Perry wins promise of fishing policy update

Nick Perry, the Liberal Democrat candidate for Hastings & Rye, visited Lib Dem colleague and Shadow Fisheries Minister Andrew George MP at Westminster on Wednesday to lobby him on behalf of Hastings and Rye fishermen.

After having submitted a motion to his party’s Spring Conference on the under-10 metre sector (in partnership with local fishermen), Mr Perry has been asked to widen the motion and develop a whole-industry response for the party. 

Mr Perry’s meeting with Andrew George MP was arranged to ensure that the process of new policy development will include experts, like fishermen from Hastings and Rye.

As a result of the meeting, Mr George has promised to write to Lib Dem Leader Nick Clegg, who is chair of the party’s Federal Policy Committee, and make sure that the issue is right at the top of the party’s policy agenda.

 Speaking after the meeting at Portcullis House, Mr Perry said,

 “I am very pleased that Andrew and I are of the same mind on this.  We believe that our current policy needs updating as a result of various recent developments, a key example being the terrible treatment that the under-10 metre boats have received at the hands of the Labour Government.

 “There is a real need for a re-think about localised fisheries management, so that fishermen can land what they catch, monitor the stocks in cooperation with scientists, and ensure that the fishery remains environmentally sustainable.  We want to give the real experts a voice, in order to come up with an environmentally sound policy which will secure fairness for all.”