On Friday 21st September Liz Gaffer and I visited Giles Chichester MEP for the South West at his home in Devon to lobby for changes in the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Liz and I discussed with Mr Chichester our Greenpeace campaign for CFP reform and presented him with a copy of the 'manifesto for fair fisheries' which Greenpeace has authored in conjunction with the New Under Ten Fisherman's Association and many other fishermens' associations (http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/media/reports/manifesto-fair-fisheries).
We stressed that the current regulations were not protecting fish stocks which are severely depleted and that currently big business is benefiting at the expense of small scale local fishermen. We spent 30 minutes with Mr Chichester, who was well-informed on the issues and agreed that change was needed. In fact he told us he had in the past put forward his own suggestions for how the CFP could be improved.
Whilst he's not a supporter or Greenpeace and was not prepared to sign up to our campaign he was sympathetic to our aims and was happy to accept the fishing net of signed fish cards which he promised to take to Brussels and present as a petition.
The photograph shows Liz and Richard handing over the fish cards to Giles Chichester in the garden of his home near Ottery St Mary in Devon.
If you would like to support our campaign sign up here http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/oceans/beafishermansfriend
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