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Fish dumping 'will ruin industry' Fish dumping 'will ruin industry'
(40 minutes later)
The UK fishing industry is warning it faces ruin unless EU quota rules which see millions of freshly-caught fish end up back in the sea, dead, are changed.The UK fishing industry is warning it faces ruin unless EU quota rules which see millions of freshly-caught fish end up back in the sea, dead, are changed.
It says fishing crews often continue catching large amounts of fish, such as cod, by accident after exceeding quotas and have no option but to dump them.It says fishing crews often continue catching large amounts of fish, such as cod, by accident after exceeding quotas and have no option but to dump them.
The practice leaves crews struggling to make a living, while damaging hopes for sustainability, say environmentalists.The practice leaves crews struggling to make a living, while damaging hopes for sustainability, say environmentalists.
EU commissioner Joe Borg acknowledges the problem but sees no clear solution.EU commissioner Joe Borg acknowledges the problem but sees no clear solution.
Thousands of tonnes dumpedThousands of tonnes dumped
Quotas strictly limit the amount of fish that each vessel can bring back to port. But there is no such limit on the amount of fish they actually catch.Quotas strictly limit the amount of fish that each vessel can bring back to port. But there is no such limit on the amount of fish they actually catch.
Often, boats fishing in the "mixed fishery" of the North Sea catch a species or size of fish which is not what they were targeting.Often, boats fishing in the "mixed fishery" of the North Sea catch a species or size of fish which is not what they were targeting.
BBC News joined skipper Phil Walsh for a day's fishing onboard his trawler, the Lucia. Trawler skipper Phil Walsh told BBC News the quota for cod and other white fish he and other inshore fishermen were allocated by Brussels this year was tiny.
Life behind the netLife behind the net
Phil says the quota for cod and other white fish he and other inshore fishermen were allocated by Brussels this year was tiny. By June he had landed all of the cod he was allowed. So, since then, he has been fishing for prawns and dumping prime whiting, haddock and cod, which would fetch as much as £13.50/kg on a supermarket shelf.
By June he had landed all of the cod he was allowed. So, since then, the Lucia has been fishing for prawns. "I can't describe the feeling really," he told BBC News.
After a four-hour trawl that began before dawn, the net was hauled in. It looked like a bumper catch.
Hundreds of fish splattered onto the Lucia's deck. But there were very few prawns. Despite setting his gear and net mesh size for prawns, Phil had caught mainly white fish, lots of it good mature cod as well as whiting and haddock.
After being dragged up from the deep, the fish are all dead or dying. And then - almost unbelievably to anyone who hasn't seen this before - Phil and his one-man crew systematically sort through the fish, salvage what few prawns they can and throw the rest over the side.
The screech of the seagulls reaches a crescendo as hundreds of prime cod hit the water. And soon they are devouring food which would fetch as much as £13.50/kg on a supermarket shelf.
I thought I would never see the day that I had to throw adult cod overboard David Mell UK fishing in figures
As he empties buckets of precious fish back into the sea, Phil says: "I can't describe the feeling really.
"It's your livelihood and you spend your life trying to catch it and then you have to throw it back over the side. It's an impossible situation and, unless it is sorted out soon, we will all be finished.""It's your livelihood and you spend your life trying to catch it and then you have to throw it back over the side. It's an impossible situation and, unless it is sorted out soon, we will all be finished."
Environmental groups such as the World Wildlife Fund have for years been sounding the alarm bell over the dramatic decline of fish stocks in the North Sea.Environmental groups such as the World Wildlife Fund have for years been sounding the alarm bell over the dramatic decline of fish stocks in the North Sea.
They say quotas are essential to limit the amount of fish being caught - to ensure that spawning stocks are allowed to mature and to breed.They say quotas are essential to limit the amount of fish being caught - to ensure that spawning stocks are allowed to mature and to breed.
'Change needed' I thought I would never see the day that I had to throw adult cod overboard David Mell class="" href="/1/hi/uk/6067722.stm">UK fishing in figures
But, like the fishermen, activists such as the WWF's Helen McLachlan agree that throwing dead cod back into the water is not the answer.But, like the fishermen, activists such as the WWF's Helen McLachlan agree that throwing dead cod back into the water is not the answer.
Instead, she says, there must be a change in fishing practice.Instead, she says, there must be a change in fishing practice.
"Nobody wants discards," she says. "So let's not catch the fish in the first place."Nobody wants discards," she says. "So let's not catch the fish in the first place.
"Let's avoid areas where there are going to be large spawning stocks of fish, let's avoid juvelines... let's use selective gear so [a fisherman can say], 'I will only catch prawns, I will not catch white fish'.""Let's avoid areas where there are going to be large spawning stocks of fish, let's avoid juvelines... let's use selective gear so [a fisherman can say], 'I will only catch prawns, I will not catch white fish'."
Out at sea, though, many fishermen insist that life is not that simple. Even the "big boys" of the UK fishing industry, the Scotland-based super-trawlers, with their state-of-the-art technology, find it hard to be anything like 100% specific in targeting the species and size of their catch. How trawlers workOut at sea, though, many fishermen insist that life is not that simple. Even the "big boys" of the UK fishing industry, the Scotland-based super-trawlers, with their state-of-the-art technology, find it hard to be anything like 100% specific in targeting the species and size of their catch. How trawlers work
And so they, like the hard-pressed inshore fishermen south of the border, are discarding huge amounts of good fish.And so they, like the hard-pressed inshore fishermen south of the border, are discarding huge amounts of good fish.
It is another blow to an industry which has changed and contracted to become a shadow of what it was three decades ago.It is another blow to an industry which has changed and contracted to become a shadow of what it was three decades ago.
Trawler skipper David Mell sums it up: "I feel very bitter because we've been so long trying to protect the cod.Trawler skipper David Mell sums it up: "I feel very bitter because we've been so long trying to protect the cod.
"[We've had] decommissioning, increased our mesh size, we've been through a lot of pain really.... [But] I thought I would never see the day that I had to throw adult cod overboard."[We've had] decommissioning, increased our mesh size, we've been through a lot of pain really.... [But] I thought I would never see the day that I had to throw adult cod overboard.
"It doesn't make sense when we have people in this world dying of starvation.""It doesn't make sense when we have people in this world dying of starvation."
Recovery hopeRecovery hope
Many Scottish and English fishermen say they are seeing a huge increase in the number of cod in the North Sea this year - perhaps an indication that the quotas of recent years have worked.Many Scottish and English fishermen say they are seeing a huge increase in the number of cod in the North Sea this year - perhaps an indication that the quotas of recent years have worked.
They want an increase in the quota level for cod and other white fish they catch.They want an increase in the quota level for cod and other white fish they catch.
But environmentalists say that, although cod stocks are recovering, now is not the time to increase the amount of fish being caught.But environmentalists say that, although cod stocks are recovering, now is not the time to increase the amount of fish being caught.
One thing both fishermen and environmentalists agree on is that "discarding" good fish is bad practice and should stop.One thing both fishermen and environmentalists agree on is that "discarding" good fish is bad practice and should stop.
EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg - who is instrumental in setting the laws and limits - agrees.EU Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg - who is instrumental in setting the laws and limits - agrees.
He told us: "In principle, everyone agrees that discarding is bad, it is immoral. The problem is when we come to work out the details of how to eliminate discarding but at the same time have sustainable fisheries.... That is the big problem."He told us: "In principle, everyone agrees that discarding is bad, it is immoral. The problem is when we come to work out the details of how to eliminate discarding but at the same time have sustainable fisheries.... That is the big problem."
Are you affected by this story? Do you work in the fishing industry? Send us your comments by filling out the form below.Are you affected by this story? Do you work in the fishing industry? Send us your comments by filling out the form below.
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