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| North Sea cod stocks 'on road to sustainability' | North Sea cod stocks 'on road to sustainability' |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| North Sea cod stocks are on the road to sustainability, according to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) research. | North Sea cod stocks are on the road to sustainability, according to Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) research. |
| The council, which certifies whether fish are being caught sustainably, says it is too soon to tell exactly when the North Sea fishery will be sustainable. | The council, which certifies whether fish are being caught sustainably, says it is too soon to tell exactly when the North Sea fishery will be sustainable. |
| But a spokesman said on current trends, it will be ready for certification within years rather than decades. | But a spokesman said on current trends, it will be ready for certification within years rather than decades. |
| Stocks would still be in recovery then, James Simpson said, but they would have passed an acceptable level. | Stocks would still be in recovery then, James Simpson said, but they would have passed an acceptable level. |
| MSC certification is determined by the state of the stocks, the environmental impact of the fishery, and if there is a management system in place to maintain sustainability if circumstances change. | |
| The latter two were already in place, Mr Simpson said. | The latter two were already in place, Mr Simpson said. |
| "This is really great news," he said. "We have done an assessment of the entire inshore industry and it's clear that cod is on the way back." | "This is really great news," he said. "We have done an assessment of the entire inshore industry and it's clear that cod is on the way back." |
| The recovery was thanks to strict catch limits aided by a massive public campaign for sustainable fish, he said. | The recovery was thanks to strict catch limits aided by a massive public campaign for sustainable fish, he said. |
| Barrie Deas, the chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, which represents fisherman in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, told Radio 4's Today programme it was a "dramatic turnaround". | |
| "I think a major part of it is there are fewer vessels out there. There have been big decommissioning schemes. | |
| "There's also been a change in the mindset in the industry. We work very closely with the scientists now." | |
| Despite the positives, the MSC admits to an unwanted side-effect to the campaign against cod-eating. | |
| Some celebrity chefs have pointed people towards red gurnard as an alternative. | Some celebrity chefs have pointed people towards red gurnard as an alternative. |
| This used to be caught as a bycatch, but so many fishermen are now hunting red gurnard that it is possible stocks of that might run low. | This used to be caught as a bycatch, but so many fishermen are now hunting red gurnard that it is possible stocks of that might run low. |
| The data on red gurnard was so poor that it is impossible to tell whether it's sustainable or not, the report says. | The data on red gurnard was so poor that it is impossible to tell whether it's sustainable or not, the report says. |
| Brown crab falls into the same category. | Brown crab falls into the same category. |
| The report calls for investment in stocks, such as red gurnard, to ensure they are sustainably managed. | |
| The MSC's Claire Pescod said: "There's been a significant interest in underutilised species over the past few years. | |
| "When those fish suddenly become commercially popular, we need to put a lot more effort into providing the appropriate information for their management to make sure that they are managed sustainably." | |
| Follow Roger on Twitter | Follow Roger on Twitter |