Cornish Fish Producers Organisation

Ethics and chips anyone?

The co-operative aims to help to get the voices of Cornish fishermen heard at a national and European level, as well as securing the livelihood of its fishermen members.

The co-operative aims to help to get the voices of Cornish fishermen heard at a national and European level, as well as securing the livelihood of its fishermen members.

The co-operative started out in the mid 1970s Seventies when a group of fishing vessel owners got together to market their fish – primarily mackerel.

The co-operative is one of 20 fish producers’ organisations around the country which help to market their members’ catch, manage fish quotas for members and lobby Government and the EU on behalf of their members. The co-operative has over 150 members, who pay a £10 joining fee and up to 0.75% of what they earn, to cover the organisation’s costs.

The EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is unpopular with many fishermen but, through organisations like the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation, others have learned how to benefit by working within the system. One of their main roles is managing quotas for its members. The co-operative is also able to trade quotas with other fish producers’ organisations, just as regions and states are able to trade quotas within the CFP..

In addition to quota management and lobbying, the co-operative has a broader representational role for its members and works hard to make it easier for them to gain access to European and regional funding.

“Fishermen are notoriously independent – one-man bands, pitted against the elements,” says Andy Wheeler, a member of the co-operative. “But many see the benefit of co-operating and having someone to help look after their affairs. In fact, the way fisheries are managed now, there is increasing importance attached to being a member of a collective. Whether it’s a lack of quotas or investing in the future, if we work together we can achieve more.”

There are 67 fishing co-operatives in the UK with a combined turnover of £39.2 million and almost 5,000 members. CFPO and other similar organisations are helping to make the lives of fishermen that little bit easier and their voices heard that much more.