Ask your MP to sign the fish fight EDM

Ask your MP to sign the Fish Fight EDM You can use the sample letter below as a template for writing to your MP, asking them to help stop the disgraceful discard of fish. It's really important that we draw the UK government's attention to this issue - here's our blog explaining why. How to do it: 1)    Find out who your MP is here: Find your MP 2)    Write them an email or letter, asking them to sign the Fishfight EDM, number 1123 (you can use the one below if you like). Make sure you add your home address, so they can see they represent your constituency- this adds political weight to your message 3)    Ask all your fishy friends to do the same Please do forward us any responses you get - and if you want to keep up to date with the progress of the campaign, why not sign up for ClientEarth's monthly newsletter? Add your email address here, or like us on facebook for occasional updates sent straight to your wall!   Sample letter You can copy and paste everything below into an email - then just fill in your details and your MP's name. Subject:  End the fisheries discard disgrace. Dear [MP's name] MP, As one of your constituents, I am writing to ask you to sign Early Day Motion 1123: Fish Fight campaign, which calls on the new government to eliminate discards from our fisheries. Discarding is an environmentally and economically damaging practice: up to half of the fish trawled from the North Sea are thrown back dead or dying because of the current quota system imposed by the EU’s disastrous Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) which is due for reform.  I am supporting the Fish Fight campaign because I am deeply concerned about this senseless waste of food and I want this shameful practice to end. The campaign is backed by the fishing industry, environmental groups (including environmental law organisation ClientEarth and the Marine Conservation Society among others), and fast-growing numbers of the general public. Now it needs all-party government support. As my representative to parliament, I urge you to add your signature to this Early Day Motion, to show the UK has a united ask for the CFP: end discards. For your convenience, the text of the Early Day Motion is reproduced below this letter. More information on the campaign can be found at the Fish Fight website. Thank you for your support, Yours sincerely [Your name & details of your town/constituency] FISH FIGHT CAMPAIGN Goldsmith, Zac That this House welcomes the resolution of the `Fish Fight' campaign to eliminate the environmentally and economically damaging practice of discarding fish before landing; is concerned that up to half of all fish trawled in the North Sea are thrown back either dead or dying; further welcomes the campaign's support for the sustainable use of discard species by retailers, suppliers and restaurants to stimulate the creation of new markets for lesser known species; and calls on the Government to demand strong reform of the European Union Common Fisheries Policy to institute a regionalised, ecosystems-based management framework which incentivises the use of selective gear, uses real-time management, including temporary closures, and establishes ecosystem catch quotas rather than single-species landing quotas.

 

via clientearth.org