email editor
In the FD Podcast 14 of the series, editor Oliver McBride speaks to Brian O’Riordan, Executive Secretary from the LIFE Platform (Low Impact Fishers of Europe).
The Low Impact Fishers of Europe is an umbrella organisation run by fishers for fishers and is based in Brussels.
LIFE stems from a movement that started in 2009, when the European Commission launched a public consultation with a view to reform the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP)
The aim of LIFE is to provide a clear and coherent voice at EU level for the previously silent majority of European fishers, who are small-scale and who use low impact fishing gears and methods but have historically lacked dedicated and effective representation in the EU and at Member State level.
Low impact fishers are mostly under 12 metres using non-towed gears, the owner work aboard, they undertake mainly day trips, fish in a sustainable manner and provide an important contribution to their local economies.
LIFE has a membership of over 10.000 individual fishers from 18 Member States, from the Black Sea to the Atlantic, from the Mediterranean to the Baltic and North Seas.
In this podcast Oliver examines what LIFE is about and who can join the Low Impact Fishers of Europe, and Brian tells us about how he got involved in LIFE and what his role is within the organisation.
The also discuss life after Brexit for LIFE and how has the UK leaving the EU has affected the organisation and its membership, especially for UK members.
Also in the podcast, the French court case on the bluefin tuna, Article 17 of the CFP and what this could mean for small scale fishers in the EU.
In the podcast the also speak about the UK and EU policy of fisheries controls for the under 12m fleet, and what else small-scale fishers should look out for in the next six months.
To learn more about LIFE visit https://lifeplatform.eu/
