UK fishing faces mounting pressure as Labour urged to act

A former government minister has warned that the UK is strikingly blind to the value of its seas, as MPs urge Westminster to treat fishing as critical national infrastructure. According to the Daily Express, cross-party figures are demanding urgent strategy changes to secure the nation’s food supplies.

Mounting pressure is facing the domestic fishing sector as industry leaders and parliamentarians call on the government to overhaul its approach to marine resources. Daniel Zeichner, a former farming minister, warned that the nation continues to overlook an essential sector that sustains coastal communities.

For an island nation, we are strikingly blind to the value of our own seas. We have a vital domestic sector that helps feed the country, sustains coastal communities and is, in every meaningful sense, part of our critical national infrastructure. Yet we continue to look past it.

— Daniel Zeichner, Former Environment Minister, Daily Express

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Food security concerns amid volatile global supply chains

The All-Party Parliamentary Group on Fisheries highlighted a growing gap between domestic landings and international imports. Data shows that UK vessels landed 745,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish in 2024, whereas seafood imports surpassed 1.1 million tonnes.

• UK vessels landed 745,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish in 2024.
• Seafood imports exceeded 1.1 million tonnes over the same period.
• MPs are urging the appointment of a dedicated minister for the marine environment.
• Industry leaders demand energy-cost support aligned with other economic sectors.

APPG co-chairs Alistair Carmichael and Melanie Onn emphasized that domestic fishing can deliver resilient coastal communities and better food security, provided it receives a clear commitment from Westminster.

Mike Cohen, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, warned that without a government-led strategy, the sector will continue moving from one challenge to another.

Ministers face mounting scrutiny over whether they will adopt these recommendations to protect the future of the nation’s seafood industry.

Original source: Read the full report at Daily Express