Polish Klub Gaja theatre group, a standout member of the OCEAN2012 coalition, marked the start of a Belgian Presidency symposium in Ostende on present and future fisheries management methods. The group illustrating bad fishing practices. Commissioner Damanaki enjoyed the show.
The symposium was started on November 9-10 with a performance titled “Improved Fisheries and Science Partnerships as Policy Drivers”. Jacek Bozek presented the project to Flemish Fisheries minister Kris Peeters, the current chairman of the Fisheries Council. “The History of the Golden Fish”, a street theatre act based on “The Little Goldfish” by the Brothers Grim. Explaining how the fisherman is dependent on nature and stressing the importance of respecting the Baltic Sea ecosystem, “The History of the Golden Fish” captures the absurdity of present EU fisheries management.
Klub Gaja Founder/Director Jacek Bozek said that ministers are setting fishing limits so far beyond scientific advice they are accelerating the demise of fisheries dependent communities. With more responsible decision-making, following scientific advice that has the confidence and involvement of fishers, EU fisheries could be significantly more productive, and the golden fish could become a symbol for a brighter future.
At the symposium, Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki fearlessly defended the current view of the Commission that science based fisheries “is the only approach which is reliable”. Damanaki emphasized that there is an urgent need for reliable data, and greater regional emphasis as a way of improving fisheries science and sound judgement when setting catch limits.
The symposium also states Christine Absil from OCEAN2012 member group North Sea Foundation from The Netherlands gave the coalition’s perspective on the science-policy interface in EU fisheries management.
