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THE National Federations of Fishermen's Organisations (NFFO) has questioned what it has described as the dubious science behind the creation of Marine Conservations Zones around the UK coastline.
The NFFO's Dave Rodmell, who has been involved with the projects on behalf of his organisation, said the zones are being carried on the back of moral panic that the seas are on a trajectory to destruction.
He said: "The planning of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in English waters has raced ahead at break-neck speed. As a result, it has often ridden roughshod over the careful analysis that is needed to take account of those groups of marine users who have derived their livelihoods from the seas for generations. The MPA Fishing Coalition (MPAC) has therefore welcomed the recent decision of the Fisheries Minster (Richard Benyon) to relax the MCZ timetable and designation process and give a greater focus to the evidence base."
He added: "There is in fact growing evidence that the our seas are far from the path to destruction that the doomsayers claim, but are on an improving trend; and without any contribution from a huge network of marine protected areas.
"In particular, the diversity of demersal fish in UK waters has improved noticeably over the last five years and a progressively increasing number of stocks are being fished sustainably. There is no reason to suggest this trend will not continue."
Mr Rodmell gives an informative, interesting and lengthy account of what he describes as both a blinkered policy guidance and an unjustified seabed grasp on the NFFO's websiite www.nffo.org.uk
He concludes his appraisal with the comments: "It seems a relatively small clique of eco-scientists and MPA (marine protection area) advocates, having realised their MPA cause de celebre, have been given the freedom to construct an elaborate policy vision virtually as a scientists’ writ.
"The certainty that this vision will deliver an ecologically coherent network apparently no-one is to question, nor give consideration to other important needs such as sustainable fisheries. It is about time that those hiding behind this “science is right” charade began to recognise that humans do form part of the marine ecosystem. Otherwise, it is not just people’s livelihoods that stand to be tossed aside like sacrificial pawns; it is the sustainable management of our seas that is at stake."
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