Kevin Hollinrake has welcomed the new opportunities that Brexit could offer fishermen in Filey. Speaking in a debate in the House of Commons, he said that leaving the EU would give the UK an opportunity to design a new domestic fishing policy and give new hope to the industry on the East Coast.
He said it is right that the Government should continue to take proactive measures to tackle over-fishing and fishermen recognise this, which is why many favour “a number of days at sea system which means they can bring in what they catch. This way there are no discards and everyone knows what has been caught and where.”
Describing Filey as “a little gem of a town,” Mr. Hollinrake told the House that the town had once enjoyed a thriving fishing industry but now there are only 7 boats licensed by the Environment Agency. He said he was worried for the future of fishing in the town.
He summed up by saying,
“As I have often been reminded the fishermen are custodians of the sea, it is we, the British people who own it, and in a few years’ time full responsibility will lie with us all here in Parliament. It will be our job to ensure that we create a viable future for our fishing industry for the next generation and the generations after that.”