'Zero catch' limit could harm Cornish fishing industry
Cornish Fish Producer Organisation have sent an open letter calling for next steps to be 'seriously considered'
The Cornish fishing industry warns a 'zero catch' limit, which would effectively ban fishermen from catching certain species of fish, could have 'catastrophic consequences'.
The quota for pollack stock in the South West has been advised as a zero catch for next year.
It has been described as a major challenge for Cornwall.
Joe Chesterfield, fisherman in Mevagissey, said:
"It is basically the only thing I do in my own boat all winter. Severe reduced income, struggling to pay bills, the harbour is struggling, everything is a knock on effect really. It's bad news."
An open letter from the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation has been sent to the UK fisheries minister calling for the decision not to be made.
In the letter, the CFPO, said: "The CFPO urges you to seriously consider your next steps in regard to signing any agreement with the EU and that before agreeing anything, you fully understand the impact on the Cornish fishing industry."
Andrew Trevarton, Mevagissey harbourmaster said:
"The larger vessels that are able to go elsewhere, they can probably move but we will lose that revenue of those vessels working from the harbour. The smaller ones, they will not have the capacity to move their vessel and some of them haven't got the ability of catching bass because they haven't got the right licensing for that.
"The knock on effect to the wider community, visitors to the village, all the other tourist-based businesses. Without having that footfall coming on to the quays, they will suffer greatly as well."
The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) say they've been been engaging regularly with the South West industry and is aware of the significant potential implications.
In response, a spokesperson said: "This issue has been a focus of the ongoing annual negotiations with the EU and the agreement is yet to be signed.
"Defra has been negotiating for an allocation of pollack to address unavoidable bycatch and we have started to engage with industry to consider the range of other possible solutions beyond the negotiations."