|
Just 10 days after being appointed as the new fisheries minister in the
Government cabinet re-shuffle, MP Ben Bradshaw, paid his first visit to
Newlyn harbour and fish market.
And he told local fishermen and representatives of the industry that
his immediate task was to "listen, look and learn."
Mr Bradshaw, who is the MP for Exeter, visited the port last Thursday,
accompanied by officials from DEFRA. They arrived at the harbour in glorious
sunshine, with many of the fishing fleet tied alongside, unable to fish
because of fish quota restrictions.
They were met at the harbour by Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the
Cornish Fish producers Organisation, who gave them a guided tour.
"I've never been to Newlyn before, but I couldn't have picked a
better day," said Mr Bradshaw.
"I'm treating this visit as a fact finding mission. It is a steep
learning curve for me, so I will be talking to representatives of the
fishing industry here at Newlyn and Brixham, as well as at smaller fishing
harbours such as Mevigissey."
He said that he recognised there were a number of issues that fishermen
were concerned about, but the one that stood out the most was the continuing
gulf between fishermen and the scientists on the state of the stocks.
"I will be doing what I can to bring these two sides together,"
he said.
"I don't intend spending my time as Fisheries Minister adjudicating
between fishermen and scientists. Only then can I develop defensible policies
that will stand up to scrutiny and ensure the industry has a viable and
sustainable future."
Mr Bradshaw said that it was "economically hugely essential"
that Cornwall retained its fishing industry, with eighty per cent of fish
landed in Cornwall going for export.
And the minister promised: "I will be working to get quotas reviewed
because without reaching a consensus on stock levels we are not going
to agree or get people to support policies that will secure us a future."
He added: "At this stage it is important to just listen and learn
and try to decide in my own mind what needs to be done."
Following the visit to Newlyn, Paul Trebilcock said that he was "very
impressed" with the new fisheries minister.
"The new minister has been in the job just 10 days, but he seems
to have a fairly good grasp already of the issues," he said.
And Elizabeth Stevenson of W Stevenson and Son, said she was "pleasantly
surprised" by her meeting with Mr Bradshaw.
"He didn't come to the job with any preconceived ideas," she
said.
"We have met him at an early stage and told him some
of our problems and how we expect him to fight our corner."
article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN
 |
