The minister experienced an early morning visit to the fish market in Newlyn and went on board the beam trawler Billy Rowney before speaking to local fishermen.

Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation, which represents Cornish fishermen, was positive about the minister's response.

"He listened to our concerns about cod quotas and regulations from Brussels," said Mr Trebilcock.

"But the real test will be can he actually deliver anything. We would like to see some action in the coming months from Brussels and from the minister rewarding our good

practice."

At a lunchtime meeting on Penzance pier, anglers and charter boat skippers voiced strong opposition to the proposals to introduce angling licences. This proposal is expected to appear in the draft Marine Bill.

Mr Shaw heard concerns that the introduction of licences would effectively ruin the livelihoods of anglers and charter boat skippers.

Spokesperson for the National Federation of Sea Anglers, Alan Brothers, said: "We're saying no because the government has allowed the fish stocks around our shores to become so depleted by commercial fishing that the angling experience has dropped away.

"So we want to see some drastic action to replenish stocks before any licensing is brought in. At the moment, there's nothing worth having a licence for."

Responding to such concerns, Mr Shaw said: "I approach the issue of licensing in a very relaxed way. I want to hear from people who are involved in the sport."

He assured anglers that their views would be taken into consideration and said that there could be material benefits from an angling licence by putting money raised from the levy back into the sport, such as monitoring nursery areas.

But Mr Brothers said: "We don't believe there will be sufficient revenue from the tax to be ploughed back into sea angling."

Following the meeting, Mr Shaw met with a sea angling coach and joined an angling session with some children on the pier.

article copyright THE CORNISHMAN 

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