Deep sea fish were on the menu for protective measures last November. Europe’s fisheries chief called for cuts to deep-sea fishing quotas to protect exotic deepwater species with an emphasis that trawling be banned for them from 2010. It was recognised that deep-sea fish are more vulnerable because they take longer to reach maturity and reproduce so are in need of these measures to offer them greater protection.

The aim is that rare species such as the forkbeard, black scabbardfish, greater silver smelt and roundnose grenadier, other deep-sea sharks and orange roughy are afforded a level of protection that will allow their stocks to increase.

EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg made it clear that the intention was that changes that have been made, over the last four years and to be made in the years to come, will be gradual. This is to allow the fishing industry to adjust and diversify their catch. The hope is that the fishing community will not be adversely affected by these measures.

But the long term benefits could be significant as species such as the orange roughy which can live up to a hundred and fifty years are given the chance to increase in numbers by being subject to special protection for them and their habitat.

www​.nowpublic​.com/​e​n​v​i​r​o​n​m​e​n​t​/​e​u​-​m​o​v​e​s​-​c​u​t​-​q​u​o​t​a​s​-​p​r​o​t​e​c​t​-​d​e​e​p​-​s​e​a​-​f​ish

Greenpeace run a protect red fish campaign including the orange roughy to find out more please visit:

www​.greenpeace​.org/​n​e​w​-​z​e​a​l​a​n​d​/​s​o​s​/​r​e​d​-​l​ist