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Monday 18 February 2013

MPAs and MCZs - European Marine Sites Implementation Group meeting



The MMO@The_MMO Fisheries in European Marine Sites Implementation Group meeting and information notes from 14 January meeting bit.ly/QQNVpK

The Real Fish Fight starts now!

Never mind hughs fishfight contacts get your complaints into channel 4 about how biased and ill informed aswell as lies this programme told,dont hesitate its ur future 

http://www.channel4.com/4viewers/contact-us

We need to start getting this page shared guys,theres fishermen allover the country in agreement together now,hughs ignorence is destroying your future,lets use this page to fight back,even get hugh fans on here for friendly debate,please post all your points on here ive seen people making over the past few weeks, fishermen stand tigether for once against this guy,langoustine,whitefish,pelagic,beam,scallops,lets do something about it. Chaz bruce

The Real Fish Fight!


This campaign is reaching out to everyone connected to the fishing industry, processors and fish n chip shops also,were fed up of this bad reputation and getting our names tarnished by hughs fish fight and other anti fishing campaigns,come tell us your views and show that uk and ireland has a proud fleet of fishermen,and we wont tolerate these lies spread on ch4 etc

Hugh's Fish Fight This time next week we'll be putting together the final preparations for our march on Westminster. Join Hugh on Monday 25 February to show the government we want more marine protection: http://www.fishfight.net/


Scott Wharton on Facebook:

Could not believe what I watched last night when a man with so little knowledge of the facts is allowed to slander our industry in the way he did. It is unbelievable how a programme can be aired in the manner it was before having facts. I think the time has come for our industry of all sectors and regardless of size of vessel to come together and start counteracting some of these ridiculous accusations made by celebrity chefs who can no longer make their restaurants pay so then decide to earn extra money by trying to destroy our great industry by using their celebrity status in way of misleading the public and losing public confidence. Any sector within the industry thinking their future will be secured by these green parties and celebrities will soon realise the reality as each sector gets picked off one by one. The time has come for our industry to pull together and put our money where our mouth is and start to hit back for our future and our childrens.

Nick PrustNeed a volunteer from each port along the devon, cornwall and dorset coasts to private message me please Time to stand up and be counted

Friday 15 February 2013

Seafish response to Fish Fight 3




This comes a day after Seafish posted this report on a three year scallop programme!


Seafish is urging supporters of Hugh's Fish Fight to pause and consider the marine environment in a wider context, especially in consideration of how we produce food on land following a focus on the issues around Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) during the first episode of Hugh's Fish Fight 3 last night (14 February).


The programme, which in Seafish's view, failed to present a complete picture of the lengths the modern day fishing industry has gone to in order to protect the marine environment, called on viewers to march on Parliament on February 25th and demand the implementation of more MPAs from the Westminster Government.

Seafish however is urging caution to campaigners and asking for them to fully inform themselves of the facts before jumping on the latest celebrity led bandwagon.

Mark Gray, Head of Responsible Sourcing for Seafish, said:

"Seafish supports the concept of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), which can play an important role in protecting the biodiversity and productivity of our seas. However, MPAs need to have clear and measurable objectives, as MPAs designed for fisheries management may be quite different to those designed to protect marine biodiversity. When badly designed, areas closed to fishing can have unforeseen negative effects by displacing fishing activity elsewhere.

"Fishermen have been working alongside governments, scientists and environmental groups for years in order to establish Marine Conservation Zones of varying purposes and continue to do so.

"It is important therefore that people understand that MPAs must have a proper scientific based approach to their set-up before they can be implemented otherwise we could threaten the economic and social prosperity of the UK without making any significant strides in environmental improvement. "

The facts behind scallop dredging must also be understood. Mark Gray said:

"Over 98% of UK landed scallops are caught by vessels using towed fishing gear. There is a misconception that scallop fishermen tow dredges or trawls over every bit of the sea bed. In fact, fishermen know where the species are found and make rationale decisions about where to go scallop fishing.

"Seafish continues to work closely with UK scallop fishermen. Through research and co-operative projects, we support the adoption of techniques and technologies to minimize environmental impacts. Through the adoption of best practice, we believe that ultimately it should be possible to ensure a responsible and sustainable future for this valuable industry."

Seafish, which worked with producers Keo Films to provide footage and advice during the making of the series, was disappointed but not surprised at the content of last night's programme. Given the importance of the issue, and the way it had sought to portray scallop dredging in particular, Seafish has produced a pack of information for followers of Fish Fight to look through and arm themselves fully with the facts on MPAs, dredging and other important areas likely to be highlighted by the programme in an effort to bring some semblance of balance to a debate.

The information can be accessed via the Seafish website and ranges from responsible sourcing guides, to scallop dredging maps and Seafish's independent guide to MPAs

Scottish fishermen criticise ‘Hugh’s Fish Fight’ for inaccurate portrayal of scallop fishing

An inaccurate and negative portrayal of scallop fishing that will be aired as part of the ‘Hugh’s Fish Fight’ Channel 4 TV series has come under stinging criticism from the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation.

The SFF fears the three-programme series, which begins tonight, will offer a totally imbalanced and distorted view of the scallop fishing sector, which supports many jobs and provides consumers with a much valued and sustainable food resource Bertie Armstrong, chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation said: “Scallop fishermen depend upon abundant scallop stocks and a healthy marine environment and are committed to the protection of marine biodiversity.

Scallops prefer to live in less sensitive habitats such as sand and gravel, which are naturally dynamic environments due to the movement of water on the seabed from currents, tides and waves and this is where scallop fishermen concentrate their efforts. Scallop fishermen avoid areas where there are unusual marine features and fully support the need for protecting ecologically important habitats and species. Scallop fishermen have also pioneered the use of state-of-the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) technology to aid this process.

“The scallop industry has been involved in a number of environmental initiatives in recent years such as the development of a ‘Good Practice Guide for Scallops’, which includes the commitment to work in partnership with fishery and conservation managers, and the Statutory Nature Conservation Agencies to ensure that scallop fishing activities avoid damage or disturbance to sensitive seabed habitats and protected sites. We have also been proactively involved in a number of gear trials with different styles of dredges to improve the selectivity of the gear and mitigate any impact on the seabed. “Scalloping only utilises a very small part of the seabed with vessels consistently fishing the same areas decade after decade. To imply that the scallop sector causes wide scale damage is both disingenuous and disproportionate.

“The suggestion by some celebrity chefs that we should eat only hand-dived scallops is wrong and totally impracticable as only 2% of scallops are harvested by divers, which would deny the vast majority of consumers the opportunity to enjoy this superb and sustainably caught seafood, leaving the availability of scallops to only a rich elite. 

The scallop sector is also very important to our economically fragile coastal communities, employing 600 fishing sector jobs and 750 processor jobs all around the coast.”

SWFPO members produce between them about 25% of UK scallops and Queen scallops.


SWFPO members produce between them about 25% of UK scallops and Queen scallops. 

98% of scallops are caught by boats using scallop dredges.


Follow the link to Seafish Website for information about work being done in English Channel to ensure long-term sustainability of scallop dredging in the appropriate locations with the appropriate fishing gear.


Welsh fishermen have done their bit too:


Also please take note of the CEFAS 50% Project that has reduced discarding in channel beam trawling to insignificant amounts. Follow link:

http://www.cefas.defra.gov.uk/our-science/fisheries-information/discards-and-fishing-gear-technology/project-50.aspx

It is not all as Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall would have you believe!


He has demonised scallop dredging and beam trawling, both activities which are crucial to the economic wellbeing of the Channel Ports from Shoreham to Newlyn. His wishes must not prevail. We must have viable long-term fishing jobs throughout UK and for SWFPO members in the south of England.

It is imperative that any Marine Conservation Zones are scientifically based with due scrutiny and rigour, are placed in the right locations to do the right job, that they are not too many, they are not too large and they do not displace fishermen into danger.

Ring Jim Portus on 07860542071 for more information. 





Hugh's Fish Fight fires huge salvo at scallop shells!


Sadly, this programme whilst being well intentioned, was incredibly one sided and as ever played loosely with the facts. 

If you missed it - be not ye fooled and watch the programme here:


Here are a range of tweets from during and following the show - firest in a new three part series on Channel 4.  The first was exctly the reaction you maight now expect from members of the general public having been subjected to a very one-sided and poorly researched and put togther - now a hufe number of people are thinking that scallops should be off the menu!




Did anyone else watch #fishfight last night and think, I'm never eating scallops again!?


A few local comments by more informed viewers like Nathan.....


@Cornish_fish #fishfight great shame, could have focused on great strides made by industry in recent years, demonising fishermen not helpful

and...


  I was making a point that the RFS scheme backs fisherman to fish responsibly with conservation in mind!



@RobinPirates why after the huge efort the uk fishing industry has put in over last 10 yr are there still those who want to misslead public


and...

#fishfight one sided propaganda at its worse .recreate a coral reef on a beach then drag a dredger through it ? This doesn't happen.

then there were no end of outraged viewers comments......


#FishFight watched the first program tonight and could not believe the damage caused to the seabed by the dragging equipment



Fishermen hit out at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for putting people ... via @Telegraph soc.li/0qesJbj #SustainableFishBIZ #fishfight



Fishermen hit out at Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall for putting people ... via @Telegraph soc.li/0qesJbj #SustainableFishBIZ #fishfight

@hughsfishfight how do i get in touch with the fishfight?



@coinneachmackin I can't bear to watch it cause you know what shite he will come out with. So took wife out for a nice meal. Scallops hahaha

HFW your off my Christmas list What happened to free range chickens???

@FishStock1 unfortunately ths prick @rivercottage @hughsfishfight gets a stage to stand on 2 preach his flawed philosophy,lies#ch4bollocks

@fishywillie according to the MMO VMS maps it's about 30% of bottom never fished. So much for his 0.0001% TOSH!

Oh you prat #fishfight nd how much of the seabed is fished by nobody??

@a11yjr @hughsfishfight someone who creates debate and forces us to rethink how our fish is caught can only be a good thing

@finandflounder @hughsfishfight are you for reel.


@finandflounder @a11yjr @hughsfishfight beam trawler & scallop dredger appropriate sandy bottoms where they do fish! They don't fish on reef


@hughsfishfight why no mention of the closed areas we have in Scotland .. 350 closures in 3 years .. Cod spawning closed areas!

@hughsfishfight we fish same areas year after year. Why do we still get best fishing there? #dontbelievehugh


RT @coinneachmackin: @hughsfishfight pisspots that know fek all should say fek all when u don't know all the facts. #eejit #facts #knowledge


What is very reassuring for members of the industry was Seafish's instant response both during and after the show to come back with some real hard evidence - not just sensationalist stunts pulled on the beach with sandcastles!!


Seafish trials with industry to reduce to discards are showing positive results seafish.org/about-seafish/… #fishfight #fishfacts

To find out more about our work with the fishing industry on MPAs and MCZs, contact us: seafish.org/retailers/resp… #fishfight #fishfacts

Here are the days at sea that scallop dredgers in the UK spend seafish.org/media/759553/d… #fishfight #fishfact

Here are the days at sea that scallop dredgers in the UK spend seafish.org/media/759553/d… #fishfight #fishfact

Anyone watching #fishfight read sff.co.uk/node/701 then argue

For anyone following HFW's campaign, we recommend you follow our friends @seafishuk - the best source of info

Let's look at an untouched reef system(unfishable anyway)then look at th shale/sandy barren ground scallops live on and scaremonger#bollocks

There are many different types of MPA, designed and designated for different reasons, find out more: seafish.org/media/754274/s… #fishfight

RT @coinneachmackin: @hughsfishfight pisspots that know fek all should say fek all when u don't know all the facts. #eejit #facts #knowledge

Thanks I would tell skipper but no phone signal! Off to get some shut eye was up at four with skipper to pack him up etc zzzzzzz ;-)

@GingerbreadBake @Happy_Appetite Protecting our seas is vitally important for social, economic and environmental reasons we agree.

@ClassicSeagulls: @DevonScallops HFW is a ***** what you do an produce is 1st class!!” Hear Hear 👏

@hughsfishfight let's have marine protected areas for our fishermen ..they are the most endangered species !!

Well skippers over 6 miles off shore as I type, best tell him to come in as what he does is a waste of time!


@FishStock1 @DevonScallops @sithefish1 dive caught scallops don't stand alone. Numerous product sales exceed capture.

Our maps help show where dredging takes place in the UK, very targetted, take a look seafish.org/media/759561/d… #fishfight #fishfacts

Dredging is just one of three techniques used to harvest scallops #fishfight #fishfacts

Fishermen have been working closely with ENGOs and Government on establishing Marine Conservation Zones for many years #fishfight

@ClientEarth @HughFearnleyW @hughsfishfight do u not realise that's sandy sea bed? Totally different bottom than which he was divingon #lies

@chelseafish @DevonScallops @sithefish1 2% dive-caught V 98% dredged. Probably more diver-caught are sold than are caught if U get my drift!

@chelseafish @DevonScallops @sithefish1 2% dive-caught V 98% dredged. Probably more diver-caught are sold than are caught if U get my drift!

Wonder how many bricks went through TV's tonight #fishfight

@hughsfishfight dungeness fish hut fishing for tomorrow check out the website dungenessfishhut.net sustainable fishing at its best!

Jeez. Why not just film a fisherman beating a baby seal to death with an undersized cod. While wearing an Al Qeida t-shirt. #bollocks.

@FishStock1 @DevonScallops sensationalist and damaging to an already struggling industry. There are far bigger industry issues...


For more info on fisheries and conservation in the IoM see fisheries-conservation.bangor.ac.uk #fishfight #fishfacts

@realMarkLloyd @DevonScallops not most honest journalism ever on TV but probably most exaggerated! Sandcastles above tide line! Phoney!

@Ajax_Hake he admitted on the bbc one show he aint a chef.He's a campaigner,foodie,ecologist, full time lying prat?#fishfight #eatmorefish

How do we balance the needs of fishermen w/ protecting fish stocks? Better gear is one solution ow.ly/hImEh via @nytimesgreen

Much as I love Hugh's passion, this is very sensationalist and mis-representative..

@seafishuk @hughsfishfight #fishfight #fishfacts unfortunately he does not let the truth stand in the way of a good story. Publicity seeker

@micheljkaiser its good to see someone with a distigushed scientific back ground explaining some facts about the fishing



@hughsfishfight dungeness fish hut fishing for tomorrow check out the website dungenessfishhut.net sustainable fishing at its best!

Well by sounds of it thats hugh gibbering pish again, go back to you're kitchen, dont bother speaking about the fishing you're uneducated!!!

A bit more monks in today. Support UK fisheries. #eatmorefish peterheadport.co.uk/marketsummarys…






@LapwingPD972 he has nothing positive to say about any form of responsible fishing, hate,disbelief, scaremonger the public to eat horse?

@hughsfishfight why have you not mentioned our CCTV scheme??? That should be your flagship!!! I can't understand it??

For some proper underwater footage of a trawl see here. youtube.com/watch?v=kX48dW… #fishfight #fishfacts



No doubt there will be many more!




















































Thursday 14 February 2013

Fishermen and Chefs Unify Over Sustainable Fishing

Meanwhile, across the pond.......

More than one hundred fishermen, chefs and seafood distributors from around the country are traveling to the nation’s capital today to ask members of Congress to give them the tools they need – namely to give fishermen the ability to catch fish sustainably through a fishery management tool called catch shares.

Teams of fishermen and chefs will meet with their members of Congress and ask them to fully fund catch share programs. Catch shares help eliminate overfishing and restore fish stocks by dividing the total scientifically approved allowable catch among the fishermen and ending short seasons and derbies. Catch shares have been proven to recover fish populations, increase compliance with catch limits, reduce waste, stabilize revenue and increase business efficiency.

More than 65% of all fish landed in United States federal waters are landed under a catch share fishing program providing a healthy ecosystem, fishing jobs, and a consistent supply of sustainable seafood.

Recently, catch shares have been under fire by some in Congress and special interests who have sought to take the authority to implement the tool out of the hands of local fishery managers.

The group of chefs is being led by Chef Rick Moonen, who is delivering a letter supporting catch shares management signed by notable chefs from around the country. Moonen has been a tireless advocate for sustainable fishing.

“Embracing the idea of serving my customers sustainable seafood has been a primary focus over the past 25 years of my professional career as a chef,” said Rick Moonen, chef/owner of rm seafood in Las Vegas. "Catch share programs naturally create an incentive for environmental preservation and species stewardship by the fishermen who rely on their health to succeed. Restaurants will then get to experience a more consistent supply of properly handled fish, more stable prices, longer seasons and more species diversity. Most importantly we need to provide the fishermen with the tools they need, like fully funded catch share programs.”

Currently, more than 87 percent of the world’s fisheries are overfished, and much of the fish consumed in the United States – roughly 90 percent – is imported. A recent survey by the National Restaurant Association found that fresh, local seafood is becoming increasingly important to consumers.

In their letter, the chefs say that catch shares have a proven track record of restoring fisheries and creating valuable sources of locally-caught sustainable seafood in the United States.

“Catch shares allow us to better utilize the fishery. We can fish year-round, earn higher prices for what we catch and provide consumers with a quality product,” said John Schmidt, a commercial fisherman from Palm Harbor, Florida. “Congress needs to know that many fishermen strongly support catch share management. And the reason we do so is because catch shares work. Congress needs to keep catch shares on the table and leave management decision to regional fishery management councils.”

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) is committed to ending overfishing and is currently working with fishermen and fishery managers around the United States and the world to implement catch shares. “EDF believes that catch shares offer a solution that not only ensures the long-term sustainability of our oceans’ fisheries, but can help to preserve the business and sport of fishing for future generations,” said Matt Rand, Senior Campaigns Director for EDF’s Oceans Program.

Fishermen and chefs will meet all day Wednesday on Capitol Hill and then gather to recognize Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rep. Chellie Pingree of Maine’s First Congressional District as “Fishing Families Champions” for their service in pursuit of responsible management of our nation’s fisheries and their tireless advocacy for fishermen.

Contact: For Environmental Defense Fund: Matt Smelser, msmelser@edf.org, 512.731.3023 For Chef Rick Moonen: Ken Langdon, ken@langdonflynn.com, 773.234.2865