Marine reserves update

Phil McMullen, BBC science corespondent amplifies the debate surrounding the possible introduction of more marine reserves. Under the heading 'food security', a term which perhaps more than anything best describes how the need to protect the world's global food resources, the article provides a broader view of the pressures under which fishing operates today. Thinking about how the next, and successive, generations of fishermen might want to operate should help galvanise thoughts and minds over planning for the future.



What will always irk fishermen however, is if these discussions result in more legislation, rules and controls that are inequitable in allocation - for example, where Spanish or French boats might be given access to and larger quotas for particular species in an area from which local boats operate with greatly reduced quotas and tighter controls. Consequently, the poor, but improving relationship between the scientists who carry out the research and produce the data from which these measures are introduced and the fishermen needs to be given a makeover so that the catchers feel their knowledge of fish and fishing grounds is taken into account somewhere in the equation.



Locally, the work of CEFAS does excellent work in developing a working two-way relationship with the boats, something that should be commended by all parties and used as an example of good practice.