Speeches by Eagle.

“One strategy, probably. But if you do strategy, that can guide you. The farming road map is at the pinnacle of that, because that will demonstrate the way forwards. In order to do that, first you have to have the “what”, and that is the profitability report, which will be coming this week. Then we have the land use fra…”

“We do what we can to interrogate what the situation is before ICES comes up with its calculations. Is it in July? It normally comes up with its calculations in July and we have a lot of contact with it before that. This year has been very challenging all round, because of the quota cuts, some of which are very difficul…”

“I suspect that an outcome that pleases nobody is probably the best we can do in some of those circumstances.”

“You will have to talk to our predecessor Secretary of State about that. These issues were inherited and on the books when I came into government. I think that it is good to have a strategy rather than not have a strategy, because I am a chess player and I tend to think that—”

“You are right.”

“It was 48%, was it? I am trying to remember.”

“Let me first deal with the strategies that you have listed off there. It is important that we get the profitability report—the Batters report—out there first.”

“I understand your frustration. That was the advice on that particular question, but there were some other options ICES put on the table for those fisheries, which were the ones that we took up. I do not know whether officials want to go into more technical detail about it. The advice for zero catch was one option, but …”

“First, I hope that Bridlington will be aware that it has a champion in Government when it comes to its shellfish industry. I am more than happy to hear from them if they have ideas they want to put past me. In terms of the science, we are obligated to act on scientific advice, so that we can ensure that fishing is done…”

“Is it still up there? The octopus haven’t got there yet?”

“Of course. How long will it take me to get up there? You will be the expert.”

“It is going to be influential, yes.”

“I have read the Batters report. It is a very substantial piece of work and it certainly is not trash. We will, when it is produced, have an initial response and deal with some of the larger areas and recommendations. I hope that, in the months that lie ahead, we will be able to do more work. This is a substantial piece…”

“I have, yes. I have done a little bit of that myself, albeit not in Brixham, just a bit further down the coast. I do not disagree with you at all. It is really important, from a policy point of view, but also from a ministerial point of view, to go and listen to the people on the ground and see precisely the issues tha…”

“This was a decision taken before I arrived, but all devolved Governments and the national Government decided that they would not increase the levy that Seafish can use. I do not know whether anyone has any other insights, but it has left Seafish with some decisions to make about what it does or does not proceed with.”

“This week, hopefully.”

“Yes.”

“I have seen the maps and, when you overlay those with the marine protected areas and you then look at what is happening with energy infrastructure, the things we cannot talk about, which are military, and various other things, there is a genuine spatial squeeze. We have to make certain that we make the right decisions …”

“What did he say?”

“It is quite interesting, isn’t it? It is about the only thing that we do not have a strategy for. As a person who likes strategies, I can see the benefit. There has not been an announcement about that, but I am more than open to thinking about it when I can draw breath after all the things that have been thrown at me a…”