The European Commission’s plan to promote the role of fishing producer organisations in the formulation of EU fishing policy and hence strengthen their ability to market fish and conserve stocks, has borne fruit. An EU Forum of Producers’ Organisations has met for the first time in Brussels. These organisations are now required to draw up operational programmes each year, containing strategies to balance supply and demand. Said a Commission statement: “Better programming of landings should avoid waste, lead to a reduction in the volume of fish withdrawn from the market for lack of demand and contribute towards improving the value of the products landed or produced by aquaculture.”

 By Keith Nuthall, just-food.com correspondent