» Fisheries



What will the world inherit from GM salmon – the death of the wild oceans?

We provide here the text, with a Marinet comment as a footnote, of an article published 12th May 2014 by Dr. Gerry Goeden in the Independent Science News. The title of the original article is: What will the world inherit from GM salmon? Dr. Goeden [biographical details below] states: “It’s true — about 50 percent […]

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NEF Fish Dependence update: EU still a long way from “fish food security”

The latest New Economics Foundation report, 28th March 2014, on fish dependence (fish food security) in the EU states: “European Union (EU) fish stocks are heavily overfished, which means they deliver far fewer fish than if they were allowed to recover; yet fish consumption throughout Europe remains high. The EU has been able to maintain […]

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Campaign to secure the sale of sustainably sourced Tuna in UK supermarkets claims “success”

The Guardian reports, 10th April 2014: “LDH, owner of Oriental & Pacific, a brand stocked by Tesco and Asda, told campaigners it would sell only sustainably sourced tuna from April 2015. At present tuna for Oriental & Pacific is caught using the purse seine method involving large nets that scoop up all kinds of marine […]

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Managing Commercial Fishing in English SACs, and the Implications

Jean-Luc Solandt (Marine Conservation Society), Tom Appleby (University of the West of England) and Miles Hoskin (Coastal and Marine Environment Research) have published an article in 2013 in Environmental Law and Management [www.lawtext.com] titled: “Up Frenchman’s creek: A case study on managing commercial fishing in an English Special Area of Conservation and its implications.” The […]

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Levels of “by-catch” in USA’s fisheries are “very high” says Oceana report

Fishing vessels operating off the coasts of Florida and California and in the Gulf of Mexico routinely dump more fish overboard than they bring to shore, says Oceana in a new report “Wasted Catch”  published March 2014. Half of all the wasted fish and seafood can be traced to just nine fisheries, operating off the […]

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Report says “Farmed salmon are fertile, can breed with wild salmon, and so should be sterilised”

The Guardian reports, 10th March 2014: “Farmed salmon should be sterilised to prevent them breeding with wild fish and introducing genetic weaknesses, experts have urged. New research shows that while salmon bred in captivity for food consumption are genetically different from their wild relatives, they are just as fertile, potentially damaging wild populations if they […]

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Marinet responds to “Castle Debate” on CFP Reform

Marinet has responded to the debate and evidence presented at the “Castle Debate” (organised by Pamela Castle OBE) in London on 4th March 2014 This debate considered the outcome and consequences from the recent reform process of the EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Marinet’s response can be seen here.

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Large fish have disappeared from vast tracts of Australian coast

From The Guardian 21st February 2014: Vast tracts of Australia’s coastline have been denuded of large fish, with marine life under pressure from climate change, over-fishing, pollution and invasive species, a year-long study has found. The reef life survey, undertaken by volunteer divers along the entire Australian coastline, took in reefs up to 400 nautical […]

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Can the new reformed CFP protect fish stocks?

We publish here the introduction to a discussion initiated by the journalist, Karl Mathiesen, in The Guardian on 17th December 2013, along with a link to the comments that this discussion generated online, concerning the question whether the reformed Common Fisheries Policy is capable of protecting fish stocks. Mr. Mathiesen opened the discussion by stating: […]

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New report on the definition of “maximum sustainable yield” in fisheries

The Blue Marine Foundation has produced a report looking at the legality of fishing beyond maximum sustainable yield (MSY). The report, led by the University of the West of England, has two key findings: that it is illegal for coastal states to permit fishing beyond MSY; and that it is highly likely that this law […]

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UK Fisheries Minister is reported to be contesting ICES fisheries advice

The Independent, 15th December 2013, reports: “The Fisheries Minister, George Eustice MP, is preparing to defy scientists by demanding higher cod quotas — in the latest instance of the Government going against expert environmental advice. George Eustice argues that reducing quotas will result in more fish being discarded — at least until 2016, when a […]

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Defra study says 2% of the population are recreational sea anglers

The Westminster Government has published, November 2013, a Defra/MMO report [Sea Angling 2012] which states: “Sea Angling 2012 was established to find out how many people go sea angling in England, how much they catch, how much is released, and the economic and social value of sea angling. This was to help local and national […]

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George Monbiot questions the ethics of Seafish which represents the UK fishing industry

George Monbiot writes in The Guardian, 25th November 2013: “It’s a stealth tax about which the government has kept very quiet. When you hear the details, you will know why. I doubt whether one in a thousand people is aware that it exists. Every time you buy fish in the UK, you pay a fee […]

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Major “step forward” in commercial licensing of GM salmon

The Guardian reports, 26th November 2013: “Canada has given the go-ahead to commercial production of genetically modified salmon eggs, bringing the world’s first GM food animal closer to supermarkets and dinner tables. In a decision buried in routine business in the Canada Gazette, Environment Canada said it had granted a US biotechnology firm, AquaBounty Technologies […]

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Dredging Impact on Fish Stocks

Ray Drabble has just had the following news article published in Marine Pollution Bulletin. His efforts to get this on the agenda for Coastal Futures sadly failed. Similarly MMO and CEFAS have been very dismissive about considering fresh evidence that challenges their stated position. ============================================ Strategic Scoping Report and dredging effects The U.K. Marine Management […]

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Will the discards ban be enough to rebuild EU fish stocks?

The Guardian reports, 11th November 2013: “Banning the wasteful practice of discarding edible fish at sea will not be enough to save dwindling fish stocks, a group of scientists have warned. The ending of discards is a key European Union fisheries policy, and after a hard-fought battle over the past three years with the fishing […]

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New Antarctic marine reserve thwarted by Russian and Chinese fishing interests

The New York Times reports, 1st November 2013: “Paris, France — International negotiations aimed at creating one of the world’s largest marine reserves in the waters off Antarctica ended in failure this week in the face of resistance from Russia, China and Ukraine. In the talks, held in Hobart, Tasmania, under the auspices of the […]

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Defra has a new Minister for fisheries, and initiates a public consultation on the EU’s impact on fisheries

As a result of recently announced ministerial changes in the Westminster Government, Mr. George Eustice MP has taken over from Mr. Richard Benyon MP as the Minister in charge of fisheries and marine conservation, including the current marine conservation zone (MCZMCZ Marine Conservation Zone) delivery programme. Also, in a press release dated 21st October 2013, […]

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European Parliament provides advice on what was agreed in the recent EMFF vote

The European Parliament press release, 23rd October 2013, reports on what was agreed in the recent European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) vote under the headline: “Fisheries Policy reform: MEPs agree on rules for €6.5 billion EU aid fund.” Draft rules for allocating European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF), aid to help fishermen to comply […]

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Ocean2012 takes a positive view of the European Parliament’s fishing subsidies (EMFF) vote

Ocean2012 reports, Strasbourg, 23rd October 2013: “Today members of the European Parliament agreed a position on the proposed European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, EMFF. The EMFF is worth over €6.5 billion between 2014 and 2020. Effective implementation of the recently agreed reform of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, CFP, including its targets for the ending […]

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