I attended the CFP (Common Fisheries Policy) reform meeting “Another Future for Fish” today in Brussels.
My team and I set up a massive screen outside the Conference Building opposite the European Commission, and our viral video was playing all day.
I also managed to get an interview with Maria Damanaki, the Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, the head honcho of CFP Reform.
Fishery stakeholders from all over Europe were present, and many of them agreed to join the Fish Fight Campaign. The discard issue was raised throughout the day, during various debates and presentations.
I was able to announce during one debate that the Fish Fight anti-discard campaign has already attracted 17,000 sign-ups since its launch just 18 hours earlier.
It was a great way to launch the campaign ... To be here in Brussels, right at the heart of policy making.
It seems to me that if the public, the fishermen, the Conservationists and the Politicians can agree about one thing, it is that discard must be eliminated.
The big question of course is how, and that is what the Commission will be grappling with in the coming months.
I hope that every potential new policy direction will face up to the question: ‘Yes, but will it help reduce discard?’
And as long as we continue to get such fantastic support for our campaign, I’m confident that will happen. Thanks everybody, keep it coming ... And tell your friends!”
Sign up here: http://www.fishfight.net
Cheers
Hugh
Food shortages, not for the seagulls & sharks, this is CRAZY. This is what you get when you let other countries make the rules The brilliant and not to be forgotten KEITH FLOYD was campaigning against this in the 1980's, it seemed to fall on deaf ears. Anyway you go for it HUGH and team, and lets hope you succeed, and hopefully this might bring the cost of fish down, and everyone wins. Well done to all at RCHQ and we will see you on 19th Nov 2010 at the Christmas Fayre, Love to all Brian & Net (Lincolnshire) xx
Bloody Brilliant Hugh. You just keep going on and on with your team. Keep up the good work we will support you all the way. P.s. see you Friday for Christmas. Regards, Gary Fincham.
Hey Hugh we're in Brussels on Thursday fancy a drink?
Best wishes Hugh with the campaign, I signed up as soon as I heard about it. Sometimes I can just see some big trawlers out at sea when I am stood on top of the hills around West Bay and it makes me shudder to think how many fish they catch and then throw away, been thinking about that this summer.
I think making people aware of discard it commendable - my husband is a commerical hand line fisherman and a member of a tagging scheme and the large factory trawlers are the bain of our lives, however I fear that without a real proposal on what can be done to help stop discard, this campaign may push our government into making a rash decision (and lets face it, it wouldn't be the first time that's happened with regards to our fishing fleet) when what the UK really needs is careful thought on measures to help protect our fish stocks whilst keeping as many fishermen in business as possible.
Keep fighting the good fight Hugh, real fella, love Ya mate ;0)
Anyone moaning about the price of fish,wants to go out on a trawler in a rough sea,then say its to expensive,thats the price of fish.
Regarding cheaper fish in Spain,our government allowed foreign trawlers to fish our stocks,whilst watching our fishing fleet go to the wall
Yes this is a waste of fish,but its been going on for years,so don`t be shocked,its nothing new.
I know I keep saying it, but it seems to me that common sense has gone out of the window - I can't believe the senseless waste. I've already signed up.
Good luck with it!
This waste is a result of fish quotas and net size limits - if a boat has a limit of say 10 tons and catches 11 in the net, it must through 1 ton back. Obviously when you put the net down you have no idea what will come up. Some fish too small are caught in the nets (surrounded by larger fish, so don't get through the net), so are also thrown back.
No idea what Hugh wants to happen. He simply seems to be stating the problem, and asking us to sign up that we agree there is a problem.
Unless Hugh has a solution, can't see the point of this campaign????
Is he suggesting these are scrapped? If so how does he propose overfishing is halted?
I am totally against waste, but without a solution this is as pointless as saying that there should be world peace and harmony.
Is there more detail than issued so far, cos if that's it, i see no point
The thing that has always annoyed me is the cost of fish in the UK, if you go to places like France, Spain and Italy you can get fish, also fruit and veg come to think of it, a hell of a lot cheaper, the government are always whinging about the obecity rates in the UK, surely being able to land and use the fish netted then the price would come down and people could afford to buy more healthy and tasty food, instead of families bundeling down to burger outlets for a 99p cheeseburger, good on you Hugh.
Pete