Fish Fight renews campaign to protect the seabed

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http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/feb/14/fish-fight-campaign-marine-life?intcmp=122


Hugh's Fish Fight: Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall with squid fishermen in the Philippines who wear masks to protect against jellyfish stings. Photograph: Johann Perry/Channel 4

Damaging fishing methods and a lack of marine protected zones are being targeted by a renewed campaign to protect the world's dwindling fish stocks, spearheaded by food writer Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

The dredging of seabeds with nets weighted with huge metal ploughs, tearing up all life, rocks and seaweeds and leaving a barren environment is one of the most destructive ways of gathering seafood, but is legally used to gather scallops and other bottom-dwelling species. Its devastating effects will be highlighted in the new series of Hugh's Fish Fight, on Channel 4, starting on Thursday night.

At least one retailer, the northern grocery chain Booths, has pledged to stop selling dredged scallops in anticipation of customer reactions and will stock only scallops that have been dived for, a more laborious and expensive process but one which does not damage the surrounding area. Booths said it hoped this move would stimulate more retailers to follow suit, and fishermen to invest in diving.

Viewers will be invited to get more militant than just watching their shopping baskets. Fearnley-Whittingstall will be leading a march on parliament at noon on 25th February in order to persuade ministers to put in place a wider network of marine conservation zones, where fishing would be effectively banned.