13 June 2011
Waveney MP Peter Aldous today commented on the DEFRA Select Committee Report on the Implementation of the Common Fisheries Policy.
The Committee made the following recommendations:
Following the Minister’s evidence Defra confirmed in writing that it did not have the data to determine what quota was held by “quota traders” or “slipper skippers”; that “the data-sets do not identify how quota/FQA’s are utilised in practice; and that the department was considering establishing a national FQA register (this suggestion was also included in Defra’s consultation on its domestic fisheries management arrangements).
In the course of discussions since the report was released under embargo a Producer Organisation (Duchy Quota Management Company) have said that they believe that Defra does have information about what quota is held, including by ‘slipper skippers’. Having checked with that organisation and the fishing organisations it seems that there is a lack of clarity precisely what information is held by Defra. It is clear that Defra does not have a publicly accessible register of who holds all quota/FQA and how it is utilised.
Mr Aldous said:
“I welcome the Committee’s Report on fisheries management. I am in regular contact will our local fishermen whose livelihoods are continually jeopardised due to the mismanagement of fisheries. There should be a publicly accessible register of who holds quota including ‘quota traders’ and ‘slipper skippers’ and how that quota is utilised. I will be pressing the Department and Minister over the coming weeks for transparency and a fairer deal for those whose livelihoods rely on having sufficient quota.”
The Committee made the following recommendations:
- It is unacceptable that Defra does not know how much quota is currently held by ‘other than working fishermen’. We recommend that the Department take steps to develop a register which will allow them to monitor who holds the English fleet’s FQA. This register should allow the Department to ascertain what proportion of quota is not held by working fishermen. (Paragraph 38)
- We are not convinced that the holding of quota by outside interests is ever appropriate. We expect Defra in its response to this Report to clearly set out and justify its position on this matter, explaining what (if any) benefits there are to this practice. Unless it can be demonstrated conclusively that the holding of quota by outside interests provides a clear benefit to fishing communities, we recommend that Defra take action to limit the holding of quota to active fishermen. (Paragraph 39)
- These recommendations reflect the concerns expressed by witnesses from the New Under Ten Fishermen’s Association that small scale fisheries were going out of business due to a lack of quota, which had become a commodity and was traded not only by fishermen but also by outside interests.
Following the Minister’s evidence Defra confirmed in writing that it did not have the data to determine what quota was held by “quota traders” or “slipper skippers”; that “the data-sets do not identify how quota/FQA’s are utilised in practice; and that the department was considering establishing a national FQA register (this suggestion was also included in Defra’s consultation on its domestic fisheries management arrangements).
In the course of discussions since the report was released under embargo a Producer Organisation (Duchy Quota Management Company) have said that they believe that Defra does have information about what quota is held, including by ‘slipper skippers’. Having checked with that organisation and the fishing organisations it seems that there is a lack of clarity precisely what information is held by Defra. It is clear that Defra does not have a publicly accessible register of who holds all quota/FQA and how it is utilised.
Mr Aldous said:
“I welcome the Committee’s Report on fisheries management. I am in regular contact will our local fishermen whose livelihoods are continually jeopardised due to the mismanagement of fisheries. There should be a publicly accessible register of who holds quota including ‘quota traders’ and ‘slipper skippers’ and how that quota is utilised. I will be pressing the Department and Minister over the coming weeks for transparency and a fairer deal for those whose livelihoods rely on having sufficient quota.”
