PRESS RELEASE
28th September, 2010
Guide to Sustainable Seafood and Campaign to Reform the Common Fisheries Policy
28,500 people call on EU Fisheries Commissioner to put environment first
On Monday September 13th the Irish Wildlife Trust was among a delegation of European environmental groups that handed over 28,500 signatures to European Fisheries and Maritime Affairs Commissioner, Maria Damanaki, calling on her to prioritise the health of the marine environment in the reform of the European Union's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP).
"From all over Europe people are urging Commissioner Damanaki to conserve valuable marine habitats and ensure the economic vitality of vulnerable coastal communities," said Pádraic Fogarty, chairman of the Irish Wildlife Trust. "The Irish government must show strong leadership by putting the environment first in its negotiations for a reformed Common Fisheries Policy. This means following scientific advice and imposing strict criteria on those seeking access to fisheries resources. We must put the fish before the fishing to ensure that future generations can enjoy seafood as part of a health diet and that coastal communities will reverse their decline. "
The IWT, within the European coalition of environmental groups, OCEAN2012, is proposing that access to fishery resources be based on a set of transparent criteria for sustainable fishing, which must include:
· More selective fishing methods, gears and practices that reduce unintentional catches of non-target species and lessen the impact on the marine environment;
· Vessels and fishing methods that consume less energy per tonne of fish caught;
· A good record of compliance with the rules of the CFP.
"The marine environment is a common good. It is in the public interest that activities which impact the state of marine fish stocks, and the larger ecosystem, are carefully managed," said Fogarty. "Under the reformed CFP, those who fish in the most sustainable way should be given priority access to fishing grounds."
To raise awareness of the link between what we eat and the health of our ocean the IWT has launched an on-line guide to seafood that presented the best available information on the state of the species and the techniques that are used to catch them. This can be found on www.iwt.ie .
ENDS
Contact:
For further information please contact Padraic Fogarty - IWT Chairman.
Ph: 01 860 2839 or E-mail: enquiries@iwt.ie
Notes to the Editor:
1. The Irish Wildlife Trust was founded in 1979 as a charitable conservation body. We provide the public with information about wildlife, run
education and training programs like SAC Watch and the Badger club, carry out habitat and species surveys like the IWT National Lizard Survey
and Newt Survey, campaign and lobby around biodiversity issues, restore natural habitats, consult with industry, agriculture and Local Authorities to
maintain our natural heritage and contribute to national and international forums for the protection of biodiversity. The IWT is a nationwide
organisation with a strong membership base, staff and Board of Directors, with branches in Dublin, Limerick, Waterford and Cork.
2. Details of OCEAN2012 and its proposal for a reformed CFP can be found at www.OCEAN2012.eu
3. OCEAN2012 is an alliance of 88 organisations dedicated to transforming European Fisheries Policy to stop overfishing, end destructive fishing
practices and deliver fair and equitable use of healthy fish stocks.
OCEAN2012 was initiated, and is co-ordinated, by the Pew Environment Group, the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a non
governmental organisation working to end overfishing in the world´s oceans.
The steering group of OCEAN2012 is the Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements (CFFA), Ecologistas en Acción, the Fisheries Secretariat
(FISH), nef (new economics foundation), the Pew Environment Group and Seas At Risk (SAR).
