On Thursday members of the EFRA Select Committee questioned Secretary of State George Eustice on the Government’s failure to support the UK’s shellfish industry exporting to the EU after the end of the transition period. Barry asked the Minister why sail-powered oyster fisherman on the Fal river in Cornwall were not eligible for assistance under the Government’s £23 million fund for loss of income. Barry pushed for clarity on why DEFRA was not more clear with wild-caught shellfish exporters about the barriers they would face to when the UK left the EU and why financial assistance has not been available to them. Barry subsequently asked the Secretary of State to clarify how the UK can access real-time catch data on EU catches in the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) amid reports that in the first two months after Brexit not one EU vessel was boarded for inspection. At-sea inspection is important to ensure that catches are within limits and vital to minimise over-fishing inflicted by super-trawlers, which are overfishing in UK Marine Protected waters.
The Secretary of State agreed to write to the Committee following Barry’s intervention on the current position on sharing vessel monitoring data through the EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.