Steve Double, Member of Parliament for St Austell and Newquay, has sought reassurances from Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs George Eustice on future access for 6-12 mile waters on behalf of local fishermen.
Speaking in Parliament today, Steve asked:
“The Secretary of State will be aware that fishermen in Cornwall are very disappointed with the agreement reached on quota with the EU and the fact that their vessels can still fish within our 6-12 mile limit. There is real concern that our inshore fleet, which makes up the vast majority of vessels in my constituency will benefit little from this new deal. So what reassurances can my Right Honourable friend give the fishermen of Mevagissey and Newquay and across Cornwall that the Government will be working with our inshore fleet to make sure that they can benefit as much as possible from this new deal and that they will be in a good position to increase their share of the quota at the end of the adjustment period?”
Commenting, after the debate, Steve said:
“I have already met with representatives of the fishing community to discuss concerns they have with the deal and was keen to raise them at the top of Government as soon as possible.”
“I was pleased to hear the Secretary of State confirm in his reply that it is our intention that the 6-12 mile zone should be reserved predominantly for our own fishermen and that at the end of the adjustment period that is what we will be seeking to achieve. I remain committed to working with our fishing communities to ensure they are supported both during and after this time.”
To see the question and answer, follow this link:
https://www.facebook.com/stevedouble2015/videos/1311309702570729