Troon fishing industry takes a blow

Aug 20 2010 by Jennifer Buchanan, Ayrshire Post (main ed)

TROON fishermen are calling on their elected representatives to keep their business alive.

Fishing industry leaders have met with MPs and Ayrshire councillors to try and find a solution to their escalating hardships.

The fishermen held a meeting with MP Brian Donohoe along with representatives from the Associated British Ports and the seaman’s mission to discuss the future of fishing stocks.

They told Mr Donohoe that they can spend up to 50 per cent of their profits on fueling their boats alone.

Add that to boat and net repairs and fewer working days at sea, and the men’s profits are plumetting.

Mr Donohoe said: “This is a situation which not only affects my constituency but the whole of Scotland and it’s time the Scottish Government started looking at the fact that not one supermarket in the country buys Scottish fish, instead purchasing their fish centrally from Grimsby and Hull. Surely this is detrimental to the communities in which these supermarkets trade.”

Mr Donohoe is taking the fisherman’s fight to the Chancellor to try to help with the cost of their fuel.

Stuart Cresswell, port manager for Ayr and Troon, said: “At a time when the ports of Ayr and Troon are seeing greatly increased volumes of cargo, it is concerning to see that the fishing industry is facing major problems. Clearly fishermen have a major issue with the increased cost of fuel, lower catches and poor selling prices. It is good, however, to see that local politicians are taking an interest and hopefully solutions can be found"

The fishing industry has also has been defending itself after a recent report, by Professor Roberts at York University, stated that the Firth of Clyde may be about to become Britain’s first marine desert. The Clyde Fishermen’s Association has dismissed the report as “rubbish”.

Secretary Archie McFarlane said: “The report was based on completely wrong figures.”

In order to maximise their number of days at sea and therefore make a profit, fishermen must comply with EU regulations and catch less than five per cent fish to help maintain healthy stock in the sea.

The fishermen therefore target prawns the rest of the time.

And the figures for the report were taken from the tiny amount of fish brought back to land, not the fish stocks swimming around in the Clyde.

Mr McFarlane added: “The stocks are there for the fishermen, so that is not a hurdle stopping their turnover.

“However, escalating costs and ever-tightening regulations threaten to seriously damage the whole industry and something needs to be done.”