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'It doesn't give the fish a chance': Irish MEPs urged to vote against electric pulse fishing

The practice involves dragging an electrified net across the sea floor, stunning all of the marine life in its path.

THE IRISH WILDLIFE Trust (IWT) is urging Irish members of the European Parliament to vote against a proposal to allow electric pulse fishing to become normal practice across the EU.

This practice, described by the IWT as “industrial-scale electrocution of marine life”,  involves dragging an electrified net across the sea floor, stunning all of the sea life in its path.

The IWT pointed to research by the French marine preservation organisation Bloom which found that the decision to allow electric pulse fishing to be done on an experimental basis went against the scientific advice of the day.

“Proponents defend the electrocution of sea life by saying it is less harmful than the dredging practices currently carried out. This is like promoting cholera because it is better than a dose of the plague,” the trust said.

“The history of fishing in Ireland has been one of short-term exploitation in favour of long-term management of marine resources. This has led to the drastic reduction in sea life populations and the disappearance of coastal fishers who traditionally use small boats and low-impact gear. If we want to reverse this trend we need better protections for marine life, not another step on the road to ruin.”

The IWT said it has written to all Irish MEPs urging them to reinstate the original blanket ban which came into force in 1998. They are due to vote on the proposal in the parliament this week.

Conflicting reports

In November last year, Sinn Féin MEP Liadh Ní Riada voiced her concerns about the “unknown effects” of pulse fishing. This followed a debate on the practice before the EU Fisheries Committee, which resulted in a vote in favour of allowing it to be used by a small percentage of ships on a trial basis.

“The fact of the matter regarding pulse fishing is that we simply don’t know the long term effects it will have on stocks or the environment,” she said.

“All we have are anecdotal, and often conflicting, reports from various proponents from the industrial sector, many who have vested interests in the practice.

”

unnamed Liadh Ní Riada has expressed concern about the practice as she says there are conflicting reports about the longterm effects.

“There is nobody I trust more to ensure that Irish waters are kept safe and sustainable than Irish fishermen.
,” Ne Riada added.



I certainly have no desire to stand in the way of sustainable fishing and if a thorough assessment shows pulse fishing not to be unselective, unsustainable or catastrophic then so be it, but that is not what fishermen are saying on the ground.

 There are too many reports about the damaging effect it can have from around the world to allow it to go ahead unchecked.

Exploitation

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, Fine Gael MEP Sean Kelly said he does not think pulse fishing in a wide scale is “the way to go”.

“In some respect, it doesn’t give the fish any chance, it would be exploited probably, as we all know no matter how tight regulations are, they are often difficult to monitor and control,” he said.

“It goes against the natural way – the nets are sufficient. You’d really have to have very strong research-based evidence that this is better than traditional fishing and conserves stocks better,” he said.

“And also better management and for it to be controlled properly so it wouldn’t be open to abuse and exploitation All of that would have to be ensured before you’d five the go ahead for it.”

Read: A disputed Irish-UK territory is one of many fishing problems caused by Brexit>

Read: Plastic rubbish is killing hundreds of turtles every year>

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24 Comments
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    Mute Aiden Galvin
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    Jan 15th 2018, 6:55 AM

    Ireland will do whats its told the french spanish and dutch are wiping out our biggest resource and this pulse fishing means the end of fish in our waters .if it gets the go ahead from Europe we should stand our ground for once and dont allow it in our waters .it could be the first step for Ireland in growing a pair…

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    Mute Richard Casey
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    Jan 15th 2018, 10:06 AM

    @Aiden Galvin: if only our government had the balls to say no to the EU.

    43
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    Mute Mr Phil Officer
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    Jan 15th 2018, 12:28 PM

    @Aiden Galvin: I would like to point out that Irish governments are never critical of the EU no matter what they do.

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    Mute John Hagin Meade
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    Jan 15th 2018, 12:36 PM

    @Aiden Galvin: IREXIT NOW. More EU dictatorship but paddy will always say YES if the EU says so.

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    Mute zippo
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    Jan 15th 2018, 7:33 AM

    “Only when the last tree has been cut down, the last fish been caught, and the last stream poisoned, will we realize we cannot eat money.”

    176
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    Mute Cormac Ryan
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    Jan 15th 2018, 9:38 AM

    @zippo: we can’t eat trees

    5
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    Mute John O'Connor
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    Jan 15th 2018, 8:42 AM

    I started fishing 40 years ago out of Dunmore East. The quantity and variety of the catch was fantastic. For example you would be plagued with catches of spur dog. A low value fish that we had to skin to add value to it.
    I have been a charter boat operator for the last 20 years and in all that time I have only recorded one spur dog on board. We have cleaned out the seas.
    Electro fishing looks to me like the last straw. Mop up what’s left and leave the oceans a barren plastic filled waste.

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    Mute Deborah Behan
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    Jan 15th 2018, 7:43 AM

    Totally against this. Too much collateral damage could be done. I can’t imagine the devastation after electrocuting whole areas of the sea bed.

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    Mute Hans Vos
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    Jan 15th 2018, 7:46 AM

    @Deborah Behan: you should use Google before you make a comment.

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    Mute John Murphy
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    Jan 15th 2018, 7:05 AM

    Shocking

    45
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    Mute Derek Lyster
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    Jan 15th 2018, 8:17 AM

    Another way of wiping out fish stocks, most of which are on the verge of collapse.

    38
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    Mute Red hurley
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    Jan 15th 2018, 7:38 AM

    We are doomed as a species.we will wipe ourselves out and take everything with us.ffs

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    Mute David Gannon
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    Jan 15th 2018, 7:40 AM

    @Red hurley: and would deserve it too :( I gear for my children’s future

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    Mute Misanthrope
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    Jan 15th 2018, 8:30 AM

    @Red hurley: the bulk.of the population is doomed. It will be a paradise for the few hundred million that survive. The top .001% and there serfs. What we’re seeing now is the collection of the world’s resources by the few.

    25
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    Mute GO GREEN
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    Jan 15th 2018, 11:09 AM

    It not only devastates the sea bed and fish stock , but is also brutally cruel and barbaric. electric pulse in these industrial nets electric pulses are sent to the sea bed whereby electrocution causes fracture of the spine burning , bruising, and immense suffering to fish and marine life. How cruel is the EU and then they lecture about Trump.

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
    Favourite thesaltyurchin
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    Jan 15th 2018, 8:48 AM

    This will go nicely with the super trawlers that rip everything up, like Atlantic Dawn does for a consortium of Irish bankers! We’re such rednecks.

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    Mute Ronan Fahy
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    Jan 15th 2018, 12:32 PM

    Should we scubadivers be concerned

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    Mute Thomas Troy
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    Jan 15th 2018, 1:54 PM

    @Ronan Fahy: your rubber wetsuits might give you some protection but then again maybe not. Of course you should be concerned, such stupidity should concern everyone. We are all interconnected, we need to realize this before its too late.

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    Mute Thomas Troy
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    Jan 15th 2018, 1:24 PM

    @Eoin Fitzpatrick: I won’t dignify your comment with a reply.

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    Mute Eoin Fitzpatrick
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    Jan 15th 2018, 11:57 AM

    @Thomas Troy: The more babies we wipe out the less fish we’ll need to kill, it can only be a good thing. Less humans = thriving planet.

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    Mute Ryan Dub
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    Jan 17th 2018, 6:16 AM

    @Eoin Fitzpatrick: More nonsense from the anti choice ‘pro life’ brigade, I suppose.

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    Mute Colm C
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    Jan 15th 2018, 2:03 PM

    “fishermen.
,” Ne Riada added.”
    I’m guessing should be Ní Riada, and probably only the one punctuation mark after fishermen.

    “you’d five the go ahead for it.”
    Give the go ahead surely?

    4
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