Closed petition Reform to Common Fisheries Policy -- The 'Fish Fight'

Closed on 15 February 2012

Around half of all fish caught in the North Sea are being discarded because of the current quota system imposed by the Common Fisheries Policy.

We support Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's 'Fish Fight' campaign and Zac Goldsmith's associated Early Day Motion. These aim to eliminate the environmentally and economically damaging practice of discarding fish before landing.

We further welcome the campaign's support for the sustainable use of discard species by retailers, suppliers and restaurants to stimulate the creation of new markets for lesser known species.

We call on the Government to demand strong reform of the European Union Common Fisheries Policy to institute a regionalised, ecosystems-based management framework which incentivises the use of selective gear, uses real-time management, including temporary closures, and establishes ecosystem catch quotas rather than single-species landing quotas.