Posted: Tuesday 5th February 2013 by Joan
Live news from friends in Strasbourg
Hello all from the plenary debating chamber in Strasbourg.
This morning’s debate on the Common Fisheries Policy indicated that there is real reform. There seems to be broad support for the amendments we have been working on regarding discards and ending overfishing. There is a notable exception from the European People’s Party (EPP) ,although the UK doesn’t have any MEPs in this party, who do not want to see an end to discards.
The vote on the Parliament document is tomorrow, so my colleagues and I are frantically trying to ensure that there is a favourable turnout and vote result.
I would like to thank everyone for all their support, and just to let you know that there is still time to email your local MEPs (find them at http://www.europarl.org.uk/view/en/your_MEPs.html). All you need to tell them is to make sure they turn up at tomorrow’s vote and make sure they end discards (Amendment 119) and overfishing (Amendment 60).
Also, it’s still not too late for those of you with an arty disposition to paint a fish online http://www.paintafish.org/ and tell MEPs that real stocks need to be as healthy as virtual ones.
Regards
Ian Campbell
OCEAN2012 UK Coordinator