Sea Bass Numbers Crash To Lowest In 20 Years, But No UK Gov. Plans To Restrict Fishing

[hatrack]

First it was the cod, then the haddock, the swordfish and even the anchovy – now sea bass looks likely to join the list of no-nos for eco-conscious dinner party menus. Stocks of the palatable species have sunk to their lowest in the past 20 years, according to a new assessment by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas.

Sea bass – a white fish that can be farmed, and has a pleasant, while not over-powering, flavour and a bone structure that responds well to filleting – has been beloved of chefs and home cooks as warnings have been issued over other species. The firm flesh can withstand strong flavours such as chilli while bringing out subtle fragrances in delicate herbs, and over more than two decades has become a restaurant menu and dinner party staple in the UK.

As a result of the crash in stocks, scientists attending a conference run by the Blue Marine Foundation on Wednesday have urged a severe cut in the permitted catches of sea bass in the European Union. They believe that only by restricting wild catches by at least a third around the British Isles in the next year can stocks be allowed to recover, and they called for similar measures in other European waters.

Lisa Readdy, from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Agriculture Science (Cefas), who took part in the ICES assessment, said: "This year's assessment of the bass stocks shows a declining population, with a drop of more than 20% when compared with previous years."

EDIT

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/sep/18/sea-bass-threatened-fish

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