UN gets sharp with ‘ocean-grabbers’
31 Oct 2012 1:09 AM GMT
Big fishing concerns are engaged in ‘ocean-grabbing,’ plundering the seas while scoffing at the environment and local interests, the UN's food watchdog said on Tuesday.
In exceptionally sharp words, the United Nations' special rapporteur on food, Olivier de Schutter, said the interests of smaller fishermen, local communities and sustainable fishing were threatened by long-distance, industrial-scale trawling.
‘Future generations will pay the price when the oceans run dry.’
Global fishing fleets should be cut drastically to ensure that stocks are not depleted, De Schutter said.
‘We must divide our capacity by half,’ he said, before concluding that fish farming should replace a large part of deep sea activity.
‘That is the only solution,’ De Schutter said.‘'Ocean-grabbing,' can be as serious a threat as 'land-grabbing,'’ he said.
In exceptionally sharp words, the United Nations' special rapporteur on food, Olivier de Schutter, said the interests of smaller fishermen, local communities and sustainable fishing were threatened by long-distance, industrial-scale trawling.
‘Future generations will pay the price when the oceans run dry.’
Global fishing fleets should be cut drastically to ensure that stocks are not depleted, De Schutter said.
‘We must divide our capacity by half,’ he said, before concluding that fish farming should replace a large part of deep sea activity.
‘That is the only solution,’ De Schutter said.‘'Ocean-grabbing,' can be as serious a threat as 'land-grabbing,'’ he said.
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