European Anglers Alliance
(EAA) which is the European
organisation for recreational
angling, which defends the
interests of three million
affi liated European anglers’
from 17 countries.
European sea anglers have
been left feeling annoyed
by the “no-take” policy,
which they consider being
unfair and unnecessary, and
are now frustrated about
how long it has taken the
European Commission to
Fisheries Minister George Eustice
respond after the revised
scientifi c advice was issued
earlier this summer. Further
frustration was compounded
by knowing that while
anglers faced drastic
restrictions, commercial
fi shermen have been able
to land and sell bass since
January this year.
The Angling Trust has
written to Fisheries Minister
George Eustice asking
him to support a two fi sh
recreational bass bag limit
and to “do whatever you can
to ensure that the proposal
is considered by the Council
at the earliest opportunity”
following a commitment
made last year to look again
at the measures when new
scientifi c advice became
available.