|
2008 RESOLUTIONS
BAN ON BOTTOM TRAWLING
20th May 2008
At the Lincolnshire North Federation's Resolution Meeting on Wednesday 30th
April 2008, Mr Phillip McMullen, Head of Environment, Sea fish, addressed the
meeting. During his presentation he expressed concern that WIs had been supplied
with seriously incorrect information in the background notes to the Resolutions,
which state that fish stocks are rapidly being depleted and already as many
as 10,000 species have been extinguished.
On 7th May 2008 the Federation Secretary asked NFWI to take action to
support or withdraw the statement so that members were able to vote while in
full possession of the facts.
On 20th May the National Federation responded with the advice that
the information on extinction of fish stocks had been sourced from Greenpeace.
The NFWI does not claim to be an expert on issues put forward by members but the
resolution notes are checked by external organisations before they are sent to
WIs. The notes for the resolution on the Ban on Bottom Trawling were
checked by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The NFWI also advised that both Greenpeace and Mr McMullen will be speaking at
the 2008 AGM.
The Lincolnshire North Federation Secretary was concerned that as many WIs do
not send a representative to the Federation's Resolution meeting, they may
arrive/have arrived at their decisions on how to vote on the basis of incorrect
information. The National Federation responded to this by stating:
Each WI should be aware that they have the option to give their delegate a
discretionary vote as this is stressed in all NFWI correspondence. We hope
that given the controversy of the resolutions this year that WIs will have given
their delegate this discretionary vote.
The above information was communicated to
all WIs within the Lincolnshire Federation in a flyer accompanying the June
issue of County News, published 22.05.08
|
