Radical changes to European fishing laws will ensure industry workers and coastal communities receive a "better standard of living", the minister at the centre of the greatest shake-up in fishing legislation for 30 years has promised.
EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki yesterday outlined long-awaited plans to tear up three decades of the controversial Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which has divided opinion over the "discards" ruling – the cornerstone of the much-derided CFP – because it forces fishermen to dump dead fish back in the sea if the catch exceeds tight quota restrictions.
Efforts to abandon the discards policy have been led by Westcountry chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and his supporters.
The commissioner's proposals could also hand control over restrictions to member states, which industry leaders say will provide a much-needed boost to the beleaguered trade and help increase the varied number of species available in Westcountry fishmongers' and markets.
However, others are concerned that small fishing vessels will fare badly from changes to fishing rights which they say could see them lose out financially.
Announcing the wave of proposals yesterday, Ms Damanaki said: "Action is needed now to get all our fish stocks back into a healthy state to preserve them for present and future generations.
"Only under this precondition can fishermen continue to fish and earn a decent living out of their activities."
The proposals – built on the premise of sustainable, manageable and consistent fish stocks – are due to take effect from 2013.
Paul Trebilcock, leader of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation, said the announcement was "a step in the right direction" for Westcountry fishermen and consumers.
He said: "Ms Damanaki has spoken about power being devolved to the member states, so the natural progression is for regions such as the South West to have a greater say on how waters are fished.
"It makes sense for the people who know these waters best – i.e. the local fishermen – to state how areas can be fished sustainably and sensibly, considering the conservational and environmental aspects, ensuring the industry remains viable.
"If the local fishing industry is doing well then it is logical that the local communities will do well."
Mr Trebilcock said part of the success would be borne from consumer demand for different species of fish alongside the "traditional suppertime staples" such as cod.
He added: "We land around 50 species here in Newlyn so there is the potential for people to experience different kinds of seafood. There is a fish for every budget and every plate, it is just a case of looking for it."
According to the commission, the proposals will allow more flexibility for local and regional involvement in fisheries management.
But there are also concerns over its plans to make it obligatory for member states to introduce individual so-called "transferable fishing rights" for vessels longer than 12 metres and vessels under 12 metres fishing with towed gear.
The Western Morning News reported last month how inshore fishermen were concerned about being fenced-in to a particular fishery or restricted to fixed quota allocations. The idea behind the tradable quotas is that they will help reduce fleet overcapacity through market mechanisms.
South East Cornwall MP Sheryll Murray said she was particularly concerned that the proposals for fishing quotas in their current form would not aid small-boat fishermen in communities such as Looe and Polperro.
She said: "Small fishing vessels also need to be protected, which, as the proposals stand, they won't be. It will have a hugely negative impact on those coastal communities which have a strong small-boat presence."
Mrs Murray, whose trawlerman husband Neil died in a fishing accident in March, said: "There is a lot of work which needs to be done on these proposals and I will be speaking with the minister and fishermen to ensure that the UK and the South West get a better deal out of this."
The Commission will negotiate with ministers and MEPs ahead of the proposed reform in two years' time. It is hoped stocks will reach a "sustainable" level by 2015.
Ms Damanaki added: "If we get this reform right, fishermen and coastal communities will be better off in the long run and all Europeans will have a wider choice of fresh fish, both wild and farm-produced."
Mr Fearnley-Whittingstall, who farms at River Cottage on the Devon-Dorset border, said it was too early to celebrate a discard ban.
He added: "There's plenty of time for these proposals to be rejected. We must keep up the pressure, or this small victory could easily be lost."
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN