Mr (North Shropshire)
(Con): ...In a competitive field, fishing is a
clear winner of the stakes of the area in which the EU has shown
maximum incompetence and caused maximum damage. I was made the
shadow fisheries Minister a long time ago, way back in 2004. I
travelled all around the coast of the United Kingdom, down to
South East Cornwall and up to Whalsay in Orkney and Shetland. I
also went right across from east to west, seeing really
successful fisheries in Norway, the Faroes, Iceland,
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and down the coast of the United
States, and I went to the Falklands. My conclusion, which I do
not resile from, is that the common fisheries policy is a
biological, environmental, economic and social disaster. It is
beyond reform, and I do not resile from a single word of my Green
Paper, written back in January 2005...
...I saw that in Iceland years ago now. Fisheries
management there would send out radio signals, and boats around
Iceland would be told to move on because there were too many
discards. Way back then, the UK was doing it in
the Falklands—the same management based on
accurate, instance data. I appeal to the Minister. I am not
thrilled with clause 23 on discard prevention charging
schemes—those will be good, healthy fish that should be sold to
consumers. We should work out pilot schemes for mixed fisheries.
I admit that Scotland is different—pelagic fisheries probably
need a quota system—but I really make that appeal...
To read the whole debate, CLICK
HERE
