Pre-Christmas pantomime must end

Liberal Democrat Fisheries spokesman in the Commons and MP for West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Andrew George, is calling for an end to the annual pre-Christmas horse trading over fishing entitlement and to instead adopt rolling multi-annual reviews.

Following the “mixed” outcome of last weekend’s Fisheries Ministers meeting to settle the annual quotas and “days at sea” restriction on fishing effort, Mr George said:

“This was another mixed and largely unsatisfactory outcome to another pre-Christmas pantomime of 11th hour brinkmanship.

“That’s why I hope that all countries will work together to achieve meaningful reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.

“What we need is more local control – particularly for the inshore within the 12 mile limit – a greater emphasis on multi-annual planning and review of fishing effort and entitlement and a stronger partnership between scientists and the fishing industry – working together to manage the stock towards a more sustainable long-term future for both the fishing industry and the marine resources.”