22/03/2024
If you love Polperro and take an interest in this or any of the other small fishing communities in Cornwall you may already have heard about the devastating ban on pollack fishing introduced by Defra (Department for Environment. Food and Rural Affairs) in January.
What was at first hinted at being a short term “fix” hardly worthy of concern is now being talked up by the Government as extending to multiple years.
This suggests that those imposing the ban understand something about the pollack fishery in the South West.
What is now painfully obvious is that if there was any such suggestion that this was the case it is either a gross misunderstanding or an outright lie.
When first challenged on the ban a Defra spokesman said: "Frankly people have to adjust. Fishermen always have to gear up to go out and get the particular types of fish they need.”
When fishermen read this they were, frankly, bemused and insulted by the total nonsense being spouted. Fishing is not like writing a weekly shopping list and nipping out to the supermarket to pick up what you “need”. If it was that easy, as we often say, a whole lot more people would be doing it.
Frankly, Defra, as is well documented, it is actually one of the most dangerous ways anyone can choose to earn a living and offers rewards only to those who are dedicated in the extreme and have taken the time – often a lifetime – to gain knowledge and experience while putting their lives at risk with every trip.
They have already adapted to fish more sustainably and despite what Defra seem to think have no interest in seeing stocks decimated.
So imagine their frustration at hearing this ban is based on advice from ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) which freely admits: “The surveys used to calculate the index do not target preferred pollack habitat, and the index is based on few samples.”
Yes, you might be thinking: “did I read that right?” You did.
Defra has imposed a pollack ban based on ICES’ limited sample of fish taken from an area where pollack would not be found in the first place.
It’s a controversial idea but, frankly, why not work with the people who know where the fish are and in what volume? Our fishermen.
At the moment this ban is threatening the survival of small scale inshore fishing businesses with a serious knock-on effect for whole communities like Polperro.
So, readers, I’d like to thank you for your patience in reading this post and to say there is plenty more information out there should you wish to take a look. Here’s a link to an article to get you started highlighting historic issues with ICES data https://www.nffo.org.uk/two-stage-response-required-to-address-pollack-crisis/
If you have any interest in the future of Polperro, whether you are near or far, would you please consider getting involved? You could email either our local MP Sherryl Murray [email protected] , the Minister for Food, Farming and Fisheries Mark Spencer [email protected] or your own MP to support us all by expressing a concern.
The National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) has called for a two-stage response to the crisis engulfing the inshore fleets, following the decision to cut the total allowable catch to an unmanageable 832 tonnes, with a risible UK quota of 203 tonnes for 2023.
