Fisheries

Fishermen blamed for crisis in stocks (The Herald, p.4): "The European Commission will deliver a hammer blow to the remains of Europe's fishing fleet today. New report on the future of the controversial Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) effectively admits that many years of conservation measures have failed - and blames greedy fishermen. Fishermen have been told for years they must endure short-term sacrifices to allow main fish stocks to recover and secure the fishing industry's long-term future .But today's report confirms that stocks are still in dire straits, with fleets accused of prolonging the agony by exceeding annual catch quotas and delaying the time when fish are plentiful once more. he finding is a damning indictment of the CFP, established in 1983 to carve up EU fishing waters between the national fleets." (Geoff Meade)

Ralph's Comment - The EU aren't just wrong but they won't take responsibility or alter their barmy laws - the Fishermen are just the latest scapegoat. EU regulations make fisherman throw back large parts of their catch into the sea dead as they are not allowed to land it but can't avoid trawling it up. We need a system like that of Iceland. They fish a sector of sea for a set period or until they have a set catch tonnage - then that sector is closed for the rest of the year and patrolled. If UK politicians had stood up to the EU like Iceland did to the UK in the cod war then our fishermen could still make a decent living.