Save some fish for me!

Save some fish for me!

Save some fish for me!

To our average Joe (or Jane) the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is not something that would pop up in an ordinary conversation. But this is definitely not the case for policy makers in Brussels who are currently re-writing it.

The CFP was created in the 70's to safeguard our seas from overfishing and allow sustainability. It determines who is allowed to fish where, for how long and what species. Each country is given a quota based upon the total available and their traditional share of the catch (Total Allowable Catch, TAC). This has been a source of contention amongst states who joined the EU after the system had been set up and so did not have a historical catch share. Due to extensive modification over the years it is no longer working and 72% of EU fish stocks are at an unsustainable level. In the North Sea alone one million tonnes of edible fish are thrown back dead. What a waste of good food! But fishermen have no choice as under EU law only a certain quota of fish are allowed to be landed. The majority of fish caught are the wrong type (bycatch) or too many of the target species have been caught and therefore must be dumped. This unethical waste is known as "discarding" and is highly criticised by fishermen who say it is beginning to jeopardise their livelihoods and is literally money down the drain.

The hardship undertaken to get the fish we buy at the supermarket or order in a restaurant is not normally given a second thought. However recent media attention attained is soon changing this and the scale of the problem has left many viewers shocked and appalled. It advised viewers to be more wary about the types of fish they eat with cod, salmon and tuna being the top three no-no species. Whilst other less favoured "discard" species such as mackerel and sardines were encouraged.

As fish stocks are now declining the dated EU CFP is no longer acceptable. The European commission has recently declared its intention to eliminate discards a bold move in the right direction. As the CFP is modified every 10 years, 2012 will hopefully be the year of change. Fingers crossed for our fishy friends!

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