13/11/13: Common Fisheries Policy 2014; Jamaican entrepeuners invest in ornamentals; Australian Mussel Farms

As of 2014, the Common Fisheries Policy is expected to enforce a ban on fishing boats in Europe for throwing any unwanted fish overboard. Over half of their catch is thrown back into the sea meaning that very few of them survive. The ban will therefore stop fishers from wasting fish due to factors such as the fish being undersized or the wrong species which, in turn, will hopefully work to improve fish stocks. However, this movement is merely one of many steps to achieve this goal as well as this proposal has received some criticism on how effective it will be. How can it be 100% certain that fishers won't just ignore the ban and dump fish anyway? With the lingering threat of destroying fisheries in the North Sea as well as CCTV to watch for any prohibited activity on the boats, people are confident that the Common Fishers Policy will have a positive impact on the fish market in the future.

The import and export of ornamental fish is growing rapidly as Jamaican entrepreneurs prepare to invest millions of dollars in this market. Worldwide, over 1.5 billion ornamental fish are exported each year, mainly to North America or Europe. Businesses hope to introduce an effective, profitable and sustainable way of transporting fish without them contracting diseases or dying during the shipment. This investment will also, hopefully, improve standards of living for people by providing them with a steady income and, particularly concerning youths, lessens the possibility of people joining gangs.

 In Australia, concern grows as a proposal to build commercial mussel farms in Jervis Bay, less than 2km from the coast, is announced. Attila Kaszo, the former chairman of the Jervis Bay Marine Park Advisory Committee, is worried how the three leases could endanger the habitat and any of its wildlife within the park. He is also anxious of the possible compromising of genes if new species are introduced to the already existing stock within the bay. However, Ian Lyall, the aquaculture manager of New South Wales, believes that more leases within the bay are unlikely. He says that the farms being built will actually be a good thing regarding new employment for those working in this field. Attila Kaszo, though, is insistent that before any work goes ahead a thorough study should be carried out to secure the overall likelihood of this project being successful.
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