In today's Westminster Fisheries debate Cornish MP Anna Gelderd asked for all sectors to work together.
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| Anna Gelderd MP for South East ornwall |
"Thank you, it is a pleasure to serve under your Chairmanship Mr Efford. I also thank the Honourable Member for Orkney and Shetland for securing this important debate.
Listen to the full debate here
As South East Cornwall’s MP, I am proud to represent a constituency with a rich fishing heritage. Our iconic small-scale fishing fleets and charter vessels from Looe and Polperro, and from Fowey in the neighbouring constituency, are the life blood of our communities—a proud tradition passed down through generations, tying our communities to the sea.
I want to pay tribute firstly to those who support our brave fishers and their families: the harbour master and port authorities, the RNLI that I had the privilege of working for previously, SEAFARERS UK, and the Fishermen’s Mission. If you haven’t bought your Christmas cards yet, may I suggest these fantastic charities that do so much when things go wrong. I would also like to pay tribute to Cornwall Seafood Training, especially Clive Palfrey of Looe, for his tireless work to raise safety standards and still makes time to helm the Looe Lifeboat.
This Labour Government is rightly committed to tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. Damaging practices have taken a significant toll on the marine environment and urgent action is needed to secure the sustainability of the fishing industry and restore the health of our seas.
Offshore wind is essential to achieving home grown, clean energy, but developments must be carefully sited to minimise disruption to ecosystems, sensitive habitats, and historic fishing grounds. Marine spatial prioritisation provides a framework to balance these competing needs, but our fishers must be included in decisions. I urge the Minister to ensure that consultations are held in local ports, scheduled around tides, so that fishers can attend without sacrificing a day’s income or missing the chance to be heard. This should become the norm, rather than the exception. It is a simple ask, but I know it would mean so much to our fishers and improve Government engagement, which is vital.
Sustainable fisheries management is also essential. Catch limits should be set using the latest available scientific advice, but the UK lacks robust data on many commercial species. I wonder if the Minister agrees that prioritising a roadmap to improve stock assessments and working with partners on shared stocks to secure sustainable management, is essential.
Better monitoring and enforcement are vital to compliance, but issues with CatchAPP and Inshore Vessel Monitoring must be urgently addressed. Could the Minister seek assurances that the MMO will address this, ensure transparency and timelines on fixes, and adopt a pragmatic approach until these systems are fully operational.
Globally, management and enforcement of marine resources are often poor. Stronger labelling laws could block IUU fish from entering UK markets and protect our domestic fleets. I would be grateful if the Minister would commit to a review of the existing labelling laws to protect not just the world’s oceans, but our markets too.
Locally, buying UK products helps to boost incomes for our fleets. I pay tribute to fishmongers like Pengelly’s of Looe, who do a great job of supporting their local fleet and offer an overnight service for those without a local shop.
I also want to highlight the work of local Looe fishers; Murray Collins, Dan Margetts, and David Bond on the tuna tagging programme, and most recently with Dr Bryce Stewart and Dr Simon Thomas on pollack data gathering. I would welcome the Minister’s support in expanding fishery science partnerships to fill the knowledge gaps and secure robust data for all of our commercial stocks.
I support a transition away from damaging practices, alongside advancements in vessel safety and technology. Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) offers a cost-effective way to improve transparency, sustainability, and data integrity while creating jobs. Better data means better management, which benefits everyone.
Fishing is central to the jobs, culture, and identity of South East Cornwall, a region grappling with low income. Our fishers are ready to play their part in regenerating our seas, but they need a fair deal that respects their knowledge, safeguards their livelihoods, and protects the marine environment.
I am proud to see this Government working with our fishers, and I urge the Minister to continue working closely with fishers, scientists, and all involved to secure a just and sustainable future for our seas."
I want to pay tribute firstly to those who support our brave fishers and their families: the harbour master and port authorities, the RNLI that I had the privilege of working for previously, SEAFARERS UK, and the Fishermen’s Mission. If you haven’t bought your Christmas cards yet, may I suggest these fantastic charities that do so much when things go wrong. I would also like to pay tribute to Cornwall Seafood Training, especially Clive Palfrey of Looe, for his tireless work to raise safety standards and still makes time to helm the Looe Lifeboat.
This Labour Government is rightly committed to tackling climate change and biodiversity loss. Damaging practices have taken a significant toll on the marine environment and urgent action is needed to secure the sustainability of the fishing industry and restore the health of our seas.
Offshore wind is essential to achieving home grown, clean energy, but developments must be carefully sited to minimise disruption to ecosystems, sensitive habitats, and historic fishing grounds. Marine spatial prioritisation provides a framework to balance these competing needs, but our fishers must be included in decisions. I urge the Minister to ensure that consultations are held in local ports, scheduled around tides, so that fishers can attend without sacrificing a day’s income or missing the chance to be heard. This should become the norm, rather than the exception. It is a simple ask, but I know it would mean so much to our fishers and improve Government engagement, which is vital.
Sustainable fisheries management is also essential. Catch limits should be set using the latest available scientific advice, but the UK lacks robust data on many commercial species. I wonder if the Minister agrees that prioritising a roadmap to improve stock assessments and working with partners on shared stocks to secure sustainable management, is essential.
Better monitoring and enforcement are vital to compliance, but issues with CatchAPP and Inshore Vessel Monitoring must be urgently addressed. Could the Minister seek assurances that the MMO will address this, ensure transparency and timelines on fixes, and adopt a pragmatic approach until these systems are fully operational.
Globally, management and enforcement of marine resources are often poor. Stronger labelling laws could block IUU fish from entering UK markets and protect our domestic fleets. I would be grateful if the Minister would commit to a review of the existing labelling laws to protect not just the world’s oceans, but our markets too.
Locally, buying UK products helps to boost incomes for our fleets. I pay tribute to fishmongers like Pengelly’s of Looe, who do a great job of supporting their local fleet and offer an overnight service for those without a local shop.
I also want to highlight the work of local Looe fishers; Murray Collins, Dan Margetts, and David Bond on the tuna tagging programme, and most recently with Dr Bryce Stewart and Dr Simon Thomas on pollack data gathering. I would welcome the Minister’s support in expanding fishery science partnerships to fill the knowledge gaps and secure robust data for all of our commercial stocks.
I support a transition away from damaging practices, alongside advancements in vessel safety and technology. Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) offers a cost-effective way to improve transparency, sustainability, and data integrity while creating jobs. Better data means better management, which benefits everyone.
Fishing is central to the jobs, culture, and identity of South East Cornwall, a region grappling with low income. Our fishers are ready to play their part in regenerating our seas, but they need a fair deal that respects their knowledge, safeguards their livelihoods, and protects the marine environment.
I am proud to see this Government working with our fishers, and I urge the Minister to continue working closely with fishers, scientists, and all involved to secure a just and sustainable future for our seas."
