News
June 24, 2009
Aquaculture and Control reform up for gabs in EU Council
A need to simplify the ”administrative burden” of the European aquaculture industry was highlighted in conclusions adopted by the EU Fisheries Ministers at their June Council meeting in Luxembourg. The Commission welcomed the Council’s support for its strategy, which “will provide new political impetus for the sustainable development of the sector”. The conclusions, with the … Continued
June 24, 2009
Little said about fisheries in Swedish Work Programme
Under the headline ”Using resources without using them up”, the upcoming Swedish EU Presidency recognises that the current Common Fisheries Policy “has not achieved its goals”. Only three paragraphs were devoted to fisheries in the 46-page work programme presented by Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt. The programme added in much general terms that, in view of … Continued
June 24, 2009
ITQs not always profitable, study shows
A new study by two Canadian scientists shows surprisingly negative economic impacts of the Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQ) system, at least when those shares are leased. The study was made on the British Columbia halibut fishery, for many of the system’s advocates an ITQ showcase and great success story. ITQs have been widely accepted – … Continued
June 23, 2009
Great means to find Polish friends
Some 70 anglers’ and fishermen’s organisations have been listed and marked on a new Polish National Angling Directory and Map published on this website. The directory and map have been worked out in collaboration between FISH Regional Support Officer Iwona Roman and Friends Society of the Ina and Gowienica Rivers Chairman Artur Furdyna. The Directory and … Continued
June 17, 2009
One day of fisheries for EU Ministers
Aquaculture, the control system and the future setting of TACs will be up for debate as the EU Council devotes most of its Tuesday sessions to fisheries. In April the Commission presented a plan to “give fresh impetus to sustainable growth to the EU’s aquaculture sector”. The Czech Presidency has now drafted conclusions to be … Continued
June 17, 2009
Obama names task force to forge US national oceans policy
With currently 140 laws and 20 agencies managing its oceans, US President Barack Obama has set out to draft a first comprehensive national policy within this area. Naming a high-level Ocean Policy Task Force, Obama’s intention was to create a “comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem-based” framework for sustainably using the resources of US oceans, coasts and the … Continued
June 16, 2009
Sweden to introduce tradable quotas
The Swedish Riksdag (Parliament) has adopted a new law entitling fishermen to buy or sell individual fishing quotas. The new law applies to the pelagic segment, involving herring, sprat, mackerel, great sandeel, blue whiting and horse mackerel. From August 1 those fishermen concerned will be dealt individual annual quotas they can either use for fishing … Continued
June 16, 2009
Greens send bestseller writer to EU Parliament
A prize-winning journalist/author and novice politician behind a bestseller on the disastrous state of global fisheries has been elected to the European Parliament. Isabella Lövin, a safe bet for the Fisheries Committee, was elected after the Swedish Greens doubled its earlier single-mandate representation in the EU Parliament. Ms. Lövin, at the time a food columnist, … Continued
June 16, 2009
Sustainable Old-timers
Active fisheries management for long-term sustainability, as a principle, is nothing new. It may be at least 12,000 years old. Finds off the California coast near Santa Barbara indicate that Channel Island settlers at that time developed a system for harvesting shellfish without endangering the stocks for future Stone Age generations. Researchers from the University … Continued
June 16, 2009
Thanks to overfishing: 200-kilo Japanese jellyfish threatens the world
Researchers are pointing to a new, problematic, consequence of overfishing in the world’s oceans – jellyfish domination. Dr Anthony Richardson, an Australian marine biologist, says marine systems of the world run an acute risk of flipping over to being jellyfish dominated, and mentions Southeast Asia, the Black Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the North … Continued