This shows the AIS track for the Reliance II (skipper John Clarke) – at the moment she is just rounding the top of Scotland after going through the Pentland Firth – they have 322 n miles still to do to get to Rockall – it will take nearly 2 days in total – they are going there to catch haddock, monk and hopefully squid – these guys are having to do this so they don’t have to catch cod for which they have run out of or are trying to conserve quota!! – but they keep catching cod because it is all over the North Sea!
This year, the EU tac (total allowable catch) of cod in the North Sea is 21,974 ton.
In 2002 it was 48,600!!
Comment from one skipper: "I'm not saying the cod quota should back up at 2002 levels but with the amount cod we seeing on the grounds it should certainly be higher than it is at present"!!