Demanding a fairer deal
Our fishermen have been devastatingly let down by the last Government. I am fighting for their very survival by demanding a fairer deal for our local Under 10m fishermen so that they can earn a living in their traditional way.
I raised this issue in my maiden speech on June 18th 2010 – to hear it click here.
- I have had several meetings with the Fisheries Minister, Richard Benyon MP, and remain pressing him for a change to the application of the Common Fisheries Policy so we can get an immediate improvement to the current unacceptable position.
- I had a further meeting with the Fisheries Minister in Hastings and Rye at the beginning of July 2010.
- I am in regular contact with local fishermen to keep them up to date of progress.
- I have received a number of representations from local fisherman about possible changes to under 10m fishing. Requiring under 10m fishermen to keep a log book is totally unnecessary and I have asked questions about this issue to the Government. I meet with local fishermen regularly and ask parliamentary questions and write to the Minister on their behalf on and ongoing basis.
DEFRA Inquiry
On 1st June 2011, the DEFRA Select Committee released a report asking the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ‘improve its quota management system’. I sit on the DEFRA Select Committee and I am particularly pleased to see that we have drawn up a report that seeks to imrpove the fishing quota for smaller fishing fleets, like the ones at Hastings and Rye.
It was awful to find out that the managment system was so poor that it was unaware of who had fishing quotas in Engalnd. I am delighted to say that the DEFRA Select Committee addressed this issue and has asked for the Government to clarify its position.
The lack of quota distribution to smaller fishing fleets – those under 10 metres – was of great concern to the committee. We have reccommended that the Government address this issue and increase the oppurtunities available to smaller fishing fleets to aquire fishing quotas.
The committee also incorporated the dilemma that is ‘discards’. This pracitce is both horrific and unsustainable. I was pleased to hear that DEFRA had already started to tackle to issue, but the committee concluded that more could be done.
This is a great report for the towns of Hastings and Rye. It has reccommended changes, that if taken on board, will see increased quotas for smaller fishing fleets, providing a life-line for these fishing communities.
DEFRA Select Committee Visits Hastings
On December 8th 2011 I welcomed the DEFRA Select Committee to Hastings. The Committee, which I sit on, is gathering evidence with the aim of reforming the Common Fisheries Policy. I wanted the Committeeto come to Hastings to speak to local fishermen to try to strengthen our case for a reformed fisheries policy that supports local fishing communities. I am pictured here with other Committee members and local fisherman, Paul Joy.
Channel 4′s Big Fish Fight
I welcome the attention that Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall and his team are bringing to the issue of our fisheries. I have long been a determined campaigner against the current policies. I am determined to get change and am working with the Fisheries Minister to achieve that. We in Hastings are aware of the dreadful and misguided policies that inhibit our fishermen from earning their living and lead to the disgraceful scandal of fish discards.
I wholly support the Fish Fight. Let us all join it and push for change.
Parliamentary Questions
I am extremely concerned about some of the changes being proposed for Under 10m fishing vessels, especially after receiving a number of representations from local fishermen. Therefore I will continue to ask Parliamentary Questions to the Fisheries Minister, Richard Benyon MP:
- On 19th December 2011 I questioned the Minister about transferable fishing concessions.
- On 24th November 2011 I asked the Minister again about transferable fishing concessions.
- On November 2nd 2010 I questioned the Minister about log book requirements for under 10m fishermen.
- On June 24th 2010 I questioned the Minister about reforms to the CFP.
