Throughout my time as an MP, I have always understood the importance of our fishing fleet to Cornwall, particularly having fishing communities in Mevagissey, Fowey and Newquay.
The fishing community has in recent years gone through some big changes brought about as a result of the UK leaving the EU, amongst other things, so I regularly meet with local fishermen in order to understand their concerns on both national and local issues and how best I can support them.
Last week I was pleased to see a good outcome on a matter than would have affected many of the small fishing boats, under 10m fixed netters, that fish primarily from Mevagissey.
Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (CIFCA), the body responsible for managing sea fisheries and the marine environment around Cornwall’s coast, had been working in recent years to draw up a new byelaw which they believed would protect migrating fish such as salmon that would, if implemented, have seen inshore fisheries prohibited from fishing in their traditional grounds.
This byelaw would also have meant that the smaller boats would have been forced to fish further from shore which led to many concerns being raised, including health and safety as well as economic grounds.
I was told about this early on in 2022 and along with the local Cornwall councillor, James Mustoe, subsequently made representations to CIFCA in order to understand their decision-making process.
It became clear that the evidence CIFCA required in order to make this byelaw was fundamentally lacking but it also appeared that some interest groups within CIFCA were determined to push this byelaw through regardless of this.
After CIFCA recommended to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) that the byelaw be approved, I subsequently met with both the Fisheries Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment to make the case as to why this should not happen.
I was pleased in October 2022 to see the MMO report to CIFCA, as part of the consultation process to make the new byelaw, highlighting the many flaws with the proposal.
Unfortunately, in December 2022 CIFCA’s committee ignored the advice of CIFCA’s own officers and asked for it to be reviewed rather than thrown out. Predictably, this review just led to the same outcome.
CIFCA’s report stated that given the current economic and political situation and considering the comments made by the MMO in relation to the risks associated with the byelaw and its likely lack of support, unless those risks could be addressed, the Chief Officer’s opinion was that this byelaw should not be submitted to Defra and the current Fixed Engines Byelaw 2010 should remain in place.
On
Friday the proposed byelaw was thrown out. This is a victory for common sense,
and I’m pleased to have backed my fishing communities in their fight against
what would have been an incredibly unfair and damaging byelaw.
I would also like to thank the Mevagissey fishermen for taking the time to engage with us throughout and provide the clear evidence that was needed to help us make our case to DEFRA and the MMO that CIFCA’s original proposals were simply not acceptable.
It was good to see Ministers and the Secretary of State for the Environment, as well as the CEO of the MMO listen and this outcome is the right one for Mevagissey’s fishing fleet, whose livelihoods depend on being able to fish their traditional grounds, now and in the future.
I will continue to support my fishing communities in the future and hope CIFCA will learn from this and think again before proposing similar byelaws without having the appropriate evidence to back them up.
There was also more positive news for our fishing communities this week with the announcement that they will be able to net £101million more in catches this year than would have been possible if we were still a member of the European Union.
Taking back control of our waters was one of the key issues raised locally and the reason why many fishing communities like Mevagissey voted overwhelmingly in favour of Brexit. Prior to us leaving the EU, Brussels set the quotas that determined the maximum number of each species that UK boats could land each year and I regularly raised concerns with Ministers on quota sizes that were passed on to me by fishermen in Mid-Cornwall.
That is why I am pleased to see new figures published by the Government show that leaving the EU has boosted the quota secured by the UK by 117,000 tonnes. In the first three years since Brexit, fishermen will have been able to land £262 million worth of extra fish, which is great news.
I have always maintained that Brexit has great potential to bring prosperity and security to this industry in the long run and we are now starting to see the opportunities it has presented us with. However, it is also important that we continue to follow the principles of fishing sustainably.
I will continue to work with the Government to ensure our fishing communities in Mid-Cornwall are heard and listened to, and to ensure that post-Brexit we can have one of the most competitive, profitable, and sustainable fishing industries in the world.
As
ever, if I can be of assistance on any matter, my office is available for any
constituents needing help, advice or guidance – tel: 01726 829379 or email: office@stevedouble.org.uk
