Debate contribution: Fishing Industry: Capital Investment

Debate contribution by Lord Elliott on 27 February 2024.

MLA: Lord Elliott
Party at the time: Ulster Unionist Party
Date: 27 February 2024
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Private Members' Business
Heading: Fishing Industry: Capital Investment
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 4237514

Text

I welcome the debate and discussion about the fishing industry. While it is limited to areas that can land fish, in that they have to be beside the sea, I appreciate Mr McGlone's comments about Lough Neagh. I do not know whether he spelled out the eel-fishing sector, but it is a long way from the issue that we are discussing, which is investment in the harbours of Kilkeel, Ardglass and Portavogie. He made a good point, but it is for a debate on another day.
I noticed that, in 2021, the fishing industry had an annual turnover of £135 million and supports 1,550 jobs. That should not be taken lightly in today's society. The industry is important and strategic to those areas. I have regularly visited the harbours in the three areas, although maybe not so much in the last couple of years. To say that they need investment is probably an understatement. I know, Mr Speaker, that, when you were Minister, you recognised that we cannot have an industry of that size without some central support. The industry itself puts in a huge amount of investment. It is an industry that has been racked with uncertainty for generations. Certainly, over the last number of decades, uncertainty has been embedded in the industry. First, the EU quotas caused great difficulty for the fishing industry, because, every year, it had to go and look for its quota from the European Union, and it was not sure what quota it would get. Mr Speaker, I am sure that you remember that from your time as Minister. Then there was the uncertainty around which waters it could fish in. I know that sometimes fishermen were not allowed to fish in waters that they naturally thought the Northern Ireland fishing industry should have been able to fish in, and that caused a great deal of frustration. Also, we had the uncertainty around Brexit, the Northern Ireland protocol and the Windsor framework. The industry keeps facing those uncertainties. It cannot seem to get to a stable position, and that causes a huge amount of difficulty. We cannot expect an industry of such economic importance to Northern Ireland to survive without central support. I appreciate that there was a commitment to support investment in those harbours to bring them up to a sustainable level. It would be good to hear from the Minister about whether that commitment will continue or whether they will have to start afresh. I certainly support the fishing industry and want to see it progress. We have a uniqueness because of our location. Those three great locations can provide support for the fishing industry and huge employment. I heard Members mention the particular difficulties for workers who come into Northern Ireland from other countries. I hope that that can be managed and progressed. I look forward to hearing what the Minister has to say on that and what discussions he has had with the Home Office on ensuring that people can have jobs in Northern Ireland. I and the Ulster Unionist Party support the motion and the amendment.

517 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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