Fishing industry concerns mount on ‘real-world’ quota repercussions

Cornish fishing industry representatives have expressed their increasing concern over the progress of the UK-EU negotiations on a fisheries agreement for 2025. At stake for the South West are TACs for critically important stocks including sole, hake, pollack, haddock, bass and spurdog.

There are no signs that an agreement is imminent, despite a deadline set in the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement for 10 December. By this time last year, most of the key decisions had already been made.

The CFPO said: “Industry anxieties centre on the fear that legal action by Blue Marine and other environmental NGOs has spooked UK ministers into avoiding necessary management corrective to headline ICES advice where mixed fisheries issues and socio-economic concerns feature. The EU seems reluctant to follow this hardline approach, hence the stand-off.”

Paul Trebilcock, chairman of the Cornish FPO, said: “The scientific advice includes a range of catch options consistent with maintaining stock biomass at sustainable levels, and it is important for the health of fishing businesses and fishing communities that these are given due weight in the negotiations.

“Our concern is that ministers are prioritising avoiding NGO criticism over the welfare of the fishing industry. We have no doubt over NGOs’ clout in the media and the colossal budgets that supports it. But avoiding management responsibilities carries real-world as well as political costs.

“Ministers need to be reminded that the outcomes from these negotiations carry real-world repercussions, and that the fishing industry will be alert to any sign that the new government is playing fast and loose with its future for fear of criticism from NGOs which, frankly, can be guaranteed anyway.

“For most stocks, following the ICES headline advice makes complete sense. But the scientists do provide alternative options which are also consistent with sustainable outcomes to deal with precisely those stock situations that we currently face in the South West. It is these that are now apparently being ignored for wholly political reasons. That is not acceptable.”

The Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Assocciation (PFSA) has expressed its concerns to Defra that another zero TAC for pollack, with no allowance for a small targeted inshore fishery, will lead to further decline for inshore fishermen and increased pressure on other stocks.

This year the pollack compensation was a lifesaver for some vessels. Something similar will be needed in 2025 to ensure these smaller vessels can cover expenses in winter months, with no pollack quota to sustain their fishery and other cuts expected for sole, haddock, hake and plaice, said the PFSA.

This story was taken from the latest issue of Fishing News. For more up-to-date and in-depth reports on the UK and Irish commercial fishing sector, subscribe to Fishing News here or buy the latest single issue for just £3.50 here.

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