Vol. 533 No. 1
64 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he incorporates into fishery models the research from the University of New Hampshire in Durham, which has found that increased ultra violet radiation from thinning atmospheric ozone could be killing cod larvae; and the status of the cod conservation plans of the Government. [7609/01]
The status of cod stocks and the main commercially exploited stocks of fish and shellfish off the Irish coast and within EU waters generally is assessed annually by the relevant national scientists within a number of working groups under the aegis of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas, ICES. ICES's advisory committee on fisheries management, ACFM reviews the reports of the various working groups and a composite report is subsequently presented to the European Community's scientific, technical and economic committee for fisheries, STECF. The working group reports and the ACFM review inform the STECF's proposals to the European Commission on total allowable catches, TACs, and quotas.
The Marine Institute represents Ireland in these scientific fora and I have consulted it in relation to the research work referred to by the Deputy. While the institute is not aware that this research has been specifically considered in analyses undertaken to date, I have been informed by the institute that there is some very limited evidence to suggest that the presence of ultra violet radiation may have a detrimental effect on the survival of eggs but this has not been substantiated.
Assessment of cod stocks has shown that recruitment of young cod to the adult stock is highly variable. Although female cod may produce more than five or six million eggs, the survival rate is very low and depends on many factors, in particular water temperature, prevailing winds and currents and predation by other species.
As the Deputy will be aware, there have been a number of poor cod recruitment classes in recent years, not just in the Irish Sea but in the North Sea and other areas also. A cod recovery plan is already in place for the Irish Sea and similar plans are now being developed for the North Sea and the west of Scotland. These plans recognise that the immediate priorities are, firstly, to assist the spawning process and, secondly, to protect juvenile cod through a variety of technical conservation measures. I believe that these measures will lead to an improvement in the status of cod stocks.
