Discards - heading in the right direction?

Here's a response from fisheries consulatant Yan Giron in the wake of Monday's discard debate following a story that appeared in the Guardian. In the same way that last week's red meat scare emanated from the BBC when they picked up on some statistics that did not hold up under close scrutiny, here the Guardian's article reports the story as it has unfolded over the past year.

"The discards issue has been the subject of heavy lobbying in the past year, since the EU fisheries chief, Maria Damanaki, backed a change to the European common fisheries policy (CFP) to ban discards. Her reforms would mean fishermen would be forced to land all fish they catch, in return for compensation.

Some fishermen – mainly in companies with industrial-scale vessels – want to keep the present arrangement because by throwing back lower value, though edible, fish they can maximise their profits.

Discarding is a consequence of the strict quotas in the EU under the common fisheries policy on the amount of fish that boats may land. When fishermen exceed their quota, or catch species of fish for which they do not have a quota, they must discard the excess."

Yan's response reads as follows:"

Coming back to the discard ban and Hugh's new passion for French. 

What was adopted yesterday was exactly what our Industry fishermen, small scale and industrial, were told would be the French position and what they requested. They never requested what was supposed to be inside this "French declaration". What comes in final with this "declaration", was it real or not or only a targeted leak to make them believe such a declaration exits, I have to be fair, I don't know. I am not in the last circle of French government. But the French professionnal position was exactly the one which was adopted : no systematic discard ban, approach fishery by fishery, a strong wish to tackle bycatches. And usually fishermen profesionnals are not used to bypassed-ways to tell the thing.

So now Hugh's yesterday mood and his new love for the French: There is no French or Spanish or Belgian or Scottish fishermen anti-discard revolution. Just a different way of finding solution. Tackling bycatches This way of designating a foe to fight against is neither a wish to be simple, nor a deliberate strategy to self-raise himself as a salvator. This last option is quite close to the one also used by some newspapers and some NGOs. 

It is quite usefull to mask real discard causes, such as British Fixed Quota Allocated FQA (monetizing the right to work). Which is also convenient for British representatives. Only Richard LochHead (sorry, a Scot) assumes a sense of honour and courageously doesn't fear Hugh's acrymony by telling the truth : "we don't want simplistics discard bans". 

So it looks as if Hugh was now playing an easy game, a good old recipe in a good old pot used by Mac Carthy in good old times: the opening of the witch hunt . It is the season.

Step 1: create a global and continuous feeling of stress based on pure emotion. 1 year of tough work.

Step 2 : create a sudden mass indignation with an emergency situation- notimetothink (this secret note from these Filthy French B...). But fishermen opposition to a discard ban and their wish to avoid bycatches were public since long for anyone who read the public declaration of Spain, France (as for British Nat Fed of Fishermen Organisation NFFO, Scottish Fishermen Association SFA, EUROPECHE ones). There was no real surprise. 

Step 3 : have a good friend in a well famed newspaper. Invite him/her for dinner. Be so seductive that it makes him/her forget journalist code of ethics. Something like "check your source", "find various expertise from various side if you don't understand"," present all the facts and point of view including Fishermen one (see e.g. NFFO proposals), not judge them". 

Step 4 : Use latest information technology and independant newspaper to send the mod, by playing on old angers and fears (French/British 100-years war, the underdeveloped thieves from the Southern Europe, Napoleon, Trafalgar, Nelson, Hornblower, Edith Cresson, De Gaulle, Chirac and Irak, my Mom - sorry Mom), in a way that makes everyone feel courageously actor of the fight - send your stone, send your indignated tweet ! Then congratulate them warmly – « thanks to you we avoid a mass disaster - and we kick some French a...”- “let's prepare the next battle”. 

Step 5 : Never be wrong; "We are not guilty. It is Europe's Fault, it is Froggies' fault. FQAs don't exist. we never forced our fishermen to highgrade their catches, by creating economic unbearable conditions for them to satisfy liberal ideology" 

Step 6 : never be wrong : yesterday, the discard ban was not voted. If I understand well, it was voted/discussed a position which more refers to an approach fishery by fishery, as proposed for long by Spain France, Scotland, Belgian and others fishermen professional. So it is not a success for the dogmatic ban, by chance. But slightly change your target from "ban discard" to "prevent French declaration", and it becomes a victory for him against these sea pirates. Thanks to these 180,000 new twitter army. But, actually what was voted was already a minimum consensus for all. 

Step 7 : ne-ver-be-wrong. If doubts about that, refer to step 5. 

I am thankfull to Hugh to have raised the discard problem, which is a concern and a real concern in the North Sea. A long time ago, on Hugh's website it was written something like "I am not a specialist, I only see a problem, I don't have the solution". What a wise man. Sincerely I was impressed. It is good also to see the conscience for sustainable fisheries raised up by non specialists. That was before. 

Now he has found a magic and simplistic solution, easy to raise, easy to communicate, no understanding: problem is discard; Just ban the problem. 

No difficult words such as "why" or "how". He told you, he's not a specialist. It's pure gold for Communication officers and Fund raising activity. Everyone would understand. Everyone could feel angry not to see quick improvements. Nobody has to think or get more information. Everyone will be confident of you for years, whatever you say. 

So Hugh, I am normally constructive and opened to discussion. But I am angry against what you did. You may disagree with me, but, please, stop holding fishermen against themselves or designating foes. 

If it is not what you intended to do, it is how we saw it from France. Use your media powers to show  what has to be done in selectivity or other technical solutions to avoid bycatch. Promote co-management. European fishing industry has fishing gear specialists who need support. This won’t be a pro fishermen propaganda. But will bring the debate where real solutions can be implemented because also designed by fishermen. The road is long to reach better fishing gear or quota use. It think it is less simple but more efficient at last."
Yan Giron

 Comments welcomed!