Celebrity chef takes fish fight to Europe

He set up stall outside the European Parliament to promote his campaign against a Common Fisheries Policy which effectively encourages fishermen to dump dead fish back in the sea.

Hugh’s Fish Fight, launched in the UK last January, has already won praise from the European Commission, which has acknowledged that current catch restrictions have inadvertently created a massive problem of fish caught alongside the main catch being discarded rather than sold.

EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki joined Fearnley-Whittingstall to back his campaign.

The food campaigner said: “I am delighted with the huge public support that the Fish Fight campaign has generated in the UK, but we need the rest of Europe with us if we’re to change EU policy.

“With the launch of the Fish Fight campaign in more languages, I know we can generate the widespread support we need to ensure that the shameful practice of discarding perfectly good fish is ended.”