Meeting with Richard Benyon, Conservative Spokesman for Fisheries
A great opportunity to meet with Richard Benyon and Brixham fishermen at the spectacular new fish market.
Returning to meet Rick Smith of Brixham Trawler Agents, it is clear that the Brixham fishing industry is vital to the local economy but it faces an uncertain future. Rick explained the impact of volatile fish and fuel prices and the rafts of inspection and restrictions to which fishermen are subjected.
Richard Benyon is committed to tough negotiation on behalf of the industry when the Common Fisheries Policy is renegotiated in 2012. We must see an end to the madness of fish discards and financial encouragement for projects like ‘minus 50%' whereby Brixham fishermen have altered their gear to drastically reduce the catch of unusable and undersize fish.
Above all, fishermen need an increase in quotas and understanding at the highest level that, without fishing, the local economy would be in grave danger. Politicians need to see the industry first hand to understand how decisions in Europe affect real lives and communities. For every job at sea there are at least 5 or 6 on land and it is clear that the fishing port is one of the main draws for tourism.
If elected, I will work with the fishing industry to keep Brixham high on the agenda at DEFRA.
