EU Legislation, Initiatives, etc.
Defra: A new system to beat illegal fishing around the world, by tracking fish from the moment they are caught to when they arrive on consumers' plates has got the backing of the UK Government. UK Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw and Gareth Thomas, the Minister for International Development have met with UK supermarkets to highlight the importance of including a fish monitoring system in new European legislation currently being drafted. The proposed EU regulations are intended to close a gap in current EU laws and prevent illegally caught fish entering member states. Draft legislation is expected to be published by the summer of 2007. The Ministers have also announced a £15 million scheme to help fishermen in Sierra Leone stamp out illegal fishing, including setting up a tracing scheme that will track fish being exported to the EU. Illegal fishing is a major form of organised crime that deprives often very poor communities, of up to $9 billion in lost income every year - $1 billion of which is the loss to Africa. Press release ~ DFID - Combating illegal fishing in the developing world ~ DFID - Action plan to combat illegal fishing ~ eFishBusiness ~ National Federation of Fish Friers ~ UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF) ~ WWF report ~ European Commission - Fight against illegal fishing (IUU)
