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2 February 2010
FISHERMEN have condemned a BBC TV programme showing the
darker side of the fishing industry after it was broadcast
on BBC1 on Monday last week.
Presenter Alex Riley’s investigation “Britain’s really
disgusting food: fish” was first broadcast last year on BBC3
and graduated to the corporation’s main channel last week.
Fishing industry body Seafish has written to the BBC to
formally complain about “poor editorial standards”, with the
support of Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and the National
Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations.
In a joint statement, they said: "This was an extremely
damaging programme to the UK fishing industry where the true
facts were simply ignored. It seems that the programme
makers thought of a title and then made an episode to fit
around their own narrow agenda.
"Seafood is one of the healthiest and most natural foods
around and its consumption |
should be promoted, not
denigrated. The programme makers totally failed to
acknowledge the huge strides made by the UK fishing industry
in recent years to ensure a sustainable future.
"The industry has been making changes and sacrifices to be
as conservation-minded as possible, working with government
on selective gear and closed areas, and embracing a
conservation scheme which offers fishermen incentives to
fish in a responsible way.
"Such efforts have led to the first signs of recovery in the
North Sea cod stock, and a growing number of UK fisheries
are now certified, or are undergoing certification, by the
Marine Stewardship Council as being sustainable and well
managed.
"It is a great pity that the programme makers felt unable or
unwilling to report such facts. Our fishermen have a
difficult and dangerous enough job as it is by bringing to
our plates sustainable, nutritious and tasty seafood,
without having to face a totally unwarranted onslaught of
this sort." |
