Fishermen call for proper dialogue on environmental strategies

EUROPEAN fishermen need to be invited into a meaningful debate on enhanced environmental strategies rather than being hit with a populist blanket ban on discards, according to the Federation of Irish Fishermen (FIF).

Reacting to EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki’s recent blanket ban on discards, FIF chairman Sean O’Donoghue said dialogue is always the better option.

He said the ongoing Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) review affords a far better opportunity to work proactively with industry stakeholders, the Commission, the European Parliament and member states to progressively reduce discards, fishery by fishery and to work towards their eventual elimination.