One by-product of the fuel price crisis is the end to the wholly discriminatory light dues charge on fishing vessels. The UK is the only country in the European Union to make fishermen pay light dues and the NFFO has campaigned on the issue since they were introduced under the cover of supporting the Decca system in the late 1980s.
The Federation reinvigorated its campaign as the cost of fuel increased, with letters to both Jonathan Shaw the fisheries minister and Jim Fitzpatrick the shipping minister. The reply from the shipping minister was dismissive and little short of insulting but Jonathan Shaw was persuaded both by the economic pressure the fleet is under and the manifest unfairness of the dues to find the money from within the Defra budget. He announced at the NFFO AGM that the new arrangements would come into force from 1st January.
