DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (118/07) issued by
The Government News Network on 27 April 2007
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 will get the backing of the UK Government today (30 April).
UK Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw and Gareth Thomas, the
Minister for International Development will meet supermarkets
including Tesco and Marks & Spencer to champion measures
designed to deter illegal fishing and boost consumer confidence.
The Ministers will also announce 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.
Gareth Thomas, UK Development Minister, said:
"Every year billions of dollars are snatched away from poor
people around the world that could be used to help make poverty
history. One way of stopping this is to have an EU wide tracking
system that protects poor fishermen and reassures UK consumers
that the fish they buy from the supermarket freezer or fish and
chip shop has been caught fairly and responsibly.
"It would build business confidence, lead to companies
rushing to work with poor communities and help fishermen reap the
benefits of their hard work."
Ben Bradshaw, UK Fisheries Minister, said:
"Illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is a huge
problem. It destroys fish stocks and marine biodiversity, it
depresses the market in legally caught fish, and drives legitimate
fishermen out of business.
"It's driven by sophisticated criminal gangs who
don't care what or who they damage in the pursuit of easy
cash. It's a crime that should concern the world, because it
plunders a world resource.
"We all have a responsibility and a duty to make sure there
is adequate governance and enforcement in place to stop illegal
fishing and to block illegal produce entering the food chain. New
laws will target not only fishermen but processors and importers
who trade in illegal fish."
David Audley, President of the group that represents 10,000 fish
and chip shop owners in the UK, said:
"The NFFF [National Federation of Fish Friers] strongly
advise all fryers to use fish from sustainable sources to ensure
the British public can continue to enjoy their favourite fish and
chips. Any effective measures the EU propose to stop illegal
fishing have our wholehearted support."
At the meeting of representatives from several African
Governments, British food processors and supermarkets including
Tesco and Marks and Spencer's the Ministers will highlight
the importance of including a fish monitoring system in new
European legislation currently being drafted.
They will say that new EU regulations should take account of
successful initiatives already being used by British businesses
such as members of the UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF). The UK
Government has been working with the FDF, which has a voluntary
code of practice for tracking fish imports, to influence EU policy
makers so they adopt a tracing system that is workable, meets the
needs of fishermen and stops criminals selling on illegally caught
fish to the EU. The FDF code of practice has been endorsed by WWF Europe.
Cliff Morrison, Chairman of the Seafood Group, UK Food and Drink
Federation, said:
"The issue of illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU)
fishing is at the forefront of the food processing industry's
agenda. The development and implementation of the industry's
code of practice to counteract IUU fishing activities is a major
step in addressing this problem."
An effective traceability system to responsibly source tuna, such
as that used by FDF members, currently allows them to trace fish
back to the boat, whilst developing a supply chain verification
system that uses electronic systems throughout the chain. In
addition to the traceability systems, regular technical audits of
the whole chain will continue to validate the process.
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.
Notes to Editors
1. The Grand Theft Oceans event will take place in the Atlee Room
of Portcullis House from 14:30-16:30 on Monday 30 April 2007. The
event will be on camera and media will have an opportunity to put
questions to both Ministers. Attendance is by invitation only.
2. Representatives from the following groups are expected to
attend: the Food and Drink Federation, Tesco, Marks & Spence,
Birdseye, the Government of Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania,
Spain, Norway, Denmark, Global Witness, WWF and the Environmental
Justice Foundation.
3. As part of a new push by the UK to address these problems on
the ground, Minister Thomas will announce £15 million to help to
the Government of Sierra Leone improve the management of its
fisheries and stop illegal fishing. He will also announce £600,000
in support for southern Africa through Namibia to improve regional
efforts against fish piracy. Establishing tracing schemes to
track fish exported to the EU market from African countries is
likely to play a key role in helping these countries booth access
our markets and overcome the scourge of pirate fishing.
4. Britain will also work with Australia, New Zealand and the UN
Food and Agriculture Organisation in designing a new global data
base on fishing vessels. This will complement the tracing system
and give producers and importers a new means of identifying
vessels likely to have been involved in fishing illegally.
5. African exports of fish products are currently worth $3.2
billion a year - 5% of world exports of around $60 billion. They
could be much higher if illegal fishing was effectively tackled.
Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea between them lose $150 million
every year through pirate fishing.
6. To find out more about what the Food and Drink Federation is
doing to track fish coming into the UK market please contact
Christine Welberry, Media Relations Manager, Food and Drink
Federation, Tel: 020 7420 7131, Christine.Welberry@fdf.org.uk
7. For further information on what the UK is doing to deter
illegal fishing please contact:
visit http://www.dfid.gov.uk
Or visit http://www.defra.gov.uk