Beith speaks up for fishermen in Commons Debate

2.30.00pm GMT Thu 3rd Dec 2009

Local fishermen's knowledge and experience is vital to making a Common Fisheries Policy which works, says Sir Alan Beith MP.

Liberal Democrat MP for Berwick upon Tweed Sir Alan Beith has called on the Government to ensure that the economic interests of coastal communities in Northumberland are taken into account during discussions on reform to the rules governing the UK fishing industry.

Sir Alan stressed the value of including the regional fishermen's organisation in discussions on reform to the Common Fisheries Policy during an exchange with the UK Fisheries Minister Huw Irranca-Davies MP in the annual debate on fisheries in the House of Commons.

After the Minister mentioned the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and the progress being made by the European Commission, Sir Alan said

"It rather seemed as if the Commission was doing its best to bypass co-decision and move before it could become a reality, when the direction we need to move in is one in which fishermen's organisations play as full and constructive a part in regional management as they want to, because they are the best people to do it."

(Once the Lisbon Treaty came into force earlier this week, the Commission could no longer change the fisheries' rules by itself.)

The Fisheries Minister recognised the knowledge and responsibilities of local fisherman, saying that there must be involvement of those people who "will be the best for long-term management of that marine environment, namely fishermen themselves. I think that there is a real appetite for this."

He continued

"One issue I am concerned about, as I said last year, is that of small coastal communities around the UK. I understand the value of fishing to these small, often remote, coastal communities: it is more than simply fisheries and the economy; it is their way of life, their livelihood and also a huge issue for their cultural heritage. It is also part of the UK's heritage as an entity. We need to find ways of supporting vulnerable communities that depend on fishing."

Commenting after the debate, Sir Alan said:

"The reform of the Common Fisheries Policy will fail unless the voices of those who have worked for so long to keep our fishing industry are heard and their expertise is used."