SALTER SEES OFF ATTEMPTS TO WEAKEN MARINE BILL

Angling MP praises anglers for voting for conservation measures

Despite opposition from some MPs representing commercial fishing interests, the groundbreaking Marine and Coastal Access Bill completed all its stages in the House of Commons and is now expected to become law in advance of the Queen’s Speech on 18th November 2009.

This Bill establishes a network of Marine Conservation Zones to protect species and habitats from exploitation and to allow for better recruitment of many fish species. It will set up a Marine Management Organisation to regulate marine activities and help enforce laws to protect the marine environment. The Bill is also the vehicle by which much of the 2001 Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review will be implemented. This will include new byelaws creating powers to tackle fish removals and thefts.

Attempts were made by a number of MPs, led by Austin Mitchell (Great Grimsby), to water down the Bill by allowing commercial fishing interests to carry on exploiting the proposed Marine Conservation Zones thereby rendering them pointless as nursery areas which would allow fish stocks to replenish and recover. The MPs proposed a new Clause 8, which was promoted by the National Federation of Fishing Organisations representing the commercial sector.

In challenging Mr Mitchell and the commercial interests, Mr Salter said:

Martin Salter: I am listening, as I suspect many hon. Members are, with some incredulity to the arguments being made by my hon. Friend. Will he clarify for the House his earlier statement that it is impossible to introduce conservation measures that restrict commercial fishing? Does he not see that that statement might be a problem for some of us?

Mr. Mitchell: I am surprised at my hon. Friend’s incredulity, because the interests of commercial fishermen and anglers are much the same.

Martin Salter: No, we are in favour of this Bill.

Mr. Mitchell: I am defending the interests of fishing as an industry and as a leisure activity—I would have thought that my hon. Friend would have supported that. My assertion is that fishing is an agent of conservation, and one cannot have marine conservation areas, which are intended primarily to conserve the marine environment, by also placing added restrictions on fishing. That defeats the purpose of the marine conservation areas.

Martin Salter indicated dissent.

Mr. Mitchell: Well, if my hon. Friend wants to tell me that fishing is damaging the environment, he is wrong.

Martin Salter: I shall certainly continue the exchange. Does my hon. Friend recognise that probably precisely the same speech was made in about 1988-89, just before the collapse in the cod stocks off Newfoundland? It is precisely because the fishing industry does not recognise the value of conservation, engages in overfishing and opposes steps to allow fish stocks to recover and replenish themselves that fishermen lost their jobs?â€