Allister rejects CFP for inshore fishing
15 June 2006
In a debate in the European Parliament on the future of inshore fishing, presently excluded from the competences of the EU, Jim Allister, while underscoring the needs of the sector, strongly opposed a proposal that it should be brought within the ambit of the Common Fisheries Policy.
In the course of his remarks Mr Allister said:-
"I commend the rapporteur for his hard work in drawing attention to the needs of an often neglected sector in fishing. In my constituency of Northern Ireland, our sector is equally feeling the pressures identified in this report and indeed a recent political decision to deprive the white fish fleet of Tie-Up Aid as compensation for losses inflicted by the Cod Recovery Scheme closure, has put added pressure on the inshore sector and on inshore fish and shellfish stock as those denied Tie-Up Aid are forced into the domain of that sector.
However, the experience of UK fishermen of the CFP - whatever the Conservative Party might now say - has been so negative that, in conscience, I could not advocate effective extension of CFP controls to the inshore sector. Thus, this is where I part company with the rapporteur. He thinks the answer for the inshore sector is more Europe. I disagree for two reasons:
1) Yes, we need marketing assistance, fleet modernisation, fuel assistance and proper recognition of the potential and needs of inshore fishing, but the imposition of European harmonisation, fishing gear control, data collection and a new Community initiative, are the path to restriction not growth.
2) Since only some countries would take up any matched funding opportunities, which might arise in return for EU regulation and competence, countries like mine, the UK, would not and therefore disparity in the sector within Europe would intensify, not diminish, and my inshore fishermen would have all the pain of EU regulation but none of the gain of available assistance.
For these reasons I must reject this report, though I readily acknowledge the genuine motivation which lies behind it."
