Depleted fish stocks in the Med.

[Steve C]

With the seriously depleted fish stocks in the Mediterranean sea I'm sure that there must be some rules that govern what can be caught. However I saw last week in a supermarket on the fish counter 3 or 4 sword fish that measured no more than a metre
in total length. This must be illegal fishing.

[JBA]

There are no rules. Last year the scientists wanted a total ban on fishing for bluefin tuna in the Med, and restrictions on fishing for other species - but the Japanese blocked it. They've destroyed their own waters by overfishing and by radioactive pollution following the tsunami, so now they will empty the Med. There is plenty of international sea out there where nobody can stop them - and, of course, local fishermen will catch what they can before they are all gone.

If there are any rules about what can be landed here then I have never seen anybody checking catches when the boats return, and who is to say what can be imported after being legally caught abroad.