DISCARD OF MARKETABLE FISH

That this House congratulates Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Channel 4 for highlighting the wasteful discarding of marketable fish at sea; commends the Scottish fishing industry for having significantly reduced discards of North Sea cod, haddock and whiting in recent years through a combination of measures including the use of selective fishing gear, real-time closures of fishing grounds, and remote electronic monitoring, allowing fishermen to land more of what they catch; notes the groundbreaking work being undertaken by the Scottish Government in cooperation with the fishing industry and other stakeholders on catch quotas and the conservation credits that is seeing a reduction in discards; calls for an end to the failed EU Common Fisheries Policy which is undermining both conservation and livelihoods in coastal communities; and further calls on the Government to promote a long-term whole ecosystem approach to fisheries management that is both environmentally and economically sustainable.