Hugh's Fish Fight

27 July 2011

Hugh's Fish Fight

Three years ago, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall galvanised public opinion when he launched his initiative to create greater awareness about chickens: how they're reared, how they're sold, and the benefits of humane husbandry to both animals and consumers.

Now Hugh's leaving the comfort of River Cottage to embark on a new crusade, this time to focus attention on the plight of the world's diminishing fish stocks. So great is the impending crisis, scientists believe, that this food source may become non-existent for future generations.

Hugh sets out to understand what is happening to Britain's fishing industry. He asks how much fish is left in the sea and discovers which fish should be eaten and which should be left alone to replenish. Hugh focuses on the three species most widely consumed in the UK - cod, salmon and tuna. Armed with the relevant information he takes his fish fight to the politicians, the general public and the supermarkets.

Hugh asks why over 50% of fish caught in the North Sea are thrown back dead, and why so little of the UK catch is used in local supermarkets. He also explores supermarket claims that their fish is responsibly sourced or sustainable.

Hugh's Fish Fight: The Battle Continues, Mon 8th Aug, Channel 4, 9pm

(Scroll down for information regarding the original Fish Fight)

Six months ago, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall left the comfort of River Cottage behind, and went on a journey to find out what was really going on at the industrial end of our fisheries. What he found was that things are not just bad... They're mad. Half the fish caught in the North Sea are being thrown back into the sea, dead, because of crazy EU laws.

So he launched campaign to try to change those laws... And the response from the public has been incredible. Over 700,000 people have now signed the fish fight petition, and so many people emailed their MPs to protest about discards that they forced a debated in the Houses of Parliament.

As a direct result of Hugh's campaign major policy changes are being considered -  the British Government has decided to fund a six-month study into what would happen if a discard ban was introduced. Hugh is of course delighted but urges the public to continue the fight as the battle must not stop, so that changes are made to the UK and Europe's fishing practices.

In July, the European Commission published their proposals for a new Common Fisheries Policy ... And they included recommendations for a discard ban. This would not have happened without the pressure of the Fish Fight. But that doesn't mean that the law will actually change. There is another 18 months to go before the new Common Fisheries Policy becomes law, which is why Hugh went back to Brussels to launch the Fish Fight campaign in another 11 languages and countries. The pressure he generates across Europe could be the difference between success and failure, long term sustainable fisheries or more years of pointless waste.

And its not just discards. The Fish Fight also looked at how the tinned tuna we eat gets caught, and challenged some of the major retailers and suppliers to stop using fishing methods that lead to high levels of bycatch of sharks, turtles and rays. As as direct result of the pressure put on them by Fish Fight, first Tesco, and then Princes, Morrisons, Asda and lastly John West, all agreed to change their fishing methods over the next few years.

The Fish Fight follow-up tells these, and other, stories, and encourages the public to keep thinking differently about fish, to try to eat new species, and to keep Fish Fighting!

Hugh's Fish Fight

Three years ago, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall galvanised public opinion when he launched his initiative to create greater awareness about chickens: how they're reared, how they're sold, and the benefits of humane husbandry to both animals and consumers.

Now Hugh's leaving the comfort of River Cottage to embark on a new crusade, this time to focus attention on the plight of the world's diminishing fish stocks. So great is the impending crisis, scientists believe, that this food source may become non-existent for future generations.

Hugh sets out to understand what is happening to Britain's fishing industry. He asks how much fish is left in the sea and discovers which fish should be eaten and which should be left alone to replenish. Hugh focuses on the three species most widely consumed in the UK - cod, salmon and tuna. Armed with the relevant information he takes his fish fight to the politicians, the general public and the supermarkets.

Hugh asks why over 50% of fish caught in the North Sea are thrown back dead, and why so little of the UK catch is used in local supermarkets. He also explores supermarket claims that their fish is responsibly sourced or sustainable.

Hugh's Fish Fight: The Battle Continues, Mon 8th Aug, Channel 4, 9pm

(Scroll down for information regarding the original Fish Fight)

Six months ago, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall left the comfort of River Cottage behind, and went on a journey to find out what was really going on at the industrial end of our fisheries. What he found was that things are not just bad... They're mad. Half the fish caught in the North Sea are being thrown back into the sea, dead, because of crazy EU laws.

So he launched campaign to try to change those laws... And the response from the public has been incredible. Over 700,000 people have now signed the fish fight petition, and so many people emailed their MPs to protest about discards that they forced a debated in the Houses of Parliament.

As a direct result of Hugh's campaign major policy changes are being considered -  the British Government has decided to fund a six-month study into what would happen if a discard ban was introduced. Hugh is of course delighted but urges the public to continue the fight as the battle must not stop, so that changes are made to the UK and Europe's fishing practices.

In July, the European Commission published their proposals for a new Common Fisheries Policy ... And they included recommendations for a discard ban. This would not have happened without the pressure of the Fish Fight. But that doesn't mean that the law will actually change. There is another 18 months to go before the new Common Fisheries Policy becomes law, which is why Hugh went back to Brussels to launch the Fish Fight campaign in another 11 languages and countries. The pressure he generates across Europe could be the difference between success and failure, long term sustainable fisheries or more years of pointless waste.

And its not just discards. The Fish Fight also looked at how the tinned tuna we eat gets caught, and challenged some of the major retailers and suppliers to stop using fishing methods that lead to high levels of bycatch of sharks, turtles and rays. As as direct result of the pressure put on them by Fish Fight, first Tesco, and then Princes, Morrisons, Asda and lastly John West, all agreed to change their fishing methods over the next few years.

The Fish Fight follow-up tells these, and other, stories, and encourages the public to keep thinking differently about fish, to try to eat new species, and to keep Fish Fighting!

Hugh's Fish Fight

Three years ago, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall galvanised public opinion when he launched his initiative to create greater awareness about chickens: how they're reared, how they're sold, and the benefits of humane husbandry to both animals and consumers.

Now Hugh's leaving the comfort of River Cottage to embark on a new crusade, this time to focus attention on the plight of the world's diminishing fish stocks. So great is the impending crisis, scientists believe, that this food source may become non-existent for future generations.

Hugh sets out to understand what is happening to Britain's fishing industry. He asks how much fish is left in the sea and discovers which fish should be eaten and which should be left alone to replenish. Hugh focuses on the three species most widely consumed in the UK - cod, salmon and tuna. Armed with the relevant information he takes his fish fight to the politicians, the general public and the supermarkets.

Hugh asks why over 50% of fish caught in the North Sea are thrown back dead, and why so little of the UK catch is used in local supermarkets. He also explores supermarket claims that their fish is responsibly sourced or sustainable.

Hugh's Fish Fight: The Battle Continues, Mon 8th Aug, Channel 4, 9pm

(Scroll down for information regarding the original Fish Fight)

Six months ago, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall left the comfort of River Cottage behind, and went on a journey to find out what was really going on at the industrial end of our fisheries. What he found was that things are not just bad... They're mad. Half the fish caught in the North Sea are being thrown back into the sea, dead, because of crazy EU laws.

So he launched campaign to try to change those laws... And the response from the public has been incredible. Over 700,000 people have now signed the fish fight petition, and so many people emailed their MPs to protest about discards that they forced a debated in the Houses of Parliament.

As a direct result of Hugh's campaign major policy changes are being considered -  the British Government has decided to fund a six-month study into what would happen if a discard ban was introduced. Hugh is of course delighted but urges the public to continue the fight as the battle must not stop, so that changes are made to the UK and Europe's fishing practices.

In July, the European Commission published their proposals for a new Common Fisheries Policy ... And they included recommendations for a discard ban. This would not have happened without the pressure of the Fish Fight. But that doesn't mean that the law will actually change. There is another 18 months to go before the new Common Fisheries Policy becomes law, which is why Hugh went back to Brussels to launch the Fish Fight campaign in another 11 languages and countries. The pressure he generates across Europe could be the difference between success and failure, long term sustainable fisheries or more years of pointless waste.

And its not just discards. The Fish Fight also looked at how the tinned tuna we eat gets caught, and challenged some of the major retailers and suppliers to stop using fishing methods that lead to high levels of bycatch of sharks, turtles and rays. As as direct result of the pressure put on them by Fish Fight, first Tesco, and then Princes, Morrisons, Asda and lastly John West, all agreed to change their fishing methods over the next few years.

The Fish Fight follow-up tells these, and other, stories, and encourages the public to keep thinking differently about fish, to try to eat new species, and to keep Fish Fighting!