MANY believe the threat over-fishing poses globally matches the danger of climate change.

But ask the average man on the street what their biggest fears are, and it is unlikely to weigh heavily on his mind.

Nevertheless, “each and every citizen” in Europe is being asked for their views on the European Union’s controversial quota system, which is being reviewed.

The European Commission has labelled the Common Fisheries Policy, created to manage Europe’s fishing stock, a failure.

The review comes as journalist Charles Clover, launching his film the End Of the Line, warned the perils of over-fishing were on a par with climate change, human overpopulation and food security.

A Green Paper acknowledges a policy giving each country a set amount of each type of fish it can pick up, has left stocks dangerously depleted.

Tales are rife of fishermen throwing some of their dead haul overboard because they have exceeded their quota.

Many believe the industry should be taken out of the hands of the EU altogether and handed back to nations, or even regions.

For West Mersea fisherman Clive Mills, the reforms cannot come soon enough.

He said: “We can’t have a worse system than the one that’s in place now. Quotas do not save the fish.

“The boats catch them regardless, and dump them because they are not allowed to land it.

“The Common Fisheries Policy has totally failed fish stocks.

“This is a golden opportunity to put 30 years of the policy behind us and fishermen have been calling for this for donkey’s years.

“I firmly believe the public should have a say, because otherwise we will have the big companies pulling the strings.”

He proposes a system where you can catch what you want, but you have a limited number of days out on the water.

He said it was vital local fishermen were not “left out of the game” and given proper allocations.

Changes are expected to be made by 2012. But Andrew Craig, company secretary and treasurer of the Colchester-based New Under-Tens Fishermen’s Association, fears by then it could be too late for many inshore fishermen.

In the short term, he wants the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to allocate the country’s quota more fairly.

In the longer term, he wants to see the days at sea system introduced.

He said: “The whole idea of days at sea is you’re allocated certain days, depending on the type of fishing you’re doing.

“If you’re doing a very environmentally-friendly type of fishing, you’re allocated a high percentage of days.

“If you’re doing a very destructive type of fishing, you’re allocated less days.

“This will naturally persuade the entire fleet to go towards the more environmentally-friendly fishing. Now we are dumping more than 50,000 tonnes a year.

“If we run out, the only people in the world who will be affected directly will be the fishermen.

“We’ve been arguing for this for many many years, but it looks like it’s finally going to start coming about in Europe.”

A statement from the European Commission revealed early talks between fisheries ministers accepted the need for change.

The Green Paper revealed 80 per cent of fish stocks in EU waters are over-fished and that catches have fallen to such an extent that the continent relies on imports for two-thirds of its fish consumption.

The statement read: “There is a clear commitment to approach reform with an open mind and to examine all aspects of the Common Fisheries Policy.

“The Green Paper launches a period of consultation on policy reform, which lasts until December 31. It is open to each and every EU citizen and covers every aspect of the current policy. The commission is looking forward to receiving what promises to be a vast array of views on the reform.”

UK fisheries minister Huw Irranca-Davies has insisted “micro-management” of the Common Fisheries Policy from Brussels must end.