South West MEP and Member of the Fisheries Committee in the European Parliament, Julie Girling, has reported on the hugely successful voting that took place in the European Parliament in February.
She said, “The report on the Common Fisheries Policy was emphatically adopted 502-137. This victory provides for meaningful reform, which will see the restoration of European stocks to sustainable levels.
“I am absolutely delighted with the voting. This has been a long and hard-fought campaign, brought into the spotlight by Hugh Fernley-Whittingstall. Finally MEPs have united to say that discarding good fish is not acceptable and it must stop.
“The whole report was emphatically adopted, meaning no discards, restoration of stocks to sustainable level more environmental measures and more regional decision-making.
“Both fishermen and the environment will benefit from the voting on the Common Fisheries Policy, in the future there will be more fish in our seas and good fish will not be thrown back overboard. Everything a fisherman catches must be landed, no exceptions.”
