Sir John Whittingdale, MP for Maldon arranged a meeting with Mark Spencer MP, Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries, at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for inshore fishermen from Maldon and neighbouring Essex constituencies.
The meeting was arranged following Sir John’s question to Mark Spencer in the House of Commons in February, where he asked the Minister to consider allowing drift net fishing in the Thames Estuary for bass. Sir John was pleased to bring his constituent Nick Boyce from Latchingdon, to meet with the Minister at DEFRA. Also in attendance were Robert Mole of Mersea and Paul Gilson of Southend, and their MPs, Sir Bernard Jenkin, MP for Harwich and North Essex and Anna Firth, MP for Southend West.
The meeting was very constructive with Nick Boyce explaining that they did not want any increase in their quota but merely to be allowed to fish in a way that is safer and more sustainable and does not lead to fishermen having to sometimes throw dead fish back into the sea. Mark Spencer promised to consider the points made and to revert to them in due course.
Sir John is pictured attending the meeting alongside fellow Essex MPs and local inshore fishermen
