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UK 'must shield fishing industry' UK 'must shield fishing industry'
(about 6 hours later)
Britain has to protect its fishing industry, despite warnings stocks could be virtually wiped out by 2048, the UK fisheries minister has said.Britain has to protect its fishing industry, despite warnings stocks could be virtually wiped out by 2048, the UK fisheries minister has said.
Ben Bradshaw said the warning, issued by scientists on Thursday, represented the biggest global environment challenge after global warming. Ben Bradshaw said the warning, issued by scientists on Thursday, represented the world's biggest environmental challenge after global warming.
But he ruled out a complete ban on cod fishing, saying a "zero catch" would see "the end of all fishing in the UK".But he ruled out a complete ban on cod fishing, saying a "zero catch" would see "the end of all fishing in the UK".
UK fishermen's representatives have criticised the report as "grandiose".UK fishermen's representatives have criticised the report as "grandiose".
The international study, published in the American journal, Science, said supplies of fish such as cod were under threat from over-fishing and habitat destruction.The international study, published in the American journal, Science, said supplies of fish such as cod were under threat from over-fishing and habitat destruction.
The government had already clamped down on illegal fishing and set fishing quotas "in line with the health of stocks", Mr Bradshaw said.The government had already clamped down on illegal fishing and set fishing quotas "in line with the health of stocks", Mr Bradshaw said.
If there were to be a zero catch for cod, we would have to close almost all of the UK fishing industry Ben Bradshaw 'Only 50 years' for sea fish The good news in the report is that there is a solution Willie MackenzieGreenpeace 'Only 50 years' for sea fish href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4633&edition=1&ttl=20061102214806" class="">Have Your Say: Fish stocks
The UK had to have a "realistic but low quota for cod, respecting the science", he said. "If there were to be a zero catch for cod, we would have to close almost all of the UK fishing industry because there's almost no part of our fishing industry that doesn't catch some cod as by-catch."
"If there were to be a zero catch for cod, we would have to close almost all of the UK fishing industry because there's almost no part of our fishing industry that doesn't catch some cod as by-catch. Measures taken in recent years had seen a 60% decrease in cod mortality rates, he said, which hopefully would continue.
"So, you close down the whole industry, other fishermen would simply come and catch the fish instead." Dr Nicola Beaumont from Plymouth Marine Laboratory was one of the scientists who helped draw up the report.
Measures taken in recent years had seen a 60% decrease in cod mortality rates, he said, adding: "We have to keep driving that down." She said it was not just about fishing, but pollution, climate change, ocean acidification and destruction of marine habitats.
Influence feared Sceptical
Doug Beveridge, of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, told BBC News the timing of the report's findings was "unfortunate".
I think we have to be very careful about making grandiose, broad-brush predictions for 40 or 50 years and on a global scale also National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations
"We start next week speaking to the European Commission to set the fishing opportunities for next year and this may have an influence on the way the Commission and, indeed, the politicians, think," he said.
"But I think we have to be very careful about making grandiose, broad-brush predictions for 40 or 50 years and on a global scale also."
Fisheries and the marine environment could be managed regionally "on a collaborative basis with the fishing industry", he added.
Greenpeace campaigner Willie Mackenzie said fish and chips would be off the menu "within our lifetime" if action was not taken now to tackle the problem.Greenpeace campaigner Willie Mackenzie said fish and chips would be off the menu "within our lifetime" if action was not taken now to tackle the problem.
"The good news in the report is that there is a solution. It proves that creating protected marine reserves, off-limits to industry and fishing, help fish populations to bounce back," he told BBC News. "The good news in the report is that there is a solution. It proves that creating protected marine reserves, off-limits to industry and fishing, help fish populations to bounce back," he said.
We are not heading in a straight line for the death of fisheries Scottish Fishermen's Federation But people working within the UK's fishing industry were sceptical about the report.
Meanwhile, Bertie Armstrong, of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, said "strenuous efforts" were being made to make fishing in the UK sustainable. We have to be very careful about making grandiose, broad-brush predictions for 40 or 50 years and on a global scale also National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations
"We are not heading in a straight line for the death of fisheries," he said. Chris Sparks, from a Grimsby fish company called James and Son, said the situation was not so bad.
"There have been big changes in UK fisheries with somewhat less in the fisheries of some of our European neighbours but at least there is some change. "We don't believe this report at all. The industry's coming under increasing pressure, but there's still good stocks out there, well-managed stocks, which are managed by forward-thinking people, trying to keep up with the modern industry."
"We are heading in a reasonable way from where we are now to where we need to be." Doug Beveridge, of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, said: "We have to be very careful about making grandiose, broad-brush predictions for 40 or 50 years and on a global scale also."
Fisheries and the marine environment could be managed regionally "on a collaborative basis with the fishing industry", he added.
The chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, Bertie Armstrong, said this was a "doomsday prediction" that ignored the steps being taken to address the problem.
Consumers have been urged to press restaurants and fish and chip shops to stock sustainable species.
And the British Retail Consortium said the UK's major supermarkets had increased their stocks of non-threatened fish, but this was a global problem.