Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall takes fishing anti-discard campaign to Brussels

[Elton]

Food writer, broadcaster and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall this week attended the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform meeting ‘Another Future for Fish’ in Brussels and unveiled his latest campaign – aimed at making EU fish discards a thing of the past.

 

Full article here:

http://www.worldfishing.net/news101/hugh-f...ign-to-brussels

 

Campaign site here:

http://www.fishfight.net/

 

The letter you are signing up to, should you add your name, is here:

http://www.fishfight.net/letter/

 

It would be interesting to know what people think of this campaign. A couple of the organisations behind it concern me, as an angler, and one I've never heard of.

[Worms]

Full article here:

http://www.worldfishing.net/news101/hugh-f...ign-to-brussels

 

Campaign site here:

http://www.fishfight.net/

 

The letter you are signing up to, should you add your name, is here:

http://www.fishfight.net/letter/

 

It would be interesting to know what people think of this campaign. A couple of the organisations behind it concern me, as an angler, and one I've never heard of.

From the common-sense point of view I think any campaign to stop the criminal waste of fish through the discard system should be supported. As for the various supporters of the scheme, although some are seen as 'anti-angling' (or more possibly conservation blinkered) does this have any effect on angling?

 

Personally I think not. Anything that stops the waste of future breeding stock (either by larger net sizes or just by eating it) will prevent waste of our natural fish stocks. Obviously this will improve stocks for commercials and anglers alike.

 

HFW kicked the ****s out of Tescos regarding 'sensible' chicken products, perhaps he can achieve the same for fish. You can bet your boots that the majority of the concerned non-angling public will back him and....it has no direct negative comeback on angling!

[barry luxton]

From the common-sense point of view I think any campaign to stop the criminal waste of fish through the discard system should be supported. As for the various supporters of the scheme, although some are seen as 'anti-angling' (or more possibly conservation blinkered) does this have any effect on angling?

 

Personally I think not. Anything that stops the waste of future breeding stock (either by larger net sizes or just by eating it) will prevent waste of our natural fish stocks. Obviously this will improve stocks for commercials and anglers alike.

 

HFW kicked the ****s out of Tescos regarding 'sensible' chicken products, perhaps he can achieve the same for fish. You can bet your boots that the majority of the concerned non-angling public will back him and....it has no direct negative comeback on angling!

 

I would agree with it, if they have a sound alternative, however if they are going to get onto the discard roundabout for the sake of it with nothing to put up, then it will be a waste of time, or possibly a waste of some one's jobs or livelihoods if the greenie orgs get their claws in. There must be something better obviously, however, is he the one to lead the charge without backup.

 

I have emailed them to see if they have alternative solutions, however i imagine my email is hidden among the well done good idea, back slapping ones.

Edited November 17, 2010 by barry luxton

[Elton]

HFW kicked the ****s out of Tescos regarding 'sensible' chicken products, perhaps he can achieve the same for fish.

 

I just looked at their site, where I can buy three chickens for a tenner. The value ones are just £2.12 per kilogramme. He might need to kick a bit harder. I got the impression that the only thing achieved was a few more book sales. When all's said and done, the British public seem to care about one thing and one thing only - the price.

 

I'm sure that this latest publicity stunt campaign is well meaning, but it's the fact that there seems to be no actual alternative course of action proposed that concerns me, along with who is backing it. An ill thought-out campaign could easily bite us on the backside.

[Elton]

I get the feeling somebody's feeling left out

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/comme...sh-2137105.html

 

More in the same newspaper, here:

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fo...ss-2137103.html

[Worms]

I just looked at their site, where I can buy three chickens for a tenner. The value ones are just £2.12 per kilogramme. He might need to kick a bit harder. I got the impression that the only thing achieved was a few more book sales. When all's said and done, the British public seem to care about one thing and one thing only - the price.

 

I'm sure that this latest publicity stunt campaign is well meaning, but it's the fact that there seems to be no actual alternative course of action proposed that concerns me, along with who is backing it. An ill thought-out campaign could easily bite us on the backside.

At least that's up from the £1.99 a chicken that HFW was fighting against!

 

I think that highlighting the issue to the general public is no mean thing. The high profile of discards is now in the face ofthe consumer and a general 'complaint' about the ridiculous fiasco that is the CFP is being sent to Europe.....a bit more than successive UK Govts have managed!

 

I'd be surprised if the commercials were too upset by it, after all, they would save a lot of money on fuel and time if they didn't have to keep chucking fish back and re-setting nets!

 

If the recent increased net size experiments off the south coast were put forward as a way of reducing discards then there is a handy alternative (Weren't they an American net that has been proven across the water?). The fishermen who tried those out seemed to be in favour.

 

Perhaps I'm being naive but I can't really see the connection to angling..........unless of course fish stocks show a significant increase and fears of RSA restrictions are buried due to the surplus of fish!....Ok, ok the MCS are involved and they are getting embroiled in MCZs etc. but, keep them busy chasing changes in the CFP and they might not have time to spend on RSA issues!

[Elton]

Because anything that has the words 'fish' and 'restrictions' in it has the potential to affect angling if it is not clearly stated what is going on from the start. You've only got to look at eels and the subsequent 'action' taken by the authorities in the UK. Who's been affected? The hydropower stations? The elver fishermen? No, apart from some token gestures, including making a 'closed season' when the fish weren't there in numbers anyway, it's anglers that are receiving the 'benefit' of a fish-taking ban. Still, our Government can put another tick in their EU homework book. They've done 'something', after all.

 

Anyway, this whole Fish Fight thing may be coming a bit clearer now:

 

You can find out all about my experience, and how it has changed the way I think about fish, in the Channel 4 series, Hugh’s Fish Fight, to be broadcast in January 2011.


 

http://www.fishnewseu.com/latest-news/uk/4...t-campaign.html

[Worms]

Because anything that has the words 'fish' and 'restrictions' in it has the potential to affect angling if it is not clearly stated what is going on from the start. You've only got to look at eels and the subsequent 'action' taken by the authorities in the UK. Who's been affected? The hydropower stations? The elver fishermen? No, apart from some token gestures, including making a 'closed season' when the fish weren't there in numbers anyway, it's anglers that are receiving the 'benefit' of a fish-taking ban. Still, our Government can put another tick in their EU homework book. They've done 'something', after all.

 

Anyway, this whole Fish Fight thing may be coming a bit clearer now:

 

 

 

http://www.fishnewseu.com/latest-news/uk/4...t-campaign.html

I agree with you about the eel fiasco Elton. The big difference on this new issue (in my opinion) is the people initiating the 'fight'. It was the EA and the AT that proposed and then supported the eel ban (and any other coarse fish with a few tiny exceptions) to 'protect' and prevent fish theft. It was also targeting anglers.

 

In my view the targeting of the CFP and discards in particular is something that RSAs and commercials alike have been shouting about for a long time.

 

At least this could result in saving fish......unlike the eel ban which just saves them (elvers) for the Lough Neagh fishery!

[Elton]

Some of the food manufacturers seem to support this campaign:

 

http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.p...d_campaign.html

[Elton]

Letter from the Chief Executive of the NFFO in support of the campaign here:

 

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/lette...es-2144091.html