A British trawler has sparked an international incident after being filmed taking a boatload of endangered fish caught in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea and then dumping the majority overboard in UK waters.
Norwegian government coastguards filmed the crew of the Prolific, a Shetland-based trawler, openly discarding more than 5,000 kg of cod and other dead white fish, or nearly 80% of its catch.
The article finishes with:
A spokesman for the department of the environment, food and rural affairs (Defra) said: “Throwing dead fish back into the sea is a waste that nobody wants to see, but there is no easy answer. The UK is keen to ensure more effective and sustainable fisheries by reducing by-catch and discards, and the government is working closely with fishermen to achieve that.”
There is an easy and inevitable answer. When there aren’t any fish left, they won’t be able to catch any to throw dead ones back. 
I’d give up eating fish, but I already did, years ago. The kids eat next to none, and Tim doesn’t even have it once a week now, so we can’t do much in this household to make a difference. Wonder if I should write to my MP? Not that that ever seems to make much difference. Bleargh.
2 Comments
This stuff makes me so angry. If they aren’t allowed to catch that many fish, why the hell don’t they use smaller or more specialised nets and pick spots where the endangered fish aren’t as likely to swim?
I too have cut right back on my fish consumption, mainly because of animal rights stuff than politics, but even if I ate meat I’d be angry…
even as a fully paid up carnivore (although teh cat eats more fish than the rest of us together) I just don’t get taht! The fish are dead, they may as well therefore be eaten and just accept that you ain’t going fishing for a few months cos you have already used up your quotas for the next few months. And really, if they can’t read a navigational chart to know they aren’t even in their own waters they shouldn’t be allowed out of the harbour.:x