With the Reform of the Common Fisheries policy, our life’s choices are at stake
To work, eat and live intelligently with nature Through this petition, WWF France, Slow Food Provence and the Fishing and Development Collective (Collectif Pêche et Développement) urge you to opt for a fisheries policy that is more in tune with the environment, with regional economies, with artisanal fishing communities, with quality products derived from well managed fishing grounds, and governed by citizens… Instead of appropriating life for the profit of large international companies (through fishing rights that can be traded and mortgaged like ITQs) we want a regional management of fisheries established with fishers’ organizations, in tune with the regional economy, ecosystems and coastal life. Instead of industrial fishing centres. we want a coast alive with people skilled in their professions and with a passion for the sea Instead of a market dominated by supermarkets providing us with their selection of products for global consumption we want to be able to distinguish artisanal fishing products in all our markets, and for local markets to be promoted (though direct sales by the fishers, small fishmongers etc). Instead of technocratic “top down” management through generalized measures we want artisanal fishers and citizens to be involved in a detailed and joint management of resources and coastal zones : for the recognition of the collective management by artisanal fishing communities, for decision making processes that include the gamut of maritime users, with plankton monitoring centres established at local level to encourage people to learn about nature’s wealth and to measure our impacts (pollution…) Instead of spheres of power detached from the grass roots realities, we want governance to be in the hands of citizens, close to our social organizations and ecosystems.
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