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The future of Cornish fishing came under the spotlight on Monday with
the launch of a major new campaign to "restore pride" to the
beleaguered industry.
Consumers are being urged to eat more British-caught fish as part of
the Pride in Seafood initiative to bolster the fishing industry, which
has been hit by quota cuts and controversy over falling fish stocks. At
the same time, Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw has revealed that the Government
will formally ask the European Commission for the monkfish quota to be
"significantly raised" in the light of research which showed
there were more fish in the sea than had been predicted.
"There is a real problem with the monkfish quota," said Mr
Bradshaw.
"We have put scientists on the boats operating out of Newlyn and
Brixham. There is no doubt there are more monkfish in the sea than was
predicted when the quota was first set and we shall be making a formal
request to the commission to have the quota significantly raised this
year."
The new campaign will see many leading players in the industry - all
across the South West and right across the UK - come together to tell
the public that they have a great product at hand.
The campaign will show how the industry - which employs 136,000 people
- is transforming working methods to become a confident and forward looking
industry working in harmony with the environment and producing a high
quality end product.
Newlyn fisherman, Sam Lambourn, president of the National Federation
of Fishermen's Organisations, and a team member of the Pride in Seafood
campaign, said on Monday: "Possibly the timing of the campaign's
launch is not good, being set alongside interest in the dumping of perfectly
good fish to meet the EU fish quota limits.
"The West Country catching sector is currently going through agony.
However, the consumption of seafood is going up, the demand is rising,
the quality is rising and I truly believe that there are better days ahead.
We do have a good fishing industry and the Pride in Seafood campaign will
really help."
He said that what was really driving the campaign was the need to balance
the public perception of the fishing industry.
"At present they read nothing but doom and gloom and there's a great
fear that such a misconception will eventually end up with British people
not eating fish at all. The West Country industry is still producing a
first-rate product."
Jim Portus, chief executive of the South Western Fish Producers' Organisation,
said: "It's about time that something was done to bolster the industry.
"It would be wonderful if the UK became a nation of seafood lovers,
but it is not, and I do wonder what true beneficial effects will be felt
from this campaign.
"Our fishing communities are going to need a lot more than a Pride
in Seafood campaign to bring them back from the brink of submerging under
the Government's policy toward reducing the catching sector."
article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN
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