Anger as ‘damaging’ dredging by scallopers is allowed by authority

SHELL-FISHERMAN Have accused a management body of being “anti-conservation” by proposing to allow scallopers more room to carry out ‘damaging’ dredging.

Last year the North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority implemented an emergency six-month ban on scallopers, after a huge influx by the mainly nomadic fleet.

Now in a move which shellfishermen say they find baffling, the NEIFCA is proposing to allow scallopers to fish between six and three miles offshore, in the middle of their own fishing grounds.

Patrick Ford, who fishes out of Scarborough, was meeting his MP Robert Goodwill yesterday. He said: “The NEIFCA should be looking after a good fishery – not destroying it.”

Many scallop boats roam the coast, often running into conflict with local fisheries. They raise hackles because the vessels “plough” the seabed with heavy bars, with teeth, which dig in to flip the scallops out, but in doing so destroy other marine life, including crabs and lobsters.

They have also cost locals thousands in lost and destroyed gear.

In contrast shellfishing with baited pots is considered to have the lowest environmental impact, with negligible bycatch.

He said: “To let in a lot of machines to kill everything is absolutely ludicrous. There are 30 odd boats that work this area and 100 peoples’ livelihoods depend on it. We just want leaving alone.”

Chief fisheries officer David McCandless accepted scallop dredging was “highly emotive and highly destructive” but said it was allowed almost everywhere else.

As well as applications from visitors to dredge, there were five or six from locals. He said: “We understand the concerns, but as authority we have to take a balanced view and that is a decision for our committee.

Our trawl fleet has diminished significantly, but a few months scallop dredging can make the difference between bankruptcy and remaining viable.”

A final decision will be made on September 8.

the above was taken from the Yorkshire Post 9 Jul 2016

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In 2012, extensive Scallop dredging off the coast of Bridlington forced the same Chief Officer, Mr David McCandless to implement a permanent regulation prohibiting Scallop dredging within a specified area.  The regulation was intended to have the following effects:

1. To protect sensitive marine habitat areas.
2. To reduce fishing generated mortality on vulnerable shellfish species including crab, velvet crab, lobster and ocean quahog.
3. Safeguard the socio economics of the coastal economy of East Yorkshire through the additional protection of key commercial fisheries.
4. To provide scallop populations occurring within the NEIFCA with a 'safe haven' from exploitation.

 

We, the undersigned, appeal to the NEIFCA and their conservational duties to implement a permanent 6 mile restriction on scallop dredging within the NEIFCA boundaries.