Clause 141
Marine and Coastal Access Bill [Lords]
10:15 am
Richard Benyon (Shadow Minister, Environment, Food & Rural Affairs; Newbury, Conservative)
We must not put all fishermen in the same bracket. We shall come later to an amendment tabled by the hon. Member for St. Ives that refers to coastal communities. Many coastal communities are hanging on by their fingertips, so we should be protecting those people in a vast social endeavour in order to secure their viability.
My hon. Friend the Member for Broxbourne is right that our fishermen could be restrained; they want to fish in an entirely proper fashion, and they want their children and their grandchildren to become fishermen and harvest the seas in a sustainable fashion. The risk is that restrictions are being placed on them, but not on fishermen from abroad with historic fishing rights. It is vital that the Government clarify the matter.