Marine reserves needed for cod's sake

The 'last cod' was today ceremoniously presented to the government by Greenpeace campaigners as politicians across Europe look set to wipe out the fish.

The metre-long model was carried through London by pall-bearers, accompanied by a floral arrangement, before reaching its final resting home at the government's environment department in Westminster.

The ceremony comes on the eve of the announcement of next year's fishing quotas by Europe's Fishing Ministers, who are widely expected to ignore scientific advice calling for a halt to cod fishing. In October, scientists from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea recommended for the seventh consecutive year that no cod should be caught in order to save beleaguered stocks in the North Sea.

But Greenpeace argue that even if the politicians were to heed the scientists' warnings - 'something they have failed to do for the previous six years' and enforce a 'zero catch' allowance for cod, this would not go far enough to protect dwindling commercial fish stocks or the ocean environment.

The answer, according to Greenpeace, is to establish a network of fully protected marine reserves. Areas designated as marine reserves would be guarded from fishing, waste dumping and the extraction of oil, sand and gravel; these would be the ocean equivalent of national parks. However, the UK along with other countries, including France and Denmark, have tried to wreck the part of a current piece of legislation being considered by politicians, called the Marine Strategy Directive, which could introduce marine reserves in European seas.

Willie Mackenzie, oceans campaigner for Greenpeace, said: "Cod in the North Sea will be wiped out if fishing is allowed to continue. This isn't just bad news for the ecology of the oceans, it'll be devastating for the fishing industry.

"Fisheries ministers across Europe have completely failed to deal with the problem, and it's entirely obvious that responsibility should be taken from them. It's high time for Environment ministers to step in and protect cod and defend the oceans.

"But even implementing zero quotas will not be enough to protect both the fishing industry and the full variety of marine life; they must establish a network of large-scale, fully protected marine reserves."

For more information, contact the Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255.