Fish Fight

[Nic Johnson Contracting]

I believe the discard regs. are completely wrong and have signed up.

 

My missus uncle is a commercial fisherman /trawlerman based in the Lofoten Islands in the North of Norway. In his words, the stories of fish stocks being depleted and down on previous years is rubbish. There are plenty of stocks available but it is the quota's that are to blame for the downturn in the industry - that and the Icelandic fishermen!

 

not being a fisherman i did wonder if this was the case they aren't allowed to catch say cod in the south but do all the time and discard them so if they are doing this all the time theres not a shortage surely

 

surely the fisherman know more about fishing than any authority does and that fisherman dont want to over fish as they'll put themselves out of a job

 

its the same in farming more rules and regs and actually stop farmers doing what they know which is looking after the countryside and makes it more difficult

[chaffey]

We are constantly told that the human race is on its way to armageddon, that we will soon wipe ourselves off the face of the planet. Sometimes I wonder if this is such a bad thing.

 

I can hand on heart say that this is my exact feelings. The sooner we as a race wipe ourselves off this planet due to our own ignorance, stupidity and greed the sooner this planet gets a chance to get back to a happy place!! It is sad but i think we will realise when things are just too late. As for the fish it is an absolute disgrace that something should die for no reason whatsoever.

[John Russell]

I believe the discard regs. are completely wrong and have signed up.

 

My missus uncle is a commercial fisherman /trawlerman based in the Lofoten Islands in the North of Norway. In his words, the stories of fish stocks being depleted and down on previous years is rubbish. There are plenty of stocks available but it is the quota's that are to blame for the downturn in the industry - that and the Icelandic fishermen!

 

I'd question your uncle-in-law about whether his information is based on personal experience or is based on scientific study.

 

Everything I read suggests fish stocks are down in virtually all corners of the planet. In some areas fish species have been completely wiped out. Unfortunately quotas are necessary to stop further depletion: it's the way they're operated that is madness -- not the principle of quotas themselves.

 

Here are some facts if you'd like to read up. First the simple version:

 

Overfishing - A global environmental problem, threat and disaster

 

And then there's the science behind it:

 

Overfishing - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Best wishes,

 

John Russell

[Pete Hart]

Not ashamed to admit to having a few tears watching the fish fight programmes.... the disgraceful pollicies on commercial fishing have disgusted me for years now, its something i feel very strongly about.

As a keen angler myself, the problem effects my enjoyment as I feel guilty for even taking a single fish for the table after a Bass trip. Unfortunately with the way things are in our seas (and oceans worldwide for that matter) my personal policy of catch and release counts for nothing.

 

The most disturbing fact i've heard about our oceans is one from Sir David Attenborough.... he stated that even if the oceans were left completely untouched (no fishing, no chemical spills, no hunting Whales, Sharks, Turtles etc) for 50 years, they wouldn't recover to even 40% of their full pottential state. Most of the damage done is unreparable. That is possibly the worst thing about the whole situation.

[Taupotreeman]

No fishing etc for 50 years? Fat chance of that. We'll be raping the seas and the land for the forseeable future. Cutting off the fins of sharks for soup and throwing the rest of the shark back to die? We really are a brainless species. I get so frustrated and annoyed with this kind of stuff and find it hard to keep my feelings in check. As a race we are so ignorant and arrogant...........

[evergreen]

Thanks guys for your thoughts and views. All adds fuel to the fire, so to speak. Keep up the good work!