Low Impact Fishermen Get EU Backing

Low Impact Fishermen of Europe (LIFE) has so far nearly one hundred members and has been funded by fishing organisations in Croatia, Greece, France, Spain, UK, Netherlands, Poland and Germany.

Jerry Percy, chief executive, New Under Ten Fishermen’s Association (Nutfa) UK, said: “LIFE members are at the forefront of a revolutionary approach to working in and respecting the marine environment. They are dedicated to encouraging a new way of working to maximise the social and economic benefits of a sustainable fishing sector whilst at the same time having a low environmental impact.”

LIFE has started out with the objective of representing, supporting, developing and defending low impact fishing operations in coastal waters. All its members will agree to be bound by a requirement to fish responsibly without damaging the marine environment, to use selective fishing gear and to avoid undersized fish.

The organization has already received the backing of the EU Fisheries Commissioner, Maria Damanaki, who sent a supportive video message to the fishermen at its launch in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.