SOUTH Dorset MP Richard Drax has welcomed a report which he says will give a fairer deal to fishermen.

The domestic fisheries management report is the result of an inquiry by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, of which Mr Drax is a member.

The inquiry focussed on allocations for fishing quota and the unsustainable practice of discarding unusable fish.

Mr Drax said: “Fishing quota is causing particular problems in the English fishing fleet.

“Allocations are made to larger fishing boats then reallocated to the under 10m fleet by organisations which might not necessarily have any connection to the fishing industry.

“I am particularly concerned because most, if not all, of our fishing fleet in Weymouth, Portland and Swanage are under 10m and their livelihoods are being seriously compromised.

“It appears that some of those involved in reallocation from the offshore to the inshore fleets are trading quota like commodities. Fishing is not a commodity; it is a vital industry in South Dorset and we must protect our fishermen’s interests.”

Mr Drax added: “I am delighted and relieved that as a result of this inquiry we have set a process in train which will monitor and ensure a fair distribution of quota.”

Mr Drax also welcomed the news that the government is tackling the discard practice, whereby large numbers of juvenile fish are caught then thrown away.

Earlier this week, Dorset-based celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall took a petition signed by 676,726 people to Europe calling for an end to the current fish discards system.