The UK’s two main UK fishermen’s federations have thrown their support behind an official complaint over a BBC programme that portrayed a “totally inaccurate and damaging picture of the fishing industry”.
The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations have welcomed the news that industry body Seafish has formally written to the BBC complaining about the poor editorial standards in the TV programme ‘Britain’s really disgusting food: fish’.
The SFF and NFFO say the programme ignored the true situation regarding commercial fishing in the UK and the impact upon the marine environment.
The Federations are particularly dismayed at the continual repetition in the programme that “some scientists believe there will be ‘no fish left in the sea in 50 years time”. The scientist who originally made this assertion in 2006 – Professor Boris Worm of Dalhousie University, Canada – has since rescinded this hypothesis; and it is also a view not held by most mainstream scientists.
In a joint statement, the SFF and NFFO said: “This was an extremely damaging programme to the UK fishing industry where the true facts were simply ignored. It seems that the programme makers thought of a title and then made an episode to fit around their own narrow agenda.
“Seafood is one of the healthiest and most natural foods around and its consumption should be promoted, not denigrated. The programme makers totally failed to acknowledge the huge strides made by the UK fishing industry in recent years to ensure a sustainable future.”
