Industry leaders were in Brixham this week for their first encounter with the newly appointed Minister of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Daniel Zeichner.
‘There were no major announcements … but what the Minister said and did was, in a considered and understated way, far from insignificant,’ reported one of the NFFO team on hand for the visit that brought the new minister to hear about concerns and priorities in one of England’s busiest fishing ports.
‘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.’
NFFO Chief Executive Mike Cohen and executive committee members Juliette Hatchman, Chloe North, Steve Parker and Martyn Youll, as well as a number of NFFO member were there to meet the minister.
‘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,’ the NFFO’s representative commented.
‘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.’
The minister made it clear that the priorities of his government – food security, economic growth – are things that the 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,’ the NFFO reports.
‘Tellingly, this was not a Minister offering us grand gestures 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.’
