North Sea cod - Minister in hot water

[Lisa Chilton]

Thought you might be interested to hear UK marine Minister Jonathan Shaw getting a roasting from John Humphreys on Radio 4 this morning: BBC - Radio 4 - Today

Lisa

[Colin Marriott]

Originally Posted by Lisa Chilton

Thought you might be interested to hear UK marine Minister Jonathan Shaw getting a roasting from John Humphreys on Radio 4 this morning: BBC - Radio 4 - Today

Lisa

Might be better if he got battered . . . . geddit . . . . battered . . . . HA HA HA




ColinM

[Finless]

It is the most ludicrous waste of resources to catch fish and throw it back dead because they have no quota left for that species. Apparently, on the boat the reporter was on, they were trawling for shrimp and ended up throwing back up to 70% of the trawl which was all dead - and it included plenty of cod!

If what I heard on the news this AM is correct then why are the quotas structured so that the shrimp quota is being used last (when all other fish quota is used up by the fishermen) and shrimp fishing uses the smallest mesh in the nets and catches everything?

Whose fault is that? Why not start the quota season with shrimp being first to be fished for?

Everyone agrees it is a stupid thing to do but no one can think of a better way to run the quota system?

[wilbo]

Originally Posted by Finless

It is the most ludicrous waste of resources to catch fish and throw it back dead because they have no quota left for that species. Apparently, on the boat the reporter was on, they were trawling for shrimp and ended up throwing back up to 70% of the trawl which was all dead - and it included plenty of cod!

If what I heard on the news this AM is correct then why are the quotas structured so that the shrimp quota is being used last (when all other fish quota is used up by the fishermen) and shrimp fishing uses the smallest mesh in the nets and catches everything?

Whose fault is that? Why not start the quota season with shrimp being first to be fished for?

Everyone agrees it is a stupid thing to do but no one can think of a better way to run the quota system?

My (rather simplistic) view is that they should introduce a tonnage system whereby after they have caught so many tonnes of fish - then they are done for the trip. This would cut down on the wastage. The fish markets would have to support what was brought in. But then I guess so would the buyers/supermarkets/customers etc.

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by wilbo

My (rather simplistic) view is that they should introduce a tonnage system whereby after they have caught so many tonnes of fish - then they are done for the trip. This would cut down on the wastage. The fish markets would have to support what was brought in. But then I guess so would the buyers/supermarkets/customers etc.

That's not actually such a bad idea.....

If they caught their tonnage - but not the species/ whatever ..... ie the stuff that gets thrown back now - and it was all they caught, then they would have to try to sell ..... nothing.

How long do you think they would keep doing that? I think they'd rapidly ensure they caught only what they could land and sell...

-Paul

[Paul Oliver]

This was shown on the deep sea fishing series a little while ago, in at least 1 program they had too much of 1 species and if they did not catch some more of something else they were going to have to throw it overboard, dead and frozen

[Glyn]

Originally Posted by Finless

It is the most ludicrous waste of resources to catch fish and throw it back dead because they have no quota left for that species. Apparently, on the boat the reporter was on, they were trawling for shrimp and ended up throwing back up to 70% of the trawl which was all dead - and it included plenty of cod!

If what I heard on the news this AM is correct then why are the quotas structured so that the shrimp quota is being used last (when all other fish quota is used up by the fishermen) and shrimp fishing uses the smallest mesh in the nets and catches everything?

Whose fault is that? Why not start the quota season with shrimp being first to be fished for?

Everyone agrees it is a stupid thing to do but no one can think of a better way to run the quota system?

How about obliging them to land ALL the edible fish caught and donate the total income from the over quota fish to conservation measures. I’m sure they would then learn to be a little more selective in what they catch.

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by Foggy

That's not actually such a bad idea.....

If they caught their tonnage - but not the species/ whatever ..... ie the stuff that gets thrown back now - and it was all they caught, then they would have to try to sell ..... nothing.

How long do you think they would keep doing that? I think they'd rapidly ensure they caught only what they could land and sell...

-Paul

Nope they would do exactly what they do now - throw back the unsaleable fish (whether due to demand or regulation) and carry on fishing until the boat's hold was full of profit-making catch. That's the economic reality.

The CFP is crazy, but the commercial fishing industry are equally hell-bent on fishing the sea to death.

Chris

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by chrisch

Nope they would do exactly what they do now - throw back the unsaleable fish (whether due to demand or regulation) and carry on fishing until the boat's hold was full of profit-making catch. That's the economic reality.

The CFP is crazy, but the commercial fishing industry are equally hell-bent on fishing the sea to death.

Chris

And I'm sure they will never run out of 'black' either.

The fishery could have a limit and then be closed, but none of these methods will stop fish being thrown overboard for whatever reasons.

Adrian

[Finless]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

The fishery could have a limit and then be closed, but none of these methods will stop fish being thrown overboard for whatever reasons.

Adrian

Agreed there will always be 'disposed over the side' bycatch but the point is that on the vessel in question about 70% was disposed of. A large proportion of that disposal was fish suitable for market - including a lot of cod (retails abt £5 per kilo?).

Even worse is the fact that the fish is protected and the protection results in good recently healthy and now dead edible fish being thrown back.

It's is indecent!