Double standards ?

When the commercial sector are compelled to discard fish that are over quota, they publicise such events with enormous enthusiasm.

Such practices, they say, are abhorrent, are wasteful and even immoral and blame governments and scientists whilst seeking ‘sympathy’ for the poor fishermen who are forced to throw the fish back.

Although the deep water sector has put in place certain proactive ideas, no commercial sector seems to want to highlight the nephrops fishery, where the quantities undersized fish discarded is simply staggering – between 30 – 50 million juvenile fish, each weighing on average 2 ounces.

That no effort is made to reduce these levels may be a reflection of the Clyde Fisherman’s Association’s (CFA) once publically stated goal of not having whitefish in the Clyde because they eat nephrops.

But whatever the reason, Clyde nephrops trawlers do discard massive quantities of immature fish and they effectively stop any hope of regenerating the once rich biodiversity of the region.

Category: SSACN Announcements