Janepie33 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Anyone see Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall's latest project? It's about the dreadful waste of fish that the fishermen have to throw back dead into the sea because of EU fishing quota rules. He wants to make the public cross again. I'm cross!!! It's on again on Wednesday and Thursday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reikiranf Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Yes, it's awful, if he want to make us cross he's certainly succeeding. I saw a feature on Countryfile a couple of years ago where the fishermen get to keep and sell what is above their quota but get fined for it and they prefer that as it means they don't have to throw tonnes of dead fish back into the sea, I can't remember which country it was in though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I watched this last night, I already knew about the quota system (one of several reasons why I stopped eating fish several years ago), but it still made me so angry. I love a good campaign, only this week I wrote to oppose the planning application for the Nocton Megadairy, so I'm all fired up now. Bring on the fish fight!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhapsody Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 It made me furious. Surely it cant be beyond the wit of man to get the fish back into the sea alive? What purpose does it serve if they are dead when they hit the water, surely the rules are there to protect fish stocks? I had no idea of the extent of the problem and will be buying less seafish and more ethically farmed from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodge Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 How embarrasing and mortifying that the fisheries minister, Richard Benyon had no idea what 10 of the 12 main species of fish caught and landed by our fishermen were. Once again he joins a long list of Minister's who have no idea what they are talking about. He is just on the gravy train giving us lip service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 A good programme with a very important message, will be watching again this evening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 My nephew in the far reaches of scotland is a deep sea fisherman and he usually goes for cod, The boat owner pays the fines to not throw the fish he has caught back into the sea because it isn't cod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluekarin Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 It made me absolutely furious, even though I too knew about the fishing quota. I guess I thought, naively it seems, that the surplus fish would be thrown back in alive. How is it beyond the MPS who made this quota law that if a fish is caught as part of a larger trawl, then its much better for that fish to be brought to land and used rather than thrown in the sea and wasted (I know bottom feeders and various other marine life will eat the fish). Its just madness. Good on the fisherman in Hastings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 I'm probably being stupid here but is it not possible to bring the catch back almost up to the harbour then transfer the over quota fish to another fishing boat, before bringing it onto land. The boats could then work in pairs, only going out half the time but still having a catch to bring in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 Off shore fishing boats/fleets are registered for the type of fishing they do, with relevent equipement on board. there are few fleets all catching the same fish/shrimp/etc.. mostly are individual boats. Each boat is allowed so many trips and weight of catch for the type of fish per year. Each trip and daily catch is recorded for weight and type of fish caught, in case they are stopped by the ministry and records are checked against their catch. This is often done whilst well out at sea....records are checked against catch again on shore at point of sale. Hence Thomas refuses to waste the fish caught and will pay the fine (as once caught , even in the net underwater the fish suffocate as they don't have enough space for their gills to work.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 12, 2011 Share Posted January 12, 2011 We're just watching yesterdays and agree it is ridiculous. I did know about the quotas and mostly buy line caught pollack from Cornwall via Able and Cole (and an occasional haddock from the chip shop). I felt it was a shame that the alternative fish and chips that they tried was mackerel in a bun - they may have done better if they's just tried the alternative fish i.e. mackerel and chips........I'd be quite miffed if I had to miss out on the chips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Each trip and daily catch is recorded for weight and type of fish caught, in case they are stopped by the ministry and records are checked against their catch. This is often done whilst well out at sea....records are checked against catch again on shore at point of sale. That puts paid to my simple theory then! Also found out on the programme last night, they are not allowed to transfer the catch anyway. They have to jettison the dead fish, that's why Hugh was having to pick them out of the water with a landing net. Those fish are also not allowed to be sold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickinboy Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Got it on the BT box thingy to watch tonight. I hardly eat fish these days, as it's so complicated to work out the ethics of what you're actually buying. OH came home with fish for dinner a while ago that had been long-lined, which involves about six miles of hooks, for which the bycatch is horrendous. Huge amounts of turtles, sharks etc killed, and tossed back in. I'm a big fan of http://www.bite-back.com if anyone is interested. They're big in shark conservation, but also help to campaign to supermarkets to get unsustainable fish off of the shelves. They've had some great successes so far through their emails that you can send to the supermarkets from the website. I should mention that I'm not affiliated with them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ms Marple Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 Just to add this argument- what about the ratio of wild fish needed to feed the farmed salmon then? 3kg of wild fish, turned into pellets to feed that farmed salmon! Something wrong there surely. Made me feel even worse as I had just watched the Human Planet on BBC1. The Phillipean fishermen who dive to 40m on a thin plastic tube that 'sort of' delivers compressed air. Many suffer with the bends, end up paralysed or even dead and they earn about $25 per week. To see thm dive was incredible. I am a diver and was horrified to see what they were using and how they do it. Such a risky way of trying to earn money for your family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 (edited) It's just made me re-commit to being a veggie again. Couldn't watch last nights as I was working, but never mind the by-catch (which is just beyond disgusting) just seeing the "ethically" caught fish floundering about on deck, battering themselves into a bloody mess (as in blood not the rude word!) and suffocating to death, I can't bring myself to eat fish again. And I can't eat meat for the same reason. Then I end up with the dilemma about the whole dairy scene again and I'm back at the vegan thing which is SO difficult to manage (well, for me anyway) I hate man's inhumanity to it's fellow planet sharers on the basis that they're all put there for our consumption regardless of welfare. BeckyBoo and edited to say, why is it so bad to kill a dolphin, or a turtle, or 3kilos of small fry, but alright to kill tuna, or salmon, or any of the other "edible" fish? Surely everything has a right to life Edited January 15, 2011 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karlotta Posted January 15, 2011 Share Posted January 15, 2011 Just watched the last of the three of Hugh's films and now I'm off to find my local fish&chip van that was featured in a couple of the shows to get my Mackerel bap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
