12 January 2010
It is a basic reality of fishing politics in the 21st century that next to nothing can be achieved alone.
Bellowing a strident message in splendid isolation can look heroic but if the last 20 years has taught us anything it is that this approach is unlikely to be persuasive. And if we don’t persuade others – in government, in the Commission, in Parliament, in the media and the general public– then we might as well not bother.
To make meaningful progress on practically any issue even a large national organisation like the NFFO needs allies. The Federation therefore works with a range of other groups and bodies to build support on specific issues. Depending on the issue, we can find ourselves working closely with other UK federations and fishing organisations, fishing associations in other member states, environmental NGOs, and scientists.
The need to work closely with our allies underpins the Federation’s work in the RACs, explains the central role that we have taken in the formation of the UK MPA Fishing Areas Coalition, the success of the Bass Action Group, and the ground-breaking Fisheries Science Partnership. Likewise, the relative harmonious co-existence between the fishing and offshore oil/gas industry over the last 25 years has been dependent on a close working relationship between two industries who at first sight are not obvious bedfellows.
The NFFO recognised at an early stage the need to build a mosaic of tactical and strategic alliances as well as longer term working relationships with likeminded groups. The Federation was a prominent member of the North Sea Commission (Fisheries Partnership) that brought international fishing interests and scientists together for the first time and laid the foundations for the North Sea RAC. Similarly, we were heavily involved in the Transnational Project that brought Celtic Sea fishermen from France, Ireland, Spain, Belgium and the UK together to discuss solutions to mutual problems. The North West Waters RAC had its origins in this group.
But building alliances in an industry as diverse and complex as ours is never easy or straightforward. There are always those who, if allowed, for their own sectional and parochial advantage will undermine unity. And there is always a temptation for Government to use such splits and divisions to divide and rule.
The NFFO, if it stands for anything, stands for the fishing industry’s ability to speak to Government with a single clear agreed voice. And if by working with others the message being transmitted and received is an amplified one – so much the better.