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To whom it may concern
I am a locally born resident and have been fishing all my life which spans 45 years in the industry. Over the years, the fishing has necessitated working outside of the 3 mile limit.
However, more and more foreign vessels have started working off our shores, and given the power of the Vessels and amount of fishing gear being worked by them, they have forced me to move back ensure to safeguard my own fishing gear and to prevent it from being towed away by them.
I am of course aware that there are a few bigger Jersey boats that have work harmoniously with a select few foreign vessels.
Fishing is a hard industry and over the last few years, the stocks have dwindled partly in my belief, due to the fishing by the foreign vessels. Costs have increased significantly, especially in Bait, Fuel and Harbour dues.
It is taking a great deal to keep afloat at the moment, and I am seriously looking at the viability of continuing in the industry, as are a few of my colleagues.
The local fishing fleet is a tradition, and I would loathe for it to disappear Due to the fact that our waters are being finished by non-locals to the detriment of the locals.
We need a level playing field like our counterparts in Guernsey and Isle Of Man in order to succeed.
To learn that Mr Gorst Has given away our livelihood and allowed French parcels up to 3 miles of our shores is incredulous.
He made the steel as I understand it, without any consultation with any representatives of the industry. The deal was put to ministers as a fait accompli For them to vote upon, again, without full discussion and understanding of the facts and the consequences thereof.
I hold Mr Gorst fully responsible for his actions, and these actions, in my view, should be scrutinised.
The 3 mile per the deal, doesn't include the outer reefs around, and belonging, to Jersey, meaning that they can fish right up to the rocks on high tide.
At the current time, the intention was to permit certain of the French vessels, free of charge. Jersey vessels have to buy UK licenses, matching the hp of their vessels, which are a considerable cost to operation, and we need these to fish in our own waters. This is not an equitable situation.
I understand from the data that the French court euros 20 million worth of fish in our waters in 2019, and no financial benefits accrued to Jersey itself. Our boats caught a fraction of that.
The whole position is untenable and very unfair to the Jersey fishermen. Yours,
Paul Bizec