Yorkshire MEP Richard Corbett will spend a day in Grimsby this week to learn first-hand about the challenges facing the fishing industry.
Following European elections in May, Mr Corbett is now a member of the influential Fisheries Committee of the European Parliament.
The committee is highly significant in shaping EU fisheries policy. It has been especially active in supervising recent reform of the Common Fisheries Policy.
This Friday, 19 September, Richard’s schedule includes:
- Visiting Grimsby fish market with chief executive Martyn Boyers
- Visiting the port and offshore fishing areas
- Meeting representatives from the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations and Artisan Food Law
Richard’s top priority will be to understand the challenges facing those who work in the fishing industry, and learn how current and future reforms to the EU’s Common Fishing Policy might affect them.
Richard said:
As MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, I’ve always recognised the crucial importance of the fishing industry to our region and indeed the whole of Britain.
But now I’ve joined the Fisheries Committee, I decided it was time to experience it first-hand. I will be talking to the men and women who work on our boats and in our docks every day, so I can better represent them in Parliament as we negotiate fishing policy with our European neighbours.
Nearly all European laws must be agreed by directly elected MEPs as well as national governments, which includes rules related to fishing.
