The use of “spy in the boat” technology aimed at overhauling EU fishing practices to end the waste of discarding thousands of tonnes of dead fish at sea. The Danish Government has devised the plan that will give fishermen bigger catch quotas in return for closed-circuit television monitoring on board. Supporters of the cameras argue that the numbers of fish taken overall will fall with the end of high rates of so-called discards.
Experts believe that the use of CCTV is a potential blueprint for the re-drawing of the EU’s failed fishing policy, which after 25 years of rows about quotas, days at sea and net sizes still results in 88 percent of stocks overfished compared with 25 per cent worldwide. While 24,400 tonnes of cod were landed in the North Sea in 2007, 23,600 tonnes were thrown back dead and another 14,600 tonnes were unaccounted for as fishermen strove to keep within their strict EU landing quotas.
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea revealed that the Scottish government will begin its trial of on-board cameras later this year by installing CCTV technology in seven volunteer boats. Just as in a similar Danish trial already under way, the fishermen will be given catch quotas rather than landing quotas, meaning that every fish caught will be counted rather than simply every fish brought back to shore.
Bertie Armstrong, CEO the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, supported the camera trials as way of giving responsibility back to fishermen. He expressed that everybody supports a reduction in discards. He added that the trial is awaited and there is cautious support.
