While certain celebrity chefs are doing their best to persuade a generally cynical but non-questioning British public to persuade their local chippy to sell Mackerel instead of Cod, Spanish fishing fleets are busy emptying the sea of what is often described as a ‘common’ fish. Is anyone surprised? No-one with any interest in such matters will be in any way whatsoever. In fact the only thing anyone would be surprised about would be if the ‘penalty’ imposed on the fleets were actually enforced…
From: Fish Information and Services:
The European Commission (EC) will penalize Spain for exceeding its catch quota for mackerel by 20,000 tonnes (80 per cent), which had been issued for the Bay of Biscay (Cantabrian Sea) in 2010.
The European country must return 39,242 tonnes of mackerel – twice the amount wrongfully caught in the period – between 2011 and 2015, which will mean cuts in the next installments, EU sources confirmed.
The reduction provided for 2011 amounts to 4,500 tonnes, so the Cantabrian fleet is obliged to cease trading after the capture of just 20,000 tonnes.
