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The annual meeting of the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada saw the adoption of an interim plan tabled by Canada for cod recovery on the Grand Banks. This plan, promoted by WWF, is a step towards recovery of this depleted fishery.
According to the World Wildlife Fund, while the interim plan is a positive step, a future cod fishery on the Grand Banks may still be at risk given the amount of cod bycatch in other fisheries. NAFO has not yet set a science-based bycatch target and this year it compromised on the recommended allowable amount, said WWF in a statement following the meeting.
NAFO also made some progress on protecting vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs), including an agreement to reassess the impacts of bottom fishing on VMEs. This was largely due to strong science-based conservation proposals tabled by the Unites States.
The week began with a focus on the management organisation’s performance to find solutions for addressing the 129 performance review recommendations that came as a result of an independent evaluation conducted earlier this year.
In the end NAFO established a working group to develop an action plan within a year, providing a strong foundation for the “long-term conservation and sustainable use of fishery resources in the Northwest Atlantic.”
Overall, efforts to implement a precautionary and ecosystem approach to fisheries management more widely will be required, said WWF.
“Seafood market demand for well-managed ecosystems should continue to provide incentives for science- based and precautionary approaches to NAFO decision making.”
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