General Chat

join the campaign!!

Highlighted on Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's programme.

Let's end this mad EU policy quota called discard... ie fishermen having to throw good fish back into the North Sea!

http://www.fishfight.net/the-campaign

I support Fishermen and they do a good job. Thing is if they are allowed to return with as many fish as they wish to, It won't be long before the sea's are empty of fish. No fish will be left to be caught. Just something to think about for you.

I think the fishermen proved that theory wrong in many cases, but we all need to learn to try other fish as well as cod!

I have watched all the programmes with great interest and a lot of frustration for the fishermen and the way the rules are made. Other countries don't stick to the rules as they should and have pushed out boats out of their rightful areas.

Lizx

Agree with you there Liz and the interviews Hugh had with EU ministers showed how arrogant some of them are.

5EXY....I do think about it! very strongly in fact!

I support our fisherman too,three generations of my family were fishermen,now the quays-sides here are empty because of CFP .... fishermen lost their boats and livelihood....Of course sea stocks have to be controlled and monitored,just common sense, but slinging back good wholesome fish to lie dead on the seabed is a good thing??

There needs to be new ruling and the sooner the better imo

I just reread what I wrote & it is a bit "armaggedon" like.

It should've been more "they need to come up with a compromise whereby the Fishermen are still able to earn a living,fish stocks are not depleted beyond rescue & this waste is stopped".

I agree-a new ruling & soon.

You,ll probably find its only the English boats that do this to comply with the rules and the Zealots over here who issue large fines to them, the other Countries could,nt give a toss and land everything they catch their officials turn a blind eye.**M**.

Think you're right Merlin....

Them maybe the ones that turn a blind eye should be punished. Proving it is another story.

"the other Countries could,nt give a toss"??? Australia has very strict rules on both commercial and recreational fishing and our officials don't "turn a blind eye". Not sure where you get your info. from.

S

SueMaid not Australia.

More likely individual countries in Europe who 'appear' to set their own rules at times.

Thank you for clarifying that Mau. I get a little annoyed at 'throw away' comments at times:-))

S

So do I Sue. :o)

The countries who are not adhering to rules... overfishing Mackeral for instance, are the Faroes and Iceland,who don't appear to have any regard for fellow fishermen in UK or Norway.
Of course there has to be quotas to enable fish to develop and populate the seas but discarding of Tonnes of big healthy fish is ludicrous. There has to be another way.

Throwing back dead fish? What good will that do? I agree with quotas too but that strikes me as being wasteful. There may be a good reason for the decision. I'm sure the 'powers that be' think it's a good idea anyway:-))

S

Joined. A good cause for sure. Hugh is rarely wrong! He knows his onions, or in this case, his fish.

Regards

GA

Surely if they keep all the fish they catch (smaller ones too - they're dead anyway) these will form part of their quota.
At the moment they're throwing the small fish back, then fishing more to get their quota, and catching more small fish , throwing them back, catching more etc etc!!!!
Ridiculous!!!

Sue, they aren't meant to catch small fish, as they are expected to grow and breedbreed!!
Someone in 'power' needs to learn one basic fact - dead fish don't breed!!

Thanks GA

Maggie.....the fishermen are actually throwing enormous fish back into the sea,huge cod in fact,enough to feed a family of twenty.

Boats usually have to catch one type of fish ie. Plaice,Bloater, Mackeral... usually with smaller scale nets,that's part of the problem.
If they could land many kinds of fish, legally,there would not be this sheer waste!
There will,I'm sure, be more debates in Brussels,just hope they're fair to all.

Mau, Im glad you posted this thread,

I had no idea of the scale of discard. Call me silly but I thought discard was bits of old stuff which was wasted when the catch got back to shore.

OH and I sat horrified and watched for 3 nights.
I have signed up and gone and bought pole and line Tuna from S*********
rather than the "dolphin friendly" type I normally do.

Teresa

There are some nice recipies on Hughs site as well

Hi Teresa thanks

It certainly does bring home to us, and make us aware of things/events, like this,happening around the world.....the power of television!

Cooking different types of fish is always a good thing too.I also like the recipes.
I wasn't a fan of Jamie Oliver in his early tv programmes,but quite like him now that he's more 'mature' (for want of a better word)

Hi Mau

Will keep the post nudged, Even my Children were shocked.
The eldest who has a part time Saturday job was telling her fellow workers on the Deli about it this morning when I popped in.

They were also under the impression that "Dolphin friendly"
covered all fish.

Teresa