DISCARDS AT SEA
Around half of the fish caught by fishermen in the North Sea are unnecessarily thrown back into the ocean dead.
The problem is that in a mixed fishery where many different fish live together, fishermen cannot control the species that they catch.
Fishing for one species often means catching another, and if people don’t want them or fishermen are not allowed to land them, the only option is to throw them overboard. The vast majority of these discarded fish will die.
Because discards are not monitored, it is difficult to know exactly how many fish are being thrown away. The EU estimates that in the North Sea, discards are between 40% and 60% of the total catch. Many of these fish are species that have fallen out of fashion: we can help to prevent their discard just by rediscovering our taste for them.
Others are prime cod, haddock, plaice and other popular food species that are “over-quota”. The quota system is intended to protect fish stocks by setting limits on how many fish of a certain species should be caught.
Fishermen are not allowed to land any over-quota fish; if they accidentally catch them – which they can’t help but do - there is no choice but to throw them overboard before they reach the docks
By supporting this campaign, your name will be added to a letter to be sent to Commissioner Maria Damanaki, members of the Common Fisheries Policy Reform Group, and all MEPs.
"To Commissioner Damanaki, Members of the European Parliament and all member state governments,
I have seen images of dead and dying fish discarded in European waters.
I understand that the current Common Fisheries Policy leads to discarding on a vast scale; for example, half of all fish caught in the North Sea are being discarded because of the current quota system imposed by the CFP.
I want this senseless waste of food to end. I want you to use your influence to stop this unacceptable and shameful practice.
I am supporting the Fish Fight campaign to help bring about this vital change in our seas."
1 comment:
Part of the problem, as well, is that a lot of people won't try new fish - thus those (often sustainable fish) don't have a market value.
Not so bad here in France but try taking an English person to the fish counter in a French supermarket (full of loads of DIFFERENT types of fish) and watch them NOT choose anything other than Cod or Plaice.
Those Rougets that we have here (the little red fish with the big heads) have absolutely no value in the UK but they are excellent eating and breed fast so are more sustainable than Cod.
The solution to fishermen accidentally catching over-quota fish is to let them sell them but tax then on those over-quota fish.
The fisherman makes a bit of extra money for the over-quota fish and the government earns more tax money to help educate people about eating different (and more sustainable) types of fish (perhaps through subsidies?)
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