EU: Green paper signals clampdown on overfishing in EU

The European Commission has released a green paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, that will almost certainly lead to tighter fishing restrictions in EU waters, because of the concerns that stocks have been overfished. The paper claims that there were 90% more adult demersal (bottom-dwelling) fish in EU waters in the early 1970s than in the late 1990s. "This is due to too much fishing by a fleet that is too large for the amount of fish that should be caught and by conservation measures which have not been effective or selective enough to protect fish stocks and marine ecosystems," said the paper.