The Prince of Wales on Tuesday praised UK fishermen for taking steps to reduce the impact of their industry on the marine environment.
In a keynote speech at the “Fishing into the Future” three-day workshop hosted by The Price’s International Sustainability Unit and SeaFish, he talked about why he believes the industry has reason to be hopeful about the future.
“Fishing, far from being as some appear to have assumed, an industry that is sailing into the sunset, is, in fact, increasingly witnessing hints of a new dawn.
“It is encouraging that all over the U.K. fishermen are taking action and setting an excellent example. The fact that nearly half of the U.K. catch has been certified as sustainable illustrates just how committed our fishing industry is,” said His Royal Highness. “The move towards more durable fishing practices is happening not just because of campaigns and regulations, but because the results are economically rewarding as well as being ecologically beneficial; they make fishing more profitable.”
“Fishing into the Future” is the first U.K.-wide workshop of its kind, bringing together fishermen and representatives from across the industry with fisheries scientists, retailers, policy-makers and conservation groups, to address the challenge of preserving Britain’s fish stocks whilst sustaining fishermen’s livelihoods.
