Screw tightens on llegal fishers – Fishupdate.com
Screw tightens on llegal fishers Published: 29 April, 2007
A NEW fish tracking system system to beat illegal fishing globally will get UK backing tomorrow (30 April.)
UK Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw and Gareth Thomas, the Minister
for International Development will meet supermarkets including Tesco
and Marks & Spencer to champion measures designed to deter illegal
fishing and boost consumer confidence.
The Ministers will also announce a £15 million scheme to help
fishermen in Sierra Leone stamp out illegal fishing, including
setting up a tracing scheme that will track fish being exported to
the EU.
Illegal fishing is a major form of organised crime that deprives
often very poor communities, of up to $9 billion in lost income every
year – $1 billion of which is the loss to Africa.
Gareth Thomas, UK Development Minister, said:
“Every year billions of dollars are snatched away from poor people
around the world that could be used to help make poverty history. One
way of stopping this is to have an EU wide tracking system that
protects poor fishermen and reassures UK consumers that the fish they
buy from the supermarket freezer or fish and chip shop has been
caught fairly and responsibly.
“It would build business confidence, lead to companies rushing to
work with poor communities and help fishermen reap the benefits of
their hard work.”
Ben Bradshaw, UK Fisheries Minister, said:
“Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is a huge problem. It
destroys fish stocks and marine biodiversity, it depresses the market
in legally caught fish, and drives legitimate fishermen out of
business.
“It’s driven by sophisticated criminal gangs who don’t care what or
who they damage in the pursuit of easy cash. It’s a crime that should
concern the world, because it plunders a world resource.
“We all have a responsibility and a duty to make sure there is
adequate governance and enforcement in place to stop illegal fishing
and to block illegal produce entering the food chain. New laws will
target not only fishermen but processors and importers who trade in
illegal fish.”
David Audley, President of the group that represents 10,000 fish and
chip shop owners in the UK, said:
“The NFFF [National Federation of Fish Friers] strongly advise all
fryers to use fish from sustainable sources to ensure the British
public can continue to enjoy their favourite fish and chips. Any
effective measures the EU propose to stop illegal fishing have our
wholehearted support.”
At the meeting of representatives from several African Governments,
British food processors and supermarkets including Tesco and Marks
and Spencer’s the Ministers will highlight the importance of
including a fish monitoring system in new European legislation
currently being drafted.
They will say that new EU regulations should take account of
successful initiatives already being used by British businesses such
as members of the UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF). The UK
Government has been working with the FDF, which has a voluntary code
of practice for tracking fish imports, to influence EU policy makers
so they adopt a tracing system that is workable, meets the needs of
fishermen and stops criminals selling on illegally caught fish to the
EU. The FDF code of practice has been endorsed by WWF Europe.
Cliff Morrison, Chairman of the Seafood Group, UK Food and Drink
Federation, said:
“The issue of illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing is at
the forefront of the food processing industry’s agenda. The
development and implementation of the industry’s code of practice to
counteract IUU fishing activities is a major step in addressing this
problem.”
An effective traceability system to responsibly source tuna, such as
that used by FDF members, currently allows them to trace fish back to
the boat, whilst developing a supply chain verification system that
uses electronic systems throughout the chain. In addition to the
traceability systems, regular technical audits of the whole chain
will continue to validate the process.
The proposed EU regulations are intended to close a gap in current EU
laws and prevent illegally caught fish entering member states. Draft
legislation is expected to be published by the summer of 2007.
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