5/20/2010 3:00:00 PM
The European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Madame Maria Damanaki, visited Fishmongers’ Hall, London on 28th April for an introductory meeting with the Fishmongers’ Company and representatives of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain and the Salmon & Trout Association. The Commissioner was accompanied by members of her Cabinet, a senior official from the Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and a senior official from Defra’s Marine and Fisheries Directorate.
The event was an opportunity for the Fishmongers’ Company to brief the Commissioner on the Company’s history, its current roles and how it seeks to promote a healthy, prosperous and sustainable fish and fisheries sector for the long-term benefit of the United Kingdom. The “facilitating” and “educating” aspects of the Company’s work were highlighted, for example its encouragement of a calm, rational, science-based debate on issues such as sustainability and its promotion of greater awareness of the health benefits of eating more fish and shellfish. The Company also reported on the success of the Billingsgate Seafood Training School.
The Commissioner briefed the Company on her approach to the Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy and thanked the Company for its written contribution to the consultation process. The discussion showed considerable common ground. The Company emphasised its support for national control of fishing within the 0-12 nautical mile zone and for an end to discards. The Company also explained its wish to help champion the UK inshore fishing fleet, referring to the forthcoming seminar at Fishmongers’ Hall on marketing the catch of this sector, and urged that representatives of small-scale coastal fleets should be fully involved in consultation on the Reform of the CFP.
There was a wide-ranging exchange of views on the issues raised and the Commissioner and the Fishmongers’ Company agreed to keep in close touch on them.
Before the meeting the Commissioner and her party made a brief tour of the historic Hall.