1 August 2008
Skipper Davey Hill from Kilkeel in Northern Ireland, has taken over the Chair of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations.
Skipper
Davey Hill from Kilkeel in Northern Ireland, has taken over the Chair of the National
Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations. He began his two year stint in the hot
seat at a meeting of the NFFO Executive Committee immediately after the
Organisation’s recent AGM.
The
previous chair, Fred Normandale, moves up to become NFFO President.
Davey
Hill was successful skipper of the 22 metre prawn trawler Westerdale
until last year and is taking some time off the sea to take an active role in
the choppy waters of fishing politics.
Davey
Hill said, “I am honoured to be given this opportunity to represent fishermen
right across the country. I recognise that it is a tremendous responsibility
and that many fishermen’s livelihoods depend on the decisions that are made
each year in the corridors of power. That is why I am fully committed to making
my time as NFFO Chairman count.”
“I am
grateful to Fred Normandale and Elizabeth Stevenson and many others around the
NFFO Executive who have offered invaluable support and advice. I am in the
fortunate position of having fished in both the Irish Sea and the North Sea and
bring that experience with me to the post.”
“This is
clearly a very difficult time for the fishing industry and what my experience
tells me is that the industry’s influence is very closely related to the degree
to which we can speak with a united voice. I am committed to ensuring that the
NFFO speaks for all fishermen no matter which part of the coast they fish from,
the size of their vessel or their target species.”
“The oil
price crisis and government support for the industry; the Scottish Executive’s
unilateral proposal for a separate quota system; the imminent arrival of marine
conservation zones and the annual round of TAC and days-at-sea restrictions:
these are all major issues on which I intend the NFFO to be very active”
“I also
want the NFFO to be a very open and accessible organisation and I will be
working to ensure that, through our communications and through initiatives like
Alan McCulla’s port visits that this will happen.”