David Amess MP: Fishermen are losing out on their catch

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David Amess MP urges government action to help fisherman and act on quotas that are "killing the historic UK fishing industry".

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is in its own words supposed to make a "significant contribution" to the marine area. Yet for many fishermen, it has become an increasingly vindictive organisation that is managed by people who have no practical knowledge of the industry they regulate (astoundingly, only one member of the board and executive committee has any physical experience of fishing). Their implementation of law is inconsistent and draconian, particularly in regards to small inshore fishing boats. The under 10m fleet is being subject to the harshest possible sentences for minor offences, which can be so extreme that some find themselves receiving the same punishment as drug dealers and gang members. This is centred around what I believe is a complete misuse of the Proceeds of Crime Act (PoCA), and worryingly, those who speak out against the MMO are often the ones who feel the full force of the law.

Let me give an example. A constituent of mine was recently fined nearly £400,000 for offences mainly relating to sales notes. Paul Gilson has fished the waters of Leigh-on-Sea since childhood. He is a respected member of the community, and has even been awarded the 'Freedom of Southend' for his contribution to the local fishing industry. However, his way of life is now in jeopardy, as under the PoCA, he stands to lose his house and boat.

If an offence has been committed, then a punishment should be bestowed. But surely the punishment should fit the crime. The PoCA under the right circumstances is an effective deterrent. But Paul Gilson is not a gangster. He is not a drug dealer. The judge even conceded that there was no evidence to suggest that Mr Gilson had been motivated by greed. He is an honest, hardworking man, and such a sentence is an outrage, especially given that two other recent sales note offences received only £3,500 and £6000 fines respectively. Is it a coincidence that this disproportionate fine has been handed down to someone who has spoken out against the MMO in the past?

But the issue runs deeper, and is the result of mismanagement within the industry and impractical laws regarding quotas. Fishermen are losing out on their catch. Fish are being left uncaught and not being replenished in the quotas for the next year. For example, Dover Sole and Skate in the North Sea are being under caught by hundreds of tons. Indeed, 'privatisation of the seas' is becoming more common, whereby private 'Producer Organisations' manipulate the market to boost profits. This hits the under 10m boats particularly hard, who under this arrangement are entitled to just 4 per cent of the quotas, yet make 85 per cent of Britain’s fishing fleet; many can hardly make a living. Worryingly it has been confirmed that the government does not know who these private parties are, an admission echoed by the MMO.

All of this is killing our historic fishing industry, and it is easy to see why the under 10m fleet finds itself in such a terrible state. These fishermen need our help; something has to be done.

David Amess has been a Conservative MP since 1983.