FAIR FISH CAMPAIGN
The Fair Fish campaign is based around British values of fairness for all.
Positive change at Brixham (highest value of fish sold in the UK) will make a national impact. The Fair Fish Campaign is supported by www.BetterDevon.uk and proposes the following:
Fairness to the public: Brixham Fish Market and industrial fishers need to tell the truth to the public about damaging fishing practices.
Fairness to the Future: Brixham Fish Market should commit to banning all seafood harvested unsustainably and from Marine Protected Areas by dredging, dragging and bottom trawling.
Fairness to fishing communities: lower impact fishers across the UK should have greater access to quota in line with Section 25 of the Fisheries Act 2020 and reflecting their lower ecological impact.
Support the campaign in a number of ways:
Add your company name to the open letter to Brixham Fish Market
ADD YOUR SUPPORT
TAKE ACTION
What else can you do? It can often feel impossible to make change actually happen. Industrial Fishing is BIG money. But it is big money held by a tiny number of people. Use your own skills, think about what you can do that could persuade, inform or challenge people and decision makers to make better and fairer choices for our environment and coastal communities. 'Brixham Chimes' contains an in-depth Appendix of fishing methods and facts that might help. Below are a few other ideas that can also make a difference.
PRINTABLE / SHAREABLE RESOURCE
Enjoy I-Spy? Enjoy sharing these classic Brixham fishing vessels with your friends- and even strangers!
SUPPORT LOW IMPACT FISHERS
Buying industrial Bottom Trawled, Beam Trawled and Dredged fish is putting money into the pockets of industrial fishing. Instead, look at the options for buying fish from Community Interest Companies set up to supply fish bought exclusively from lower impact, small boat fishers, much of which is caught by hand line. Try Sole of Discretion or Kernowsashimi for ethical suppliers of seafood that considers both the environment and coastal communities.
WRITE TO YOUR MP AND DEMAND HIGHLY PROTECTED MARINE AREAS (HPMAS)
Write to your MP and let them know it's time the UK Government caught up with other nations in meaningful action to conserve collapsing fish stocks and habitats. Demand action on establishing truly protected Marine Areas, with an update on what they have done about it- it is all too easy for politicians to assure you they will look into it, and then for nothing to happen. And of course, do check with your MP whether they have received campaign donations from fishing companies involved in industrial fishing practices - it is their duty to be honest with you.
SIMPLY SPREAD THE WORD (DON'T LET THE DEEP POCKETS OF INDUSTRIAL FISHING LOBBY THE TRUTH AWAY)
Talk about what's happening in Brixham and your own home ports. Help people understand that most of our fish is coming from unsustainable sources- and that it doesn't have to be that way. We are a nation of coastal communities- we should be helping the lower impact inshore fishers flourish, not feeding the grumbling belly of industrial fishing that is destroying their livelihoods. For scientific evidence based campaigns and information you could join the Marine Conservation Society . Ocean Rebellion are also supported by a large number of highly informed scientists with an inclusive and active community.
IF YOU LIVE IN HASTINGS, LOWESTOFT OR NEWHAVEN...
Get active- now. Your own local economies are about to be altered dramatically by Brixham's long reach. Fish trucks are already taking your fish to be sold in Brixham. This process could ruin communities, snatch money from local economies and adds a huge carbon footprint. Above all, it is completely unneccessary with many of these towns having once thriving fish markets- now struggling all the more because of this.
Curious to know more? Get in touch.
"Whatever you are going to do, you should do it here, on this planet, now."
Eileen Agar, Surrealist Artist
