5 May 2015
NFFO West Coast Committee Chairman, Ron Graham, has reaffirmed that what is needed for under 10 fleet policy is a concerted effort to examine what can work at a regional level.
He said: “Too often policy has become bogged down by
focusing too much at too high a level.
There are certainly challenges in managing the capacity issues and tight
quotas within the under 10 fleet, but we need to examine the options with all
of the information on the table from a regional perspective. One of those options might be a community
quota arrangement. We intend to look at
this in some detail.”
“This is especially important
as we have the next challenge of dealing with the landing obligation coming
around the corner which will demand even more quick-footed management of quota
than we have needed previously.”
His comments followed the
latest meeting of the NFFO West Coast Committee meeting held in Morecambe on
Thursday 28th April, where the Committee followed up a positive
initial meeting with the MMO on the matter.
The meeting also:
- Examined the latest proposals from the NWIFCA
on unifying measures across the old SFC boundaries. - Reviewed the ongoing relationship with marine
renewables; the Committee took the view that emphasis should be placed upon
collective initiatives for the next round of the West of Morecambe Fisheries
Fund. - Discussed new proposals and responses on marine
protected areas. - Reviewed latest developments on CFP including
the landings obligation, bass measures and the drift net ban proposal. - Discussed developments in safety policy and the
NFFO’s initiatives to supply subsidised EPIRBs, life rafts and iVMS to its
small boat members.