Still a chance to save 10 million tonnes of fish being dumped
Posted, January 30, 2008 @ 00:00
EU must put right the discards problem it has caused
Brussels, 30th January 2008 -- MEPs have another chance to amend a report on reducing the one million tons of fish discarded every year in EU waters by calling for a total ban tomorrow (Thursday).
Proposals currently before the European Parliament suggest phasing out the huge quantities of fish thrown from the side of boats over the next 10 years. But that could mean a further 10 million tonnes of healthy fish will still be dumped in our seas.
Amendments, supported by Conservative MEPs, call for a total ban on discards, as well as an effective monitoring system, including the installation of CCTV cameras on fishing boats to police such a ban.
The discards problem arose from EU rules, which dictate that fishermen who land undersize or 'out of quota' fish are prosecuted. Fisheries Spokesman for the Conservatives in the European Parliament, Struan Stevenson MEP, instead advocates a policy allowing fishermen to land everything they catch during a set period. Undersize fish or other species that previously would have been dumped overboard could then be sold to the processing sector, desperate for raw material to supply the fishmeal and fish oil industry.
Struan said:
"This report was supposed to tackle the problem of the huge number of healthy fish dumped in our seas every year. But watered down following votes in committee, it is now too timid. MEPs still have the chance to vote for amendments calling for a discard ban, following approval of the report before us and full consultation. Failure to do so would represent a huge missed opportunity this week."
ENDS
For more information:
Struan Stevenson MEP, tel: +32 (0) 2 28 45710, struan.stevenson@europarl.europa.eu
Melanie Warman - Conservative Press Office - tel: +32 (0) 473 658768, melanie.warman@europarl.europa.eu