Politics of fishing

Asda has just taken cod off its shelves.

A sane fisheries policy would have imposed a total ban on cod fishing in the North Sea years ago. The stocks have collapsed and the fish is on the verge of extinction. Instead of taking drastic action to save the fishing industry the ministers take the cowards way out and give in to the fishermen's demands to keep quota reductions to a minimum. This year the quota is set at half the remaining stock. Cod do not spawn until they have reached seven years of age.

It does not take an expert in fisheries to realize that the inevitable result of this policy is going to be the complete destruction of the fishing industry.