Environmental campaigners and representatives from the fishing industry have met with Yorkshire and the Humber MEP, Linda McAvan, to discuss the future of sustainable fishing.
Linda hosted the event with Ocean 2012, an organisation which is campaigning to ensure that the proposed reform of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in 2012 halts overfishing, ends destructive fishing practices and delivers fair and equitable use of healthy fish stocks.
Charles Clover, journalist and creator of the Fish2fork website – which ranks restaurants on the sustainability of the fish they serve – was joined as guest speaker by Jeremy Percey, Chief Executive of the New Under Tens Fishermen’s Association (NUTFA) an organisation that is dedicated to the support, survival and development of the under ten metre fleet in the UK.
Linda said: “This year provides the European Parliament with a great opportunity to reform the current fisheries policy. It is also an incredible responsibility to ensure that this time we get it right. That is why events like this are so important. Before policy is decided it is crucial that we listen to fishermen, scientists and environmental campaigners so the EU can produce the best possible deal for fisherman and fish stocks.
“There is a real determination to ensure the new policy promotes a sustainable fishing industry, meaning fishermen can earn a living without over fishing. One of the reasons some species are over fished is simply because that’s what people like to eat so a truly sustainable fishing industry will also require help from retailers and consumers if we are to change some of our eating habits.”
One of the ideas discussed at the event was the concept of introducing a new labelling system to help identify responsibly caught fish.
Linda said: “Knowing exactly how fish are caught, where they are caught and the scarcity of the fish caught will help consumers and, most importantly, retailers purchase fish sustainably.”
Linda concluded: ”Everyone wants a sustainable fishery policy in the EU and if we are going to get it we need a balanced and sensible debate that listens to all sides and that is something this event successfully achieved.”
You can find out more about the Ocean 2012 campaign at http://ocean2012.eu/
You can find out more about the Fish2fork website at http://www.fish2fork.com/
You can find out more about NUTFA at http://www.nutfa.org/