Steve Channing and Michael Michieli say they are fighting for their ‘heritage’ after regulations were imposed in 2012 forcing Jersey fishermen to apply for permits if they want to fish around Guernsey’s coast.
Since then, Guernsey has only issued permits to fishermen who can prove that they have regularly fished in the waters. As some cannot prove their fishing record they have been refused permits or have had conditions placed on their licences.
Following a lengthy court battle, Mr Channing last month won his appeal to have the conditions on his fishing licence – which meant he could only fish for scallops using dredges within the three- to 12-mile limit – reconsidered.
Mr Michieli was also recently taken to court at his own expense, but won his case.
The pair have now put together a petition, which already has more than 1,000 signatures, to ask ministers to address the issue of historic fishing rights.
Mr Michieli said: ‘We are being persecuted. We want our fishing right as Channel Islands fishermen to fish around the Channel Islands. That is our heritage they are trying to take away.’
Deputy Carolyn Labey said that the issue was something which politicians needed to address as a ‘priority’.
She added that the ministers responsible for fisheries and external affairs needed to work with the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure the restoration of the historical fishing rights.
‘If DEFRA are no help, Jersey needs to call on our constitutional ties and the Ministry of Justice to help us restore our historical fishing rights,’ Deputy Labey said.
However, Guernsey’s Commerce and Employment Minister Kevin Stewart has defended his island’s fishing licence regime, stating that Guernsey’s 12-mile limit and licensing system was ‘completely fair’. He accused the States of Jersey of failing its fishermen by agreeing to UK fishing quotas which is harming the fleet.
‘The Jersey fishermen have been whingeing for ages,’ he said. ‘Part of that is due to the States of Jersey not protecting their own fisheries.
‘We have looked after our fisherman and looked after them well for years. ‘I have said this before on record, Jersey politicians have continually let their fisherman down. What their government did was agree to quotas.’
He added that if a Jersey fisherman could ‘show their historic’ fishing, their licence application would be considered.
Deputy Barry Paint, the president of the Guernsey Fishermen’s Association and chairman of the Guernsey Fishermen’s Liaison Group, said the key for Guernsey’s fishing industry was the sustainability of stock.
‘We have a sustainable fishery and we have to keep it that way,’ he said. ‘That means no over-exploitation of boats.’
Environment Minister Steve Luce was unavailable for comment.
AN ANTI-DREDGING campaigner claimed this summer that he had video evidence of the damage done to Jerseys seabed by the practice.
Scallop diver Bob Titterington, who has repeatedly raised concerns in the past, said in July that underwater breeding habitats were still being torn up by fishing vessels, which drag equipment along the sea bed in order to snare bottom-dwelling species.
However, his claims were countered by Don Thompson, the president of the Jersey Fishermens Association, who said that agreements about fishing limits are well established and that fishing businesses have an interest in maintaining a healthy sea bed.
According to Mr Titterington maerl beds swathes of rocky seaweed that are home to different species are being smashed by dredging equipment.
Weve probably got the least stringent dredging regulations in the world, he said.
Ive got footage of a maerl bed where you can quite clearly see track marks of a dredger.
‘Every single boulder appears to have been rolled over.
‘And if you think that low-water fishermen are told to turn boulders back once theyve finished, it makes a mockery of the system to see an entire reef turned upside down.
Maerl grows at something like one millimetre per year.
‘Whats terrible is that a lot of maerl used by fish as a breeding ground is dead, so if you smash it up you wont recover it at all because it wont regrow.[/breakout]
