News
New Good Fish Guide ratings spell trouble for trawled cuttlefish
The latest update of the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) Good Fish Guide sees cuttlefish, trawl caught from the English Channel, join the marine charity’s ‘Fish to Avoid’ list, ringing alarm bells for the future health of the enigmatic species in UK waters.
Assessing what species are caught using which method and where, the Good Fish Guide provides a traffic light system to illustrate the health of the UK’s commercial fish populations. Red rated stocks join the charity’s ‘Fish to Avoid’ list, whilst green rated are the most sustainable options and considered the ‘Best Choice’.
Cuttlefish are one of the most intelligent invertebrates, with a large brain allowing them to learn and remember. Recently, the mollusc was even found to eat less during the day if their favourite meal is on offer in the evening. A chameleon of the sea, cuttlefish are also able to change colour to blend in with their surroundings, despite being colour blind themselves. When they feel threatened cuttlefish produce clouds of ink. This ink, alongside the cuttlefish’s staggering increase in commercial value, is what gives them the nickname ‘black gold’.
Charlotte Coombes, Good Fish Guide Manager: “Between 2008 and 2017, catches of cuttlefish more than doubled. Additionally, numbers of cuttlefish reported in 2017 could be the lowest on record. The dramatic increase in catches, alongside several reports identifying a rapid decline in cuttlefish populations in the English Channel, has led to a red rating in the update to the Good Fish Guide.”
The dramatic growth in cuttlefish catches over the last decade has been fuelled by a huge increase in the value of cuttlefish – which has more than doubled from around £1.50 per kilo in 2008 to around £3.60 per kilo in 2017. In fact, landings into the UK in 2018 were worth a staggering £14.9 million. While much of what the UK catches is exported to other countries in Europe, there’s growing interest in the UK due to its similarity in taste to squid, and it may well start to appear more on local restaurant menus in the near future.
Shockingly, given the scale of the fishery, there are currently no catch limits in place, no restrictions on where or when these animals can be caught, no minimum size limits, and no plans to make sure that populations stay at sustainable levels. These factors contribute to MCS adding trawled English Channel cuttlefish to its ‘Fish to Avoid’ list. Of real concern is the fact that the vast majority (over 90%) of the cuttlefish that are being caught haven’t yet had the chance to breed. They’re caught in trawls, offshore, before they can come inshore to lay their eggs. Some forms of bottom trawling can also cause significant habitat damage, affecting not only cuttlefish but seabed habitats and other marine animals which call the English Channel home. If too many cuttlefish are removed before they can breed, the population will really struggle to sustain itself.
Coombes continues: “MCS urgently wants to see management keeping up with the growth of this fishery to protect cuttlefish during their spawning season, and to ensure the population can stay healthy from one year to the next.”
A smaller proportion of cuttlefish are caught inshore, in pots and traps, when they come inshore to breed. While some of these pots will catch the fish before they can breed, others will catch them right at the end of their lives, after they’ve bred, making for a much more sustainable fishing model. Pots and traps have a low impact on the seabed and other species, and there are more management measures to control inshore fishing in some areas, meaning more opportunity to control catch numbers. These fisheries are rated 4, so whilst not a ‘Fish to Avoid’, it is recommended that people seek alternatives where possible.
Other movements in the Good Fish Guide include:
- Brown crab, caught in creels (pots) around Shetland, has bounced back following a reduction in fishing pressure and tighter control rules on harvesting and is now green rated by MCS, joining the ‘Best Choice’ list
- Non-certified pole & line-caught skipjack tuna from the Indian Ocean has moved off the Best Choice list and is now amber rated by MCS
- Atlantic wolffish in Iceland has moved off the ‘Fish to Avoid’ list and is now amber rated
- Queen scallops from the Isle of Man are now red rated and all populations caught around the Isle of Man are ‘Fish to Avoid’
Trawl caught cuttlefish and Isle of Man queen scallop now join wild Atlantic halibut, European eel, and several fisheries for cod on MCS’s Red Rated list. Due to fishing pressure, habitat damage and diminishing numbers, urgent action is required to recover these populations to healthy levels. Take the pledge and ‘Say No to Red Rated’ at www.mcsuk.org/red-rated
You can download the Good Fish Guide app, visit the Guide via the MCS website or grab the Pocket Good Fish Guide to ensure that you’re making the most sustainable seafood choices possible.
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Renowned anti-whaling activist Paul Watson has been released from custody in Greenland after spending five months in detention. Denmark’s Justice Ministry rejected Japan’s request for his extradition, citing insufficient guarantees that his time already served in custody would be credited against any potential sentence.
The 74-year-old Canadian-American was arrested on July 21 in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, when his ship docked to refuel. His arrest was based on a 2012 Japanese warrant related to a 2010 encounter in Antarctic waters. Japan alleged Watson obstructed operations and caused damage to a whaling research ship during efforts to disrupt illegal whaling. Watson has consistently denied these claims, maintaining his commitment to marine conservation.
Denmark, which oversees extradition matters for Greenland, concluded that while the legal conditions for extradition were met, the lack of assurances from Japan regarding time-served credit made extradition untenable.
In a video shared by his foundation, Watson expressed gratitude and relief, saying, “After five months, it’s good to be out… and good to know they’re not sending me to Japan.” He added that the most difficult part of his time in custody was being separated from his two young sons.
Watson is a pioneering figure in marine conservation, known for founding the Captain Paul Watson Foundation in 2022 after decades of activism with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. His bold efforts to defend marine life have earned him widespread support, including from celebrities and conservationists. His work has also been featured in the acclaimed reality TV series Whale Wars.
Watson’s lawyer, Jonas Christoffersen, praised the decision, stating, “We are happy and relieved that Paul Watson is now free.” He added that Watson is eager to reunite with his family and continue his vital work.
The arrest occurred while Watson’s vessel, the M/Y John Paul DeJoria, was en route to the North Pacific with a team of 26 volunteers to intercept a Japanese whaling ship. His foundation described the arrest as politically motivated and emphasized that Watson’s actions were focused on ending illegal whaling practices.
Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019 after leaving the International Whaling Commission, asserting that whale meat is a cultural tradition. Conservationists, however, continue to challenge these practices, highlighting their impact on marine ecosystems.
Despite the challenges, Watson remains steadfast in his mission to protect marine life and bring attention to whaling practices. His dedication to ocean conservation has made him a globally respected advocate for the environment.
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