FISHERMEN in East Devon forced to throw away healthy fish because they have caught too much could see the European law responsible overhauled.
FISHERMEN in East Devon forced to throw away healthy fish because they have caught too much could see the European law responsible overhauled.
Euro-MPs this week voted to start the process of overhauling the European Fishing Industry and how to reform the Common Fisheries Policy.
The former European Commissioner for Fisheries, Joe Borg, admitted that the current policy has not succeeded in its objectives.
Current legislation forces fishermen in Devon and across the South West to discard any fish caught that is over their quota for that particular species, which MEP Julie Girling says needlessly damages local fish stocks and negatively affects the income of those who rely on fishing for a living.
She said: "We need to allow fishing quotas to be set at the regional level, drafted by both National Governments, scientists and local fishermen."
Ashley Fox MEP said: "The current policy protects neither fishermen nor fish. It is morally wrong for fishermen to catch perfectly healthy fish and then be forced to throw them away."
The policy was implemented because of overfishing and concerns that stock of some specious are on the verge of collapse.
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