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| Two typical 'under tens' hand line mackerel men head for home. |
FISHERMEN from across Penwith have reacted angrily to the news that small vessels may be subject to tighter regulations. Those fishing from boats less than ten metres long (known as under-tens) from Newlyn, Penberth, Sennen, Cape Cornwall and St Ives fear proposals to reform quota management could put them out of business.
Industry meetings have been held throughout the county, including a gathering in Newlyn on June 7, to hear the views of skippers of under-tens, and representatives of the inshore fleet also met recently with Andrew George, MP for St Ives and the Isles of Scilly, to express their worries.
The main cause for concern is the proposal for each fisherman to receive an allocation based on their track record from 2007 to 2009. But the lack of clear information on the reform by Defra and the Marine Management Organisation is frustrating many fishermen.
Jerry Percy, leader of the New Under-Ten Fishermen's Association, said: "There is clearly a legitimate fear in providing a positive response to something where you don't know the outcome and especially when it appears that you could end up being even worse off than at present." Mr George has waded into the debate, warning fisheries minister Richard Benyon that the proposals which are intended to protect smaller and traditional fishing ports and methods may do the reverse, as the new rules could see small-scale fishermen like mackerel or sea bass hand-liners competing with more powerful boats which happen to fall within the same bracket. Mr George said: "It is remarkable that fishermen who use these low-impact methods like hand-lining, long-lining or potting can still eke a living. Fish which are thrown back usually live on – hundreds of people can still make a living from the least destructive of all fishing methods. "Surely this is something which the Government should be learning from and encouraging, rather than threatening by over-policing and by imposing an inflexible quota system which really ought to be applied to international vessels operating at an industrial scale."
The fishermen have asked for an extension to the consultation deadline on the Government's reform proposals, which is due to close at the end of June. Mr George has asked to speak to the fisheries minister before the Government takes its policy any further.
article copyright THE CORNISHMAN
