The Court of Appeal has upheld the power of the Guernsey States to ban Jersey boats from fishing in waters three to 12 miles offshore.
Jersey fishermen were said to be livid last night at the court’s decision to overturn their successful appeal against the Guernsey fishing-licensing scheme.
Expressing his disappointment, the chairman of the Jersey Fishermen’s Association, Deputy Mike Taylor, said that the result would impact on and hurt Jersey fishermen right away.
Fisherman Dave Nuth, who has run a full-time charter board business since 1990, said the decision would cost him thousands of pounds.
‘And it has already cost me thousands of pounds,’ he said.
‘It should never have come to this – it’s a complete waste of taxpayers’ money in both Islands.
I’m just flabbergasted and it’s blown my mind why we are in this situation.
There seems a lot of bitterness and I have lost a high percentage of my clientele – it’s ridiculous and I have no answers.
I have been waiting two years to get this sorted out and it has not happened.
‘The States of Guernsey and States of Jersey don’t care because it’s not coming out of their pockets.’
