The European Commission has announced a ban on trawling for sea bass to "avert the collapse of the declining" stock.

Effective immediately, the emergency measures ban targeting the fish stock by trawling while it is reproducing, during the spawning season, which runs until the end of April.

This will be complemented by further measures to ensure that all those who fish sea bass make a balanced and fair contribution to saving the stock.

The European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, said: "The impact of this stock collapsing would be catastrophic for the livelihoods of so many fishermen and coastal communities. This is about saving sea bass and saving jobs in the commercial and recreational fishing sector. I am proud of our quick reaction to what is an immediate danger to the stock".

"The pelagic trawling ban is a critical first step in this package of measures. This ban will protect the stock from being targeted when at its most vulnerable – when the fish is coming together in shoals during the spawning season to reproduce.

"The spawning season is already underway and will last until end of April. Pelagic trawling reduces the spawning stock as it makes up 25 per cent of the impact on the stock.

"With a reduced spawning stock further actions and any rebuilding of the stock would be endangered.

"The measure will therefore come into force immediately and last until April 30, 2015. It will apply to the Channel, Celtic Sea, Irish Sea and southern North Sea.

The commission is "currently making a renewed and urgent effort in order to help Council and Member States put in place a package of measures to manage commercial and recreational fisheries on seabass more effectively".

For recreational fishing, which accounts for 25 per cent of sea bass catches, this would include a limit of three fish per day per angler.

Member states would also need to set a minimum size of 42 cm so that fish are not caught, or are released, before they have reproduced.

For other commercial fisheries than pelagic trawling, this would also include limiting catches.