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Farming Today: 14/06/2011

14/06/2011

BBC Radio 4 - Farming Today, 14/06/2011

Claims Scottish mackerel face extinction due to overfishing from Iceland and Faroe Islands

Scottish fishermen say mackerel stocks could crash due to Iceland and Faroe Islands drastically increasing the amount they catch. Presented by Anna Hill.

Scottish fishermen claim commercial stocks of mackerel could crash to nothing within a few years, because Icelandic and Faroese fleets have increased their catches by 75% on last year. Ian Gatt from the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen's Association says that the actions of these countries amount to "eco-terrorism". The Fisheries Minister, Richard Benyon, says that mackerel could become a scarcity in UK shops.

Despite some rain in drought areas, farmers say it is too little too late to save this year's crops. John Collen is a mixed farmer near Lowestoft and expects a 50% reduction in yield on some of his crops. Martin Williams from Friends of the Earth thinks that the government must make real changes to create a more efficient water system in the UK. And Jim Marshall from Water UK explains why it is not possible to distribute water from one part of the country to another.

Presented by Anna Hill. Produced by Emma Weatherill.

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