British Government failing fishermen on quotas

10.40.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 14th Apr 2009

On a visit to Hastings Fishermen's Protection Society on Thursday (09/04/09), Catherine Bearder saw the difficulties facing fishermen due to the Government's failure to follow Europe's lead in fisheries policy. (Much influenced by the hard work of Lib Dem Elspeth Attwooll MEP.) Catherine was told of the unnecessary restrictions put on boats under 10 metres by the UK Government. These restrictions have subverted EU directives and are making business very difficult for fishermen in Hastings.

Catherine commented: "This has nothing to do with EU restrictions, and all to do with how the Government is unfairly dividing up quotas between large operators and the small single owner fishermen who operate from traditional fishing towns."

"This is contrary to the way the rest of the EU deals with its quotas."

"The cod stocks in the channel have now recovered but, because the British Government does not give fishermen the quotas to catch them, the cod that cannot be stopped from getting into their nets is having to be thrown back."

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