Gesture politics of the worst kind
A ban on the use of deepwater gill nets that was pushed through by the back door at the December Fish Council has been condemned by the NFFO as gesture politics of the worst kind.
The Commission had calculated that it would not get support from Member States for a free standing regulation banning deepwater gill nets, so instead it smuggled the rule in as an integral part of the new TAC and quota regulations for 2006.
The move was agreed due to member state priorities in reaching a quota deal and because it was part of an overall package. However, the science underpinning such a ban is extraordinarily weak.
For example, one recent Fisheries Science Partnership survey on the issue found hardly any gill nets - and certainly not the thousands of miles alleged to be lying on the seabed.
Defra supports the NFFO’s view on this new regulation and the Federation has been granted an urgent meeting with the Commission to discuss the issue further. The proposal would involve a dispensation for boats with observers on board who could monitor the situation.
But perhaps even more worrying is the precedence behind the way that the ruling was introduced and the fear that the Commission may in the future use backdoor methods more often for regulations that have little support and which are not based on scientific fact.
Chief executive Barrie Deas says: “If the EC can ban a whole fishing method by an underhand way, then it could well be only a matter of time before the same thing happens to fishermen using other types of gear. This is a major issue that we must guard against in the future.” |
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