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THE National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations has said it is firing on all cylinders ready to meet all the major fishing challenges looming up over the next few months.
In fact it was difficult to recall a time when the federation had had to fight on so many major fronts at once.
"The fishing industry has become used to facing major challenges but never before have we been confronted by so many life-or-death issues at the same time," said a statement.
The big issues include CFP reform, the matter of discards, the EU cod plan, marine conservation zones, shellfish, offshore energy and days at sea. And it has very clear policies for dealing with all of them.
The NFFO statement said: "CFP reform, radical domestic fisheries management reform and the biggest change in shellfish management ever are approaching at the same time that a major review of the EU cod management plan has arrived; and just as the process of establishing a network of marine protected areas in UK waters is reaching a critical stage; add to this a celebrity chef who has ignited the discards issue with a vengeance.
"All this is taking place as IFCAS – the biggest change to inshore fisheries management since Queen Victoria – are bedding in, and the problems associated with establishing a fully functioning Marine Management Organisation have yet to be resolved.
"And all of this doesn’t take into account the task of dealing with the establishment of an immense expansion of offshore wind-farms, surviving the annual cuts in days at sea restrictions and addressing the endemic problem of weak stock assessments on which so many fisheries decisions including TACs are made."
The NFFO has told its members that this was a time for unity and cohesion, standing firm and sending clear, strong, messages to policy makers in Whitehall and Brussels. That is what you expect of your Federation and that is what the NFFO is doing.
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