Being an artisanal fisherman is synonymous with freedom, says Gwen Pennarun, from Saint Marine, Brittany. At least, it used to be.
Today, Gwen says, you have to go fishing when the fish is there. Unsustainable and destructive fishing methods, often by industrial boats, have contributed to over 70% of our fish stocks being depleted. Small scale fishermen like Gwen, who have been fishing responsibly for generations, are increasingly concerned for the health of our seas.
Gwen is the president of an association which promotes line-caught sea bass in Brittany and which is dedicated to promote the values of pole and line fishing: authenticity, passion and a conviction that they can and must fish in a way that is sustainable and respectful. They have created labels which they put on the fish at the end of the day, to enable restaurants and fishmongers to differentiate between line-caught and trawler-caught sea bass.
Anne-Marie Vergez is the only female fisher in Saint-Jean-de-Luz, a town in the Basque country in the south west of France. She has been fishing for 20 years and like Gwen, she is convinced that there is a future in fishing in more sustainable way.
Anne-Marie says the main difference between small-scale and industrial fishing is that in the case of the latter, the owners of the boats aren't fishermen; they're businessmen. Some fishermen strive to make a living in fishing, others are in it for big money. The problem with this is that the small boat owners go to sea and don't have time to get organised on land and defend themselves; this leaves the industrial boat owners with all the time in the world to be present in every representative body and they often end up with the majority of fishing quotas.
Guy Vaudo, fisherman from Sète on the Mediterranean coast, agrees. His wish is to see a Common Fisheries Policy that takes into account those who fish in a sustainable way. He wants to see a future for the oceans and for his profession. The way to achieve that is to fish less and fish better.
Gwen and Anne-Marie are among 45 fishermen and women who joined an unprecedented meeting of fishers from the small scale, low impact sector this week in Brussels. From nine different countries, the fishermen and women came together in a unique opportunity to understand each other, and to pull together in presenting a loud, united voice straight to the heart of EU decision making. The assembled fishermen and women agreed on a common declaration, which they presented to EU politicians.
