Skip to content

Politics

TV chef aims to rewrite EU fisheries discards policy

by Colin Ricketts 27 May 2011
TV chef aims to rewrite EU fisheries discards policy

British TV chef, writer and food campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall has set his sights on the fishing industry with a campaign to try to force reform the European Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) which will be rewritten next year.

Next Tuesday (May 31) Whittingstall takes his 'Fish Fight' campaign, which was launched with a Channel Four series in the UK, to Brussels.

In studying the fishing industry Whittingstall found himself shocked by the waste caused by CFP policies such as quotas.

While limiting takes of popular species is designed to protect them the reality, according to Whittingstall, is simply that 'over-quota' fish are thrown back into the sea as 'discards' where they almost all die.

The campaign says that these discards currently account for almost half of all the fish caught in the North Sea. No records are kept, but the European Union itself estimates the discard rate at between 40% and 60% of total catches.

Whittingstall said: ''Hugh's Fish Fight is supported by a wide coalition of environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and, we hope, by a growing number of fishermen and policy makers too. A vital part of the campaign, and the area where we are currently looking for public support, is the issue of discards at sea.''

One of the ways the chef says we can all influence the sustainability of the fishing industry is by changing our eating habits: many discards are the result of conservative tastes which sees more than half of British fish consumption made up of cod, salmon and tuna, other species become uneconomic to catch and are chucked back into the sea. Whittingstall wants us all to eat more of unfashionable species like flounder, dab, coley and pouting. He's also spearheading a campaign to get mackerel on the menus at British fish and chip shops.

He's enlisted the support of other TV chefs and a number of environmental NGOs: Client Earth, the Marine Conversation Society, the WWF, The Angling Trust, Ocean2012 and Greenpeace and wants individuals to lobby their Members of Parliament in support of an Early Day Motion backing the campaign.

You can sign up for Hugh's Fish Fight campaign at www.fishfight.net where you can add your name to the letter to the European Commissioner responsible for fisheries and find out how to lobby your MP.


Trending Eco-Friendly Clothing

Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Love My Planet Women's Relaxed Fit Hoodie
Love My Planet women's eco-friendly relaxed fit hoodieSize Guide Centimeters 8 10 12 14 16 18 Bust 84 88 92 97 103 108 Waist 66 70 75 80 85 91 Hips 91 95 99 104 109 116 Bust: Measure around the fullest part of...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Penguins Hate Push-Ups Men's Pullover Hoodie
Penguins Hate Push-Ups men's eco-friendly pullover HoodieSize Guide Centimeters XS S M L XL XXL Height 171 175 179 183 189 195 Chest 86 93 99 104 116 129 Waist 71 76 81 89 99 112 Chest: Measure all round your chest just below...
£38.00
£38.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Lightning Bolt Kids Long Sleeve T-Shirt
Lightning Bolt kids eco-friendly long sleeve t-shirtSize Guide Centimeters 3-4yrs 5-6yrs 7-8yrs 9-10yrs 11-12yrs Height 98 112 125 136 147 Chest 60 66 70 75 84 Chest: Measure all around your chest just below your armpits. Height: Your natural height If you fall between...
£18.00
£18.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Earth
Quick Add
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Union Jack Tote Bag
Union Jack eco-friendly colour tote bagProduct Specification Organic Cotton Tote Bag. Twill Weave (170gsm). 37 x 42 cm (7cm gusset.) Made in India / Designed on the Isle of Wight. Wash Cool, Hang Dry.
£16.00
£16.00
Close
Notify me
Notify me
Prev Post
Next Post

Eco-Friendly Shop

Women's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Women Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable women’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Men's Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothing for Men Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable men’s clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies, vests, sweaters, shorts, and...
Shop Now

Kids Clothing

Eco-Friendly Clothes for Kids Our online shop offers a wide range of sustainable kids clothing products, including t-shirts, hoodies and jumpers. Our garments...
Shop Now
Someone recently bought a
[time] ago, from [location]

Thanks for subscribing!

This email has been registered!

Shop the look

Choose Options

Earth Times
Sign up for exclusive updates, new arrivals & insider only discounts

Recently Viewed

Edit Option
Back In Stock Notification
this is just a warning
Login
Shopping Cart
0 items

Before you leave...

Take 20% off your first order

20% off

Enter the code below at checkout to get 20% off your first order

CODESALE20

Continue Shopping