1. BACKGROUND

The state of the hake stocks has been most recently reviewed by the Ad hoc Working Group on Hakes in the Northern Zone of CECAF, which met in Tenerife, 5-9 June 1978. The conclusions of this Working Group were in agreement with those of previous studies, in that these stocks are being heavily fished and that catches would be increased by the use of larger meshes and by a reduction in the fishing effort. While these conclusions apply to all hake stocks, it appears that the stock or stocks of Merluccius merluccius, which occur mainly in the more northern area (particularly from Cape Bojador north to the Strait of Gibraltar) are more heavily fished than the more southerly stocks of M. senegalensis and M. cadenati. The former stock would therefore benefit more from an increase in mesh size, and would require a relatively greater reduction in fishing mortality.

While no new explicit calculations of the effect of larger meshes in the fishery for sea breams have been made, the CECAF Working Party on Resources Evaluation at its Third Session (Rome, February 1976) believed (see section 3.1.2 of its report) that earlier conclusions on the impact of a 60 mm mesh size regulation (i.e., that it would give long-term benefits) remained valid.

These facts have been known for some time, and at its Second Session in Dakar, May 1971, CECAF endorsed the specific proposals made by its Working Party on Regulatory Measures for Demersal Stocks with regard to the regulation of mesh size for hakes, and referred the matter to its Sub-Committee on the Implementation for Management Measures. This Sub-Committee at its meeting in Rome, 27-30 June 1972, agreed with the need for a regulation of mesh size, and after considering the practical problems involved passed the following recommendation:

“1.

Persons and vessels under their jurisdiction shall not use, while fishing for sea bream (members of the family Sparidae) or hake (genus Merluccius), nets with meshes whose internal stretched diameter is less than 70 mm, in the area of the Eastern Central Atlantic, except in shallow waters within 50 m contour south of Cape Verde. The mesh size shall be defined as, in the codend of the net, the average of the measurements of any 50 consecutive meshes running parallel to the long axis of the codend, and in any part of the net other than the codend, the average of the measurements of the meshes in any series of 20 consecutive meshes, as measured by the standard (ICES) pressure gauge.

2.

To avoid impairment of fisheries conducted primarily for other species, particularly shrimp, pelagic fish and cephalopods, some of which take small quantities of hake and sea bream, fishing for the former species with meshes less than 70 mm shall be permitted, provided that the catches of the latter species by the vessel concerned in any one voyage does not exceed 20 percent by weight of the total.

3.

When fishing in accordance with paragraph 1 above, the use by any vessel or person of any means or device, other than described in paragraph 4 below, which would obstruct the meshes of the nets or which would otherwise have the effect of diminishing the selective action of the nets, shall not be permitted.

4.

(a)

The use of canvas, netting or other material attached to the underside only of the codend of a net to reduce and prevent damage shall be permitted.

(b)

The use of chafing gear attached to the upper side of the net shall be permitted, provided that it is of a mesh at least twice the size of the size permitted for the codend, and that it is not attached at the rear end.

(c)

No attachment inside the net shall be permitted.”

At the following (Third) Session of CECAF in Tenerife, 11-15 December 1972, the Committee was informed that several countries had formally notified the Director-General of FAO of steps being taken. At its Fourth Session (Rome, 8-11 October 1974) CECAF noted that the mesh size regulation was the only management measure for which a formal recommendation had been made by CECAF, bat neither at these sessions, nor at its Fifth Session (Lomé, 7-11 March 1977) did CECAF consider the degree to which the recommended mesh sizes were being used in practice. It now appears that the meshes being used are less, and in the case of some fleets, considerably less, than the recommended 70 mm.

There is therefore the need to examine the reasons why the recommended mesh size is not being used, with a view to either taking such action as may be necessary to ensure the practical implementation of a 70 mm minimum mesh size, or, if there are obstacles to such an implementation that make it impracticable, to amend or formally revoke the recommendation and to seek other means of reducing the capture of small hake and sea bream.

In addition, the meeting needs to give close attention to the steps that might be taken to achieve a reduction in the fishing effort. For hakes, the recent Working Group meeting has shown that this would clearly be desirable, and for the northern (M. merluccius) stock the extent of the reduction is very considerable. For sea bream the analyses so far available are not so conclusive, but do suggest that the stocks are heavily fished. In that case, even if a reduction of effort is not immediately desirable, it would be sensible to consider now what measures would be needed to control, and as necessary reduce, the effort on these stocks.

“1.	Persons and vessels under their jurisdiction shall not use, while fishing for sea bream (members of the family Sparidae) or hake (genus Merluccius), nets with meshes whose internal stretched diameter is less than 70 mm, in the area of the Eastern Central Atlantic, except in shallow waters within 50 m contour south of Cape Verde. The mesh size shall be defined as, in the codend of the net, the average of the measurements of any 50 consecutive meshes running parallel to the long axis of the codend, and in any part of the net other than the codend, the average of the measurements of the meshes in any series of 20 consecutive meshes, as measured by the standard (ICES) pressure gauge.

2.	To avoid impairment of fisheries conducted primarily for other species, particularly shrimp, pelagic fish and cephalopods, some of which take small quantities of hake and sea bream, fishing for the former species with meshes less than 70 mm shall be permitted, provided that the catches of the latter species by the vessel concerned in any one voyage does not exceed 20 percent by weight of the total.

3.	When fishing in accordance with paragraph 1 above, the use by any vessel or person of any means or device, other than described in paragraph 4 below, which would obstruct the meshes of the nets or which would otherwise have the effect of diminishing the selective action of the nets, shall not be permitted.

4.	(a)	The use of canvas, netting or other material attached to the underside only of the codend of a net to reduce and prevent damage shall be permitted.

	(b)	The use of chafing gear attached to the upper side of the net shall be permitted, provided that it is of a mesh at least twice the size of the size permitted for the codend, and that it is not attached at the rear end.

	(c)	No attachment inside the net shall be permitted.”