Fishing delegation meets local MP

Fishermen met their local MP Matthew Taylor

A delegation of fishermen from Cornwall are meeting their local MP to outline fears over quota cuts.

The crewmen from Mevagissey said they will be forced out of work if Europe imposes further fishing restrictions.

The European council of ministers is expected to announce the scale of the reduction in catches in the next few days.

The Truro and St Austell MP Matthew Taylor said that EU commissioners should focus on huge foreign trawlers instead of the Cornish fleet.

Acceptable solution

He said: "Nobody is arguing there isn't a need for management of fisheries.

"But what they, and I, cannot accept is proposals that will put out of business local fishermen who are actually engaged in sustainable fishing techniques.

"Whereas industrial fishing, which is wrecking fish stocks, is allowed to continue with no control."

Mr Taylor, a Liberal Democrat, urged the European Commission to work with the fishing industry and scientists to find an acceptable solution.