Sustainable fishing

"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." George W. Bush Saginaw, Michigan, 29 September, 2000

This isn't sustainable fishing. This is a British trawler that was returning to port with a full load of cod, when it came across shoals of bigger cod. Bigger cod fetch higher prices - so the smaller cod were dumped over the side. The quota system that was intended to conserve fish stocks results in waste like this, and more commonly, when a boat has caught its monthly quota of one species, it has to throw back (dead) any more fish of that species that come up in its nets.

This wastefulness is at last recognised by the EU fisheries people, and they are working to change the system, but it might take a year or two.

But I don't intend to campaign for sustainable fishing here. Other people are making a fine job of that, and I work amongst all kinds of fishermen. Those I know anyway aren't out to make as much money as they can without regard to fish stocks - they are just trying to make a living within and around constraining and often illogical rules. And they keep me updated as to where they've found fish.

We know there are fewer fish about. We know fishing methods need to be improved to conserve stocks and reduce waste. The authorities are working on it (too slowly), and some people are choosing to eat fish caught by less wasteful and more targeted methods.

The South West Handlining Association is a group of fishermen promoting these methods. (When I discussed joining this association, I was considering using jigging machines, so I wasn't welcome. Now that I do catch fish without machines, I may try again to join, but I don't have any quota to bring with me - sail boats can fish commercially without a license and aren't given any quota).

Pisces Responsible Fish Restaurants is a private group that send an observer onto fishing boats to certify the sustainability of their methods. I expect we'll arrange for an observer to come out with us sometime in 2010, if he/she is willing to spend a few days at sea rather than the usual day trip!

But what all these groups fail to acknowledge in their efforts to promote sustainable fishing is the carbon footprint of the fishing operation. Sustainable fishing means conserving fish stocks, but fishing methods need also to be sustainable, even in the event of inevitably rising fuel prices.

We're all for being sustainable from the perspective of preserving fish stock, but we need to research sustainable methods of fishing with the use of fuel in mind. A conventional boat fishing for a week or two can use thousands of pounds worth of fuel. Using fuel at such a rate is unsustainable in the long term.

So Fish for the Future is about researching line fishing, powered by sail. Which is such an eco-friendly thing to be engaged in, it attracts huge amounts of funding!

Further thought on sustainable fishing here.


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	"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." George W. Bush Saginaw, Michigan, 29 September, 2000 Sustainable fishing Funding This isn't sustainable fishing. This is a British trawler that was returning to port with a full load of cod, when it came across shoals of bigger cod. Bigger cod fetch higher prices - so the smaller cod were dumped over the side. The quota system that was intended to conserve fish stocks results in waste like this, and more commonly, when a boat has caught its monthly quota of one species, it has to throw back (dead) any more fish of that species that come up in its nets. This wastefulness is at last recognised by the EU fisheries people, and they are working to change the system, but it might take a year or two. But I don't intend to campaign for sustainable fishing here. Other people are making a fine job of that, and I work amongst all kinds of fishermen. Those I know anyway aren't out to make as much money as they can without regard to fish stocks - they are just trying to make a living within and around constraining and often illogical rules. And they keep me updated as to where they've found fish. We know there are fewer fish about. We know fishing methods need to be improved to conserve stocks and reduce waste. The authorities are working on it (too slowly), and some people are choosing to eat fish caught by less wasteful and more targeted methods. The South West Handlining Association is a group of fishermen promoting these methods. (When I discussed joining this association, I was considering using jigging machines, so I wasn't welcome. Now that I do catch fish without machines, I may try again to join, but I don't have any quota to bring with me - sail boats can fish commercially without a license and aren't given any quota). Pisces Responsible Fish Restaurants is a private group that send an observer onto fishing boats to certify the sustainability of their methods. I expect we'll arrange for an observer to come out with us sometime in 2010, if he/she is willing to spend a few days at sea rather than the usual day trip! But what all these groups fail to acknowledge in their efforts to promote sustainable fishing is the carbon footprint of the fishing operation. Sustainable fishing means conserving fish stocks, but fishing methods need also to be sustainable, even in the event of inevitably rising fuel prices. We're all for being sustainable from the perspective of preserving fish stock, but we need to research sustainable methods of fishing with the use of fuel in mind. A conventional boat fishing for a week or two can use thousands of pounds worth of fuel. Using fuel at such a rate is unsustainable in the long term. So Fish for the Future is about researching line fishing, powered by sail. Which is such an eco-friendly thing to be engaged in, it attracts huge amounts of funding! Further thought on sustainable fishing here.
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