Consumers empowered as UK steps up its fight against fish crime

With the warning that buying seafood from illegitimate sources is not only illegal but also threatens the fishing industry and fish stocks and also puts the broader marine environment at risk, a new U.K. consumer initiative is urging the general public to anonymously report any potentially illicit seafood sales to the independent crime-fighting charity hotline Crime Stoppers.

The drive is a key part of the “Looks fishy? Don’t risk it” campaign, launched by the government’s Marine Management Organisation (MMO) in partnership with fishermen and stakeholder organizations to promote compliance with the U.K.’s Registered Buyers and Sellers Scheme. The scheme essentially makes it illegal to sell and buy fish from unlicensed fishing vessels and a criminal offence for recreational fishermen to sell any of their catch.

While there are a few exceptions to the commercial rules for fishermen using small, unpowered boats or no boats at all, the income of all the fish sold must be declared.

John Gargett, spokesman for the MMO, told SeafoodSource that through the campaign, the MMO is working with advocates like the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations (NFFO) that represents the commercial fishing industry and the Angling Trust on behalf of recreational and sport fishermen to raise awareness of the rules. These organizations will soon begin distributing educational materials urging people to contact Crime Stoppers about any suspected illegal activities.

“The first stage of the campaign is to get the message out there that it’s important the suspected illegal selling of fish is reported by the public and anyone that comes across it,” said Gargett. “We have partnered with Crime Stoppers to show that the illegal selling of fish is a considerable crime. It affects legitimate fishermen who abide by the rules and land their catch in accordance with their licenses. It also affects the environment and fish stocks because we can’t keep track of the fish that is caught and sold if it’s not registered. And it could affect the public because they can’t be sure the fish they are buying is fresh if it’s not being caught in line with the rules.”

As well as informing the fish buying public, MMO officers will engage with fishermen as they go about their daily business, making sure that they understand the regulations.
“One of the important aspects of this is that the MMO is working with fishermen to protect their industry; it’s them helping us on this campaign,” Gargett said.

According to the NFFO, high-value species like bass and cod are being caught and sold illegally in increasing numbers to shops and restaurants – an activity that’s undermining the market for genuine fishermen as well as efforts to manage these stocks sustainably.

“This information campaign is the first step toward eradicating an unwholesome trade. It is based on the premise that if the owners of the shops and restaurants who are currently buying backdoor fish are made aware that not only is it illegal but harmful, and that they also run the risk of prosecution, then they would have second thoughts,” it said.

A second phase of the campaign will commence in May. It will expand the focus on fisheries to the hospitality sector, working with businesses that buy fish – bars, cafes, restaurants and hotels – aiming to ensure their compliance with the regulations. It will include a partnership between the MMO and the British Hospitality Association, which represents a large number of these businesses around the country, to urge their members to report any suspected illegal activity in their purchase of fish.

“It’s something we are excited about because the hospitality sector is a new area for us. It’s also nice to work with the Angling Trust and the NFFO – recreational and commercial fishing, both very important – all working together to get the message out there,” Gargett said. “Our partners in this campaign – the NFFO, Angling Trust, British Hospitality Association and the IFCAs [Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities] – are all very keen on making sure that their members abide by the regulations because it’s in their own interest to do so.

Information will also be distributed to fish-and-chip shops across the country through the U.K. Seafish Authority.

Commenting on the campaign, U.K. Fisheries Minister George Eustice said, “Everyone has a role to play, from the hospitality trade and the fishing industry to law enforcement agencies and shoppers. I would urge anyone with suspicions of illegal fishing activity to report it so that we protect both our marine environment and the livelihoods of law-abiding fishermen.”

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