Regulations governing British fishing are supposed to keep it “environmentally sustainable in the long term.” But fish stocks in the United Kingdom are on the brink of collapse.
For those watching the industry closely, this is not a surprise: For decades, U.K. and European Union governments have regularly ignored fishing quota research recommendations. Almost 60 percent of all U.K. fish quotas set last year flouted scientific advice. Rather than sustainable management, governments are effectively overseeing their fishing industries’ slow-motion decline.
“Successive governments have not been willing to tell the fishing industry ‘no’, even though it’s, quantifiably, not in the fishing industry’s best interests to destroy [fish stocks],” said Hughes. “The fishing industry prioritises making as much money as it can this year over any future scenario, and politicians don’t tend to last more than about 18 months in the fisheries department.”
Read the full article from Inside Climate News here.
