From Don Thompson, Jersey Fishermen’s Association
MUCH has been written and said in the media over the past week on the subject of the implementation of an EU ban on fishing for undulate rays in Jersey waters.

Fishermen are asking: ‘In blindly adopting UK/EU measures, at what point, before we see the total decimation of our fishing fleet, would the minister stop and challenge these unfair measures or even the validity of the UK/Jersey Fisheries agreement?’

It has been heartening to see how the public value and hold dear our historic fishing industry, but what a shame that our Fisheries Minister has not shown the same support. The reasons for declaring that he will defy the unfair ban are clear.

Apart from the notable lack of scientific data and the failure to even recognise the specific stock around the Islands and Basse Normandy / Brittany, what has disappointed and angered fishermen most is the distinction of our fishermen and fish products as being non-EU, along with the associated trade barriers and extra Customs formalities that discriminate against our men on a daily basis.

The denial to our fishermen of the fundamental rights and the many benefits enjoyed by European fishermen is made all the more difficult to bear when we have European control measures forced upon us without question.

Our fishermen do not seek compensation for the obvious loss to their incomes. Rather, we simply ask for the recognition of our most basic rights in being able to go about our business and earn a living wage, fishing on what are reasonably well managed and healthy stocks in our waters.

The ban on landing undulate rays effectively removes an entire métier, namely open-water netting on the mixed ray and spider crab fishery, a means of diversification which has provided a welcome boost to our men, particularly during the recent economic crisis and weak markets on brown crab and lobster.

Regarding the state of the ray stocks, it is clear that the ban was implemented by our Fisheries department without having had sight of any scientific backing and without taking the time to evaluate the importance of the fishery or the implications to the fleet as whole. The minister openly admits that undulate ray stocks remain strong in our waters.

By searching the internet, some spurious reference to the stock has admittedly, since the announcement of the ban, been uncovered. At the same time, extreme groups with anti-fishing motives, masquerading as environmentalists, are out there in abundance and detract from the real work in which we all need to engage to provide sustainable fish stocks for the future.

The only real catch rate data that currently exists is from the poorly managed net fishery in Portugal and a small amount from rod and line catches in the Bay of Tralee, Ireland. That anecdotal evidence exists, of decline in the English Channel stock, is a no-brainer.

Undulate rays were only ever an incidental by-catch in the main beam trawl sector that target sole and plaice, the quotas for which are currently down to just 30% to 40% of what they were just a decade or so ago. As a consequence, the beam trawl fleet along with their fishing activity (and catches of ray) has diminished proportionately.

In fairness to our fishermen, this all comes at a time when they have been working hard to push forward our own proposals for new measures to adequately link and control fishing effort in line with available fish stocks. This is a fundamental principle well established elsewhere in the developed world.

While most of our most practical local regulations to preserve fish stocks have originated from the fishermen from the ground up, so to speak, our current proposals have met with nothing but criticism and a disgraceful lack of support.
Fishermen are deeply concerned and feel extremely threatened at present with serious questions being asked about the future of our entire fleet.