The NFFO West Coast Committee recently reconvened in Lancaster. The meeting was well attended with representatives from fishermen’s associations from across the region, including Whitehaven, Barrow, Heysham, Morecombe and Fleetwood. Ron Graham was appointed as Chairman and Dick Langley as Vice Chairman.
The meeting covered and adopted positions on a wide range of issues ranging from under 10 metre licensing and quota management, effort control, marine conservation planning, through to development funding, where Richard Combe, the Northern Region European Fisheries Fund facilitator advised on the support available to the industry.
The meeting heard that feasibility work to develop a sustainable razor clam fishery in the region had received funding through the Fisheries Science Partnership (FSP) programme.
The Committee will play an important role in defining NFFO policy and in addressing issues affecting the Eastern Irish Sea. Future meetings will be rotated around the region with the next taking place in Barrow.
