'Pair-trawl ban rejection disgraceful', says MEP Graham Watson

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 2nd Sep 2004

Graham Watson, the South West Lib Dem MEP has tabled a Parliamentary Question to the European Commission asking why they have refused the UK Government's request for a ban on pair trawling for sea bass.

With the sea bass fishing season about to start sadly many more dolphin deaths are expected, as a result of them being caught up in nets used by pair-trawlers, dredging the sea of anything in their path.

Mr Watson has asked the EU Commission to name any Member State governments which appealed to the EU against the UK's request and also asked how severe the problem has to become before the Commission will do anything to stop it.

Speaking in Brussels today, Mr Watson said:

"I have been campaigning for at least the past five years to get the UK government and European Commission to take action over this awful situation; having tabled questions in the House, met Commissioner Fischler and pressed the case for the use of the 'T-pod', a Cornish invention that alerts fishermen to the presence of dolphins. And in response to this latest request to the Commission being turned down, I have tabled another Parliamentary Question and will also be pressing for a meeting with Commissioner Franz Fischler, the man who has taken this decision.

Dolphins and porpoises should not be dying to satisfy the wants of restaurateurs and the public following the popularisation of sea-bass by TV chefs. Sea-bass is a luxury not staple food, which could be caught on a long-line and enjoyed in a sustainable manner which is non-harmful to dolphins. It is not good enough for the Commission not to act as they say that there is a 'medium to long term concern' about the impact of dolphin numbers, but there is no evidence of 'immediate extinction'. Just when will they act; when the last dolphin swims in the English Channel?"