Conservation ..or a disgrace

[peter macdonald]

I got this from a friend of mine tonight Its a video taken by the Norwegian coastguard of a Shetland trawler that got a large haul of fish and didnt have enough quota to be able to be able to keep it all ,,,,,,the rest they had to dump back into the sea as according to the rules of the Common Fishery Policy

http://www.fiskeribladetfiskaren.no/default.asp?side=101&lesmer=8499



That video shows 5.170 kiloes of cod and saithe being dumped back in to the ocean. They had 6.642 kiloes in the same haul. The fish was 8 hours old.... All the fish were already dead.

A few weeks ago our PM Mr Gordon Brown was telling people not to throw away food ...well Mr Brown there are a lot of fish suppers being fed to the seagulls here
PM

[Whitewater]

Yes Peter, it is a tragic waste. Unfortunately our conservationists don't see it like that. They think that returning dead fish to the sea is saving the dwindling stock.
I know the fishing boats have to work within their quotas or they are in big trouble, but it does not make any sense returning dead fish to the sea, but I guess it prevents some skippers deliberately fishing over their quota and claiming it was all caught in one haul. There is no easy answer but returning fish to the sea during the present spiraling food prices, or at any time for that matter, is completely wrong. There must be an easier way to save our fish stocks than this nonesense we see happening every other day.

I have always thought that allowing fishing of sand eels has been a major factor in the reduction of fish stock. The sand eels have always been the main source of food for the bottom feeders, and also many of our sea birds where major reduction of numbers has also occured.

[slinky]

yes there is make em freeze it and pay to deliver it to poorer countrys sure at would stop em over fishing

[Amy-Winehouse]

I have a friend who is aboard the Orkney Trawler `Keila` He recently told me they had only 9 boxes of Cod left on their quota until January 2009!!!!

This means any cod they catch between now & then will be dumped- which he said is absolutely heartbreaking. He put in context , imagine if you had to throw your wages over the side-how would you feel? Sick Id imagine.

He also said they were fishing off Nort west Orkney at a place called Papa Bank & had around 90 boxes of cod in 1 tow & had to dump the lot:eek: How would that make you feel-prime beautiful large sized Cod & they couldnt get a single penny for it.

The only way around it is for them to invest in a larger cod quota thus cutting what little profits they have this year(they have been broken down with mechanical problems for a lot of the year)

Disgrace is what Id describe the situation as

[Dog-eared]

When the regulations for net mesh sizes was revised to use bigger mesh sizes in the leader sides to allow immature fish to escape the fishermen designed nets laid in such a way that the mesh size measured Ok on the deck but closed down under towing conditions.
That is why all the undersized fish are caught and are dead when hauled.

[George Brims]

That video shows 5.170 kiloes of cod and saithe being dumped back in to the ocean. They had 6.642 kiloes in the same haul.
I assume you mean 5,170 kilos and 6,642 kilos? That's 5+ and 6+ tons (or tonnes, which is very nearly the same thing).

I have wondered for a long time if there is some sort of solution to the problem of enforcing quotas without making waste compulsory. Maybe some way where a boat that catches something over their quota can sell the fish on to some other boat that's still under? Or a compensation scheme whereby they can land the fish so it doesn't go to waste, but only be paid for time and fuel. Surely someone can come up with something.

[Oddquine]

I assume you mean 5,170 kilos and 6,642 kilos? That's 5+ and 6+ tons (or tonnes, which is very nearly the same thing).

I have wondered for a long time if there is some sort of solution to the problem of enforcing quotas without making waste compulsory. Maybe some way where a boat that catches something over their quota can sell the fish on to some other boat that's still under? Or a compensation scheme whereby they can land the fish so it doesn't go to waste, but only be paid for time and fuel. Surely someone can come up with something.

Much too sensible, George Brims! [disgust]

[Errogie]

I love eating good fish and anything that can swim in the strong currents of the Pentland Firth is an athlete and of the best quality so it really upsets me that the practice of dumping good protein back in the sea has still not been resolved by our politicians.

I've always resisted knee jerk reactions about the competence and scruples of those who we elect to rule over us but as I get older I'm begining to rack up a catalogue of no brainer decisions from our politicians and fishing policies and management are just another one. Call it cynical but wind power, tax break forestry and the non existence of weapons of mass destruction are just a sample of how wrong they are capable of getting it with monotonous regularity.

Perhaps it has ever been that way but what is clear is that the democratic process rolls over and flattens small scale interests such as fishing for the "greater good" or a seat among the power brokers and devisers of gobbledy gook in Brussels.

Alex. Sutherland

[buggyracer]

speak to any fisherman and they will tell you the quota system isnt conservation, its a sham, they have been saying this for years.

Also with there small cod quotas, there biggest problem is cod, they cant stop catching it, its everywhere, i have spoken to several skippers about it and they all say the same "we have to move ground every trip 5 or 6 times as we cant avoid the cod" they dont want to catch it when they have no quota to land it, but this is proving difficult.

also a lot of boats with the fuel prices at the moment are making a loss as there catch is worth less than there fuel bill :~(

[Average]

speak to any fisherman and they will tell you the quota system isnt conservation, its a sham, they have been saying this for years.
:~(

Why do the fisherman think the quota system was introduced? is somone benefiting from it?

[buggyracer]

Why do the fisherman think the quota system was introduced? is somone benefiting from it?

the fisherman are all for conservation, they just dont think dumping perfectly good fish is the answer?

a days at sea method would imo be better.