12 July 2024
Newly appointed Defra Minister Daniel Zeichner came to Brixham this week and the NFFO was there to greet him.
NFFO Chief Executive Mike Cohen; Executive Committee members Juliette Hatchman, Chloe North, Steve Parker and Martyn Youll; and several NFFO members met with newly appointed Minister of State Daniel Zeichner yesterday. The Minister was visiting Brixham, to hear about concerns and priorities in one of England’s busiest fishing ports.
While it was clear that Mr Zeichner was mainly there to listen and to learn, he also spoke about some of the government’s early thinking that would affect the fishing industry.
Food security was seen as a high priority for the new government and the fishing was acknowledged as an important contributor to that, which the government was keen to support. He emphasised the need for stability, following an extended period of parliamentary and national turmoil, suggesting that we should not expect to see any radical changes in fisheries policy any time soon. Like the Prime Minster last week, he focused on economic growth and was happy to acknowledge that, properly supported by government, our sector has a part to play in this.
There were no major announcements on Thursday but what the Minister said and did was, in a considered and understated way, far from insignificant. Less than 72 hours after his appointment he had already been aboard an under 10m netter and an over 10 m beam trawler, talking fishermen and learning about their businesses. There is a clear message of respect and support here, in both the timing and the action, for our industry as a whole and for the fleet diversity that makes it successful.
The priorities of his government – food security, economic growth – are things that our industry can contribute to and benefit from. If they are true to their word, then a government looking to promote economic growth will see fishing not as a problem, but as part of a national solution.
Tellingly, this was not a Minister offering us grand gestured and quick fixes. We’ve had tub-thumping politicians making easy promises before and they were quickly shown to be cynical and hollow.
Maybe the steady and serious approach is worth a try.