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| Brussels and the EU have repeatedly failed to address the issue of discards. |
The MP for Aberdeen North told the House of Commons the system was "broken in several places" with "short term" decision-making in Brussels resorting to a "one size fits all culture". Fish discards, he said, was an issue high on the agenda, with strong opposition to the principle of good, saleable fish being thrown back into the sea. He said: "It's offensive to most of us, it's wasteful, it affects the viability and sustainability of fish stocks and it distorts the science and scientific advice. It also deeply affects our fishermen who are forced to throw perfectly good fish back in the sea to rot."
The current CFP review by the European Commission, he said, gave Britain an opportunity to argue for a much more radical change, one that "recognises the past failures of a system and puts in place a CFP which is fit for purpose in the 21st century". The backbench motion urges the Government to ensure a revised CFP makes provision for a move away from a centralised management system to a system of regional management of fisheries. It also calls for a manageable and practical scheme to eliminate the problem of discarded fish and the replacement of the current system of annual quotas with a multi-annual system of management focused on conserving fish stocks within a sustainable fishing industry.
Chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee Anne McIntosh said the current "direction of travel" of the European negotiations was "very positive indeed", but it was important to ensure both northern and southern member states supported proposals.
Labour Eurosceptic Kelvin Hopkins, MP for Luton North, said the UK should threaten to withdraw from the CFP. He said: "The only effective solution is actually to seek the abolition of the CFP and return fisheries to member states. All talk of reform at this stage is mere tinkering at the margins."