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Newlyn brothers and fishing partners Stephen and Michael Nowell, who last
week revealed how they caught a month's quota in just one day, have put
their smallest beam trawler on the market.
They are selling the boat because their sole quota is so small and they
hope that the sale of the Semper Allegro will keep their other two boats
in business and afloat. Western Channel sole is to be subject to a 'recovery
plan' because the EU claims it is in trouble, but Stephen Nowell, Newlyn's
main Dover sole fisherman, says their beamers, Nellie and Our Diane, which
the partners also skipper, are catching heaps of the fish and says that
sole is now more plentiful than for 30 years.
Last week Stephen Nowell and his crewmen changed over to seven metre
gear aboard Nellie, "simply to go fishing for other species and hopefully
get away from the sole."
He said: "It's madness and we have no option but to use bigger gear
and steam away from the grounds, but I bet we will still be shovelling
back dead sole - there's so much sole wherever we go. We only hope we
can find patches of megrim instead.
"We had scientists aboard for nine months last year and heard positive
responses. They saw there was so much sole on the ground, yet we are still
faced with quota allocations that are unworkable."
He added: "We have worked hard all of our fishing lives to become
owners of three beamers, making us responsible for the livelihoods of
over 20 families. But now we are forced to sell a boat to keep going.
The quota system is madness."
Last week the brothers revealed their fear that they may ultimately be
forced to sell all three boats because of the dire effects of the quota
cuts.
They caught a month's Dover sole quota - just two baskets - in a day
which would not have raised enough to cover the costs of the fuel used
on the trip.
A claim by Environment Secretary, Margaret Beckett that "greed"
is endangering the fish stocks of the future has met with an angry response.
Mrs Beckett said that the collapse of fish stocks had gone from being
a "distant nightmare to a present reality" which was why she
was supporting the Marine Stewardship Council, which runs a certification
programme for well-managed fisheries, as the only global way to ensure
there would be fish for future generations.
Her warning was made with nine former Environment Secretaries including
current Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, Conservative leader Michael
Howard and Lord Heseltine.
Their letter to the Sunday Times said the MSC was making a real difference
and ended: "Please help to make sure there will be fish forever and
that we don't let today's greed destroy tomorrow's stock."
Roger Nowell, who has fished out of Newlyn for 20 years said, fishermen
would be angry at the idea that they were being greedy.
"You can argue with the ministers about this until you are blue
in the face," he said. "They are completely wrong about their
assessment of fish stocks, certainly in the Westcountry.
"I have been fishing for 20 years and fish stocks are very healthy
indeed. Scientists have been on our boats for a while and they want to
put more on, but the fishing technology they use is flawed."
Another declaration that is likely to have trawlermen seething will come
from Prince Charles today when he will make a speech urging consumers
to stop eating Britain's traditional dish, fish and chips, if they contain
threatened species such as cod, hake and halibut.
Roger Nowell said: "Ninety per cent of the fish people eat in this
country is caught by foreign boats and then imported back to Britain.
I don't think the Prince understands."
article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN
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