A new report from MCS, WWF & RSPB pressing government to adopt a ‘climate-smart’ approach to UK fisheries. The report calls for stakeholders to actively seek to limit bottom towed fishing gear to support recovery of blue carbon within current MPAs and in key areas outside of MPAs. Also that work should take place to decarbonise the UK fleet including removing fuel subsidies and eliminating inefficient fleet structures.

“We need a modern approach to how we source our seafood; not just to address the dual climate and nature crises, but to ensure that sustainable seafood is an integral part of the UK food system “according to Gareth Cunningham from MCS. “Change is never easy. But realising the benefits of climate-smart fishing is vital to restoring our marine environment, providing a healthy source of protein and a future for the industry that supplies it.”

Proposals include

• reducing pressure from fishing gears like trawls and dredges by incentivising a move to less damaging fishing methods such as bottom longlines;
• increasing transparency and traceability across UK fishing industry to improve understanding of impact of fishing and aid stock recovery. This could be achieved by mandating the installation of Remote Electronic Monitoring systems with CCTV cameras across the UK fleet to provide a true picture of catch levels and data to improve management;
• banning bottom towed gear to protect and enable recovery of blue carbon habitats within existing Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) designated for seabed features, as well as limiting towed gear in important blue carbon sites outside current MPAs;
• creating incentives to decarbonise the UK fishing fleet and eliminate inefficient fleet structures, for example by ending fossil fuel subsidies and encouraging fishers to move to electric and solar powered vessels.

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