There is a powerful trade body that represents our fishermen’s interests in Westminster and Brussels – the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations. It speaks for fishing interests large and small and puts their case to those who make the laws. Or so it claims. Yet Greenpeace has found that this body has been opposing changes to fishing policies, such as there alignment of fishing quota, which would help precisely the kind of small scale fishermen they claim to represent. An in-depth investigation by Greenpeace into the reality behind the NFFO has revealed that all may not be as it seems.
From the Greenpeace report "Wolf in Shrimp's Clothing"
Here are some of the highlights:
Over half of the member vessel’s gross tonnage of this supposedly‘national’ organisation is controlled by Spanish, Dutch and Icelandic fishing businesses.
The NFFO is falsely claiming that ithas more member associations than it does in reality. 11 out of the 20 Fishermen’s Associations listed on their website are either not currently members or do not even exist.
The NFFO represents vessels involved in illegal fishing, such as the O Genita, which is controlled by notorious Spanish fishing barons and was involved in one of the largest cases of illegal fishing in British maritime history.
Well you can see why the UK based National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) would be quite upset by Greenpeace's report "A Wolf in Shrimp's Clothing" . They have hit back, claiming Greenpeace have distorted the truth.