Today, Shadow DEFRA Minister Dr Neil Hudson called out the Labour Government in the House of Commons Chamber, over its sellout of the UK fishing industry in its agreement with the EU, during an Urgent Question on the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund.
Earlier this year, the Government reached an agreement with the EU that disappointingly guaranteed the EU access to UK fishing waters for twelve years, three times longer than the four years they had stated they were negotiating for.
This news came as the highest disappointment to the UK fishing industry, who were relying on the Government to use negotiations to improve even further on the conditions negotiated by the previous Government in its landmark UK-EU Trade Cooperation Agreement, and the 785,000 tonnes of fish (worth nearly £1billion) it had secured in quota after 2024 negotiations. Dr Hudson himself pushed exactly this point in a Commons Debate back in March about these negotiations, and urged them to explicitly affirm that they would not use our fishing industry as a bargaining chip in those negotiations.
Using this Parliamentary event today to be a voice for the fishing sector that this Labour Government have neglected, Dr Hudson exposed the Government’s poor attempt to make amends with its Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund. This fund, the Labour Government say, is intended to invest up to £360million in the fishing industry nationwide, including in technology and training.
Dr Hudson pushed the Minister to confirm that this funding will be frontloaded, rather than being provided in a piecemeal manner over twelve years, having little impact on the sector the Labour Government have harmed. He likewise sought clarification over how this fund will actually work for the interests of fishermen and women who need it most, how the fund will be delivered, and what this fund is doing to support the future generations of an industry we rely on for national and local economies and our food security.
These simple points of clarification did not get an answer, exposing the Government’s hasty and ill-planned manner when it comes to the Fund.
In the Commons today, Dr Hudson said:
“This fund is Labour trying to buy off the UK fishing fleet due to their disastrous 12-year deal with the EU, three times longer than the deal Labour sought, denying Britain from setting annual fishing quotas like other independent coastal states. Fishing organisations have called that deal a ‘horror’ show for fishermen.
“This fund is an example of the Labour Government trying to buy off the industry with a sticking plaster rather than ensuring that the best deal for the British fishing industry is negotiated with the EU.”
Following the Urgent Question, Dr Hudson commented:
“The Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund is the Labour Government’s attempt to hide its abysmal record when it comes to defending our fishing industry.”
“Giving away our fishing rights for 12 years as an independent and sovereign nation in its negotiations with the EU, this Government are shamefully trying to pay off the industry in an unstructured fund in the vain hope of fixing their damaged reputation.”
“The lack of detail from the Minister’s response to my questions on how this fund will actually benefit our fishing industry makes clear they cannot do what is required to defend it.”
“Our fishing sector deserves so much better, and the Conservatives will always use our status as a sovereign coastal state to make sure our fishing industry is being supported at home and in international negotiations.”
