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Safe from harm
From castles to pillboxes, evidence is all around of the coast's role in the line of defence.
Liza Griffin explores the implications of the British appetite for fish
Yet, whilst we take another bite and eat a few more chips, we might wonder how we know that all this is happening in the ocean. How can we be certain that cod are in danger anyway? Don't some fishermen argue that there are plenty of fish in the sea? Fisheries science is not precise and there are disagreements about how the fish numbers or 'biomass' are calculated.
The numbers of fish in the ocean are determined by fish surveys conducted annually by scientists, but some fishermen might dispute these numbers. These numbers are scrutinised and then recommendations are made about the levels at which quotas should be set. Scientists are concerned that if these levels are set too high then there is a risk that stocks could collapse to the long-term detriment of the environment, and the fishermen and their communities. However, fishermen worry that if catch levels are set too low, then they might needlessly go out of business in a very short time.
So the future of fishing around Britain's coast is uncertain. It has changed radically over the last few decades with most communities declining all along the coastline, and with new industries replacing fishing as the dominant feature on the coastal landscape.
We, as consumers and citizens, need to make difficult decisions about the future of British fishing. Do we want to prioritise the marine environment and secure key species like cod for the future, whatever the short term social and economic consequences? Or is it perhaps more important to try and preserve the existing coastal communities that depend upon the fishing industry? Next time we tuck into cod and chips we might think about some of these tough choices and issues. Pass the salt and vinegar...
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Content last updated: 08/07/2005
About our writer
Liza Griffin is a Research Fellow in the Governance & Sustainability Programme at the Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster. She is particularly interested in debates about power and space in relation to environmental governance. After attaining a geography and politics PhD at the Open University, she taught at the University of Westminster, Oxford Brookes, Birmingham City University, and the University of Oxford. Liza has published in peer-reviewed international journals on the management of marine resources; written two extended entries for international encyclopaedias; composed a report for the International Council for the Exploration of the Oceans; and has produced material to accompany the BBC series Coast .
