News
November 10, 2009
“MSC label not always so certain”
Concern is rising among some environmentalist groups over the MSC eco-label turning lax. The ten-year old London-based Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) scheme today comprehends almost 60 fisheries that have been certified to be sustainable, with a further more than 100 in the process of being assessed. For instance, the cooperation between the World Wide Fund … Continued
November 10, 2009
FISH to stage Warsaw workshop
For NGOs in the Baltic area in general, and those in Poland in particular, FISH will host a best practice workshop on the upcoming CFP reform in Warsaw on December 16. The main objectives of the meeting are threefold: To provide successful ideas and methods for how to create change in fisheries policy by working … Continued
November 5, 2009
Polish Anglers protest hydropower plant investments
Three angler groups have joined in a day of action in eleven Polish cities in support of a moratorium on the construction of small hydropower plants on the nation’s rivers. Large investor interest in construction of hydropower plants in recent years has generated more challenges for the already low wild salmon populations and put river … Continued
November 4, 2009
Dragging Doha talks save subsidies for fisheries
Attempts to reduce global fisheries subsidies are suffering from the slow, or non-existent, progress in world trade talks, environmentalists fear. A study by the University of British Colombia three years ago found that global fisheries subsidies amount to $30-34 billion a year, some $20 billion of which increases the capacity of fleets to fish longer, … Continued
November 4, 2009
Nordic Parliamentarians dissing discards
The European Union should do more to prevent discards in fisheries, a statement from a Nordic Council committee says. The Nordic Council is an inter-parliamentary body for Sweden. Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland, and its Environment and Natural Resources Committee will later submit its view on the upcoming reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), … Continued
November 4, 2009
Big regional differences in environmental impact from salmon farms, study shows
A study of some aspects of farmed salmon’s impact on the environment shows Norway as best in class, while the UK industry received the worst grades. The study, “Not all salmon created equal”, a cooperation between scientists in Sweden and North and Latin America, was published online in the Environmental Science & Technology (ES&T) journal. A … Continued
November 4, 2009
No more whiting this year
The 2009 Swedish quota for whiting has been all but exhausted, and all commercial fishing for the species in the Kattegat and the Skagerrak has been banned for the rest of the year, the Board of Fisheries announced. The closure was enforced from November 9.
November 3, 2009
Spanish threat to South Pacific sharks
Two Spanish vessels using gillnets in waters between Australia and New Zealand threaten endangered deepwater sharp stocks, according to those nations, and the practice will be discussed with the European Union. Gillnet fishing is not formally forbidden in these high seas – waters outside the 200-mile Economic Zones – but Australian and New Zealand officials … Continued
November 3, 2009
Green Federation Gaja scales up wild salmon protection
A 50,000 zloty grant to provide volunteer fish guards with radio-telephones, rubber boots and insulated underwear will make life tougher for Polish salmon poachers. Green Federation ‘Gaja’ (GFG) (Federacja Zielonych ‘Gaja’), will provide equipment for Volunteer Fish Guards (VFG) to strengthen protection of the declining, and already low, wild salmon populations in the Polish rivers. … Continued
November 3, 2009
Baltic regionalisation officially underway
The Baltic Strategy has been endorsed and adopted by the heads of government in the European Council and responsibility has now been passed to “all relevant actors to act speedily and ensure full implementation of the Strategy.” The Baltic Strategy has been endorsed and adopted by the heads of government in the European Council and … Continued