The UK government has announced more freedom to bank and borrow quota and funding for the under 10m fleet under the £43m European Maritime and Fisheries Fund to help fishermen prepare for the discard ban.
Fisheries Minister, George Eustice, has set out how the latest phase of the discard ban should bring the wasteful practice to an end, alongside the important flexibilities it is putting in place to ensure the ban doesn’t impact negatively on the fishing industry.
He said: “If we want a profitable fishing industry and thriving coastal communities in the future it is vital that we fish sustainably today. That is why the reforms we have secured to the Common Fisheries Policy, which will put an end to the shameful practice of throwing perfectly good fish overboard, are so important.”
Aside from more freedom to bank and borrow quota, the UK government has also promised to make funding available to purchase or develop new more selective gear and help the industry to develop new markets for fish that were previously discarded.
There will also be increased quotas from the European Commission to take account of the fact that discarding should no longer be occurring and exemptions in place based on the survivability of a species once caught.
Together with the quota system, it’s hoped that the ban will play a crucial role in the UK achieving sustainable fishing levels by 2020, a cornerstone agreement of the now-reformed Common Fisheries Policy.
The demersal discard ban will come into effect from January 2016 for fishermen targeting species such as haddock, sole and plaice.
