Regional Committees were always a key way for non-sector members to influence NFFO policy, but their activity had waned post-Covid. The NFFO is now in the process of kickstarting a new round of committee meetings to ensure that all voices are heard, and regional members feel they are getting represented with regards to any issues of concern they face.
‘As fisheries policy changes in response to the Fisheries Act (2020), it becomes more important than ever for us to ensure that all of our members can help shape our responses moving forward. The role of the Regional Committees is to represent those NFFO members who do not belong to a PO and are often most in need of representation and support with regional issues and concerns,’ an NFFO representative commented.
September saw the North East committee meet in Whitby with good representation from Bridlington to Blythe. The North East committee was chaired for a long time by Ned Clarke, who championed the region’s members on all aspects of fisheries concerns. On Ned’s retirement from the post, Richard Brewer of Whitby was formally voted in to succeed him at the meeting in September.
Richard Brewer has extensive experience in all aspects of fishing and has sat on the NFFO Executive Board in the past. He is very keen on giving something back to the industry that has supported him over the years and ensuring the members in the region are supported with the extensive issues the sector is currently facing.
‘The region covered by the North East committee is vast, with varied fisheries and different concerns across the membership. To better support the diverse concerns across this area, regional members and the NFFO Executive have decided to divide the area in two. Going forward, a new Yorkshire and Humber Committee will sit alongside our North East Committee and we will be seeking a chair for it soon,’ the NFFO states.
‘September also saw the West Coast Regional committee sitting in Whitehaven and discussing a range of issues. The issues discussed at both committees included the NFFO Training Trust, medicals, fisheries consultations and fisheries management plans, IFCA’s, offshore development and the future of how the committees can work.’
The South East, South West and East Anglia committees will meet in the coming months as soon as fishing permits and at the direction of the regional Chairs.
The NFFO is encouraging non-sector members to join their local regional committees, as this provides the team with opportunities to hear directly from the fishermen about the concerns specific to their region.
‘It also allows us to pass on information about proposals that may affect local fisheries and to discuss what we can do about them. Information flowing both ways ensures that we can represent our members effectively,’ the NFFPO’s representative said.
