10 February 2014
It is not exactly unknown for the weather in January to disrupt fishing operations, even for the largest vessels; but the severity and scale of the relentless series of gales this year is taking a very heavy toll.
It is not exactly unknown for the weather in January to disrupt fishing
operations, even for the largest vessels; but the severity and scale of the
relentless series of gales this year is taking a very heavy toll.
Tony Delahunty, Chairman of the NFFO South East Committee, and NFFO
Chairman-elect, commented:
“From
the Thames to the West
Country, the relentless ferocity of the
wind has affected all fishermen from small inshore boats to the larger vessels.
There has been no let up in this weather since the middle of December and
looking forward the forecast for this week is more of the same.
“Fishermen are not earning any money; they
also grave concerns about the damage the gales have caused to fixed
gear. After a poor start last year they are taking another battering and
the money has to be found to replace pots, rope, etc. It is a desperately worrying time.”
“The combination of high tides and
extreme gales has hammered infrastructures, including vessels, harbours, sea
defences and gears. The costs will run into many millions. Furthermore, the
fish markets ashore are struggling because there is no product. Looting is apparently emerging as a
problem.”
“The heavy swell has caused major damage to sea defences, harbours and shingle
beaches. There are also real concerns for the stocks as, crabs, lobsters and
whelks are being found washed up on the beach.
“All of this amounts to a serious
setback for the industry at a time when the boats have enough to contend with,
adapting to new marine protected areas, quota reductions and the imminent arrival
of a discard ban.”
Irish Sea
Across the Irish Sea, fishermen
are also struggling to get out in their boats and the concern is that there
could be a repeat of last winter when persistent gales and unseasonably bad
weather prevented fishermen from going to sea. It was so prolonged that
fishermen were eventually granted hardship funds from the Northern Ireland
Executive.
While it is in the fishermen’s
favour that a precedent has already been set in terms of accessing financial
support, the Northern Irish fishing industry is conscious of not becoming
dependent upon subsidies. However, these are exceptional circumstances arising
from an unprecedented weather pattern justifying urgent government
intervention.
North Sea and Mackerel
“In the North Sea whitefish and the
pelagic fisheries are facing different but equally serious problems. The delay
in resolving the mackerel dispute with Iceland and the Faeroes is having a
knock-on effect on the EU/Norway agreement which should have been settled by
now. All this adds up to a very troubling time for our industry.”