December 2004 Newsletter
Inside this issue: The Emergency Safety Equipment projects are now nearing completion
with most members having picked up their gear from Cosalt. The Association
wishes to warmly thank staff of the Welsh European Funding Office and
the Welsh Assembly Government for their assistance with funding and
the grant application process. Warm thanks are also due to the staff
of COSALT and SIMRAD for their assistance in the smooth delivery of
the projects.
The scale of this project at over £600,000 covering over 200
fishermen and crew and the inclusion of the electronic navigation packages
(see page 2) makes this project unique and something which the Association
should take pride in.
Three new posts of a Regional Development Officer and two Area Development
Officers have been created for three years through £330,000
of FIFG and Welsh Assembly Government funding. The grant also provided
funding for the setting up and running of two offices for the Association,
one in the east at Burry Port and one in the west at Milford Haven.
The Regional Development Officer is David Gardner, a man with a long
background in fisheries and fisheries management. Also at the Milford
Haven office is Gordon Turnbull, Area Development Officer (West)
who is from a family of fishermen on the Isle of Mull in Scotland.
Gordon is trained in business and marine resource management.
Glyn Jones, Area Development Officer (East), is based in the Eastern
Area office at Burry Port harbour and has a marine biology background
.
Together as a team they hope to assist members through providing
robust responses to fisheries management proposals, representing
members interests , and developing sustainable fisheries for the
future.
Should you wish to meet your Area or Regional Development Officers,
please do not hesitate to pop in to the respective offices for a
chat and a cuppa.
The offices are open between 9am and 4:30 pm , where we will be happy
to help with any queries and concerns. We are all contactable by
telephone and email as follows.
The Western Area Office(Milford Haven) covers the area of the Three
Rivers Estuary westwards to Cardigan.
Gordon Turnbull
(01646) 697992.
Gordon@swwfc.eclipse.co.uk
David Gardner
(01646) 699127
David@swwfc.eclipse.co.uk
The Eastern Area Office (Burry Port ) covers the area from the Three
Rivers Estuary eastwards to Newport and Chepstow.
Glyn Jones
(01554) 833991
Glynjones.swwfc@btconnect.com
AN ELECTRONIC CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR MEMBERS!!
Just when you thought the good news was over, the Association, with
assistance from the Welsh European Funding Office and the Welsh Assembly
Government, is able to unwrap another Christmas present for members.
We have been able to add the Simrad electronic navigation equipment
that we had originally planned for to the bundle of safety equipment
obtained for members and this will be fitted to appropriate boats early
in the New Year by Neyland Marine of Milford Haven. The Association’s
whole safety equipment project totals nearly £600,000 with approximately £450K
coming from the FIFG element of the Objective 1 programme and £150K
from the Welsh Assembly Government. The Association is extremely grateful
to staff of the Welsh European Funding Office and the Welsh Assembly
Government for their support and assistance throughout the design and
delivery of this project.
The package offered to members will comprise the Simrad CR44 combined
GPS/ chartplotter / radar with 4 kW radome for larger vessels and the
CR34 Combo with 2 kW radome for smaller vessels. The package includes
S/S GPS mount brackets and wide area charts (Bristol Channel and S.
Irish Sea), together with free professional fitting to vessels by Neyland
Marine fitters and half day training courses for all who want them.
Courses have been provisionally booked for the 24th January in Swansea
and 25th January in Milford Haven.
Members will need to demonstrate that they do not have the equipment
already, that they have a need for the equipment and that they have
vessels suitable for taking it. The boat will need to have a wheelhouse
or cuddy to give weather protection to the equipment as the rear of
the display unit is not waterproof. Also for health and operational
reasons the scanner will need to be mounted above head height. Skippers
of small and/or open boats are unlikely therefore to be eligible. The
professional fitter and the Association will have the last say in any
disputes over eligibility. Further details will be sent out to members
soon.
Riverside Community Market Association
South and West Wales Fishing Communities Ltd has been approached by
Mr. Kenneth Moon of Riverside Markets seeking Fresh fish and shellfish
supplies for the market that he represents.
Here is more information on the market, which I am told has had many
enquiries from local restaurants and hotels asking for supplies of
fresh fish and Shellfish:
Riverside Community Market Association was established in 1998 with
the aim of establishing a local food market, which would help improve
access to fresh, local and organic foods. The Real Food Market has
since grown to become a weekly event with over 20 stalls and over 1,000
customers from across Cardiff every week.
The Real Food Market currently looking to increase the proportion of
primary producers that attend the market over the course of the month
with openings for lamb and beef producers and fish landed in Wales.
In the longer term the Market is looking to set up a mobile shop which
will sell local produce in the communities of Riverside, Canton and
Grangetown through the course of the week. Stalls cost £20 per
week for market members and £25 per week for non market members.
Stalls bookings need to be made one month in advance.
More information on the market is available at: www.riversidemarket.org.uk
For more details, please contact: -
Ken Moon, Market Manager and Community Outreach Worker, Riverside Community
Market Association, South Riverside Community Development Centre, Brunel
Street, Riverside, Cardiff, CF11 6ES Telephone : 029 20 19 00 36 Fax:
029 20 250549Mobile: 07952 319 345
New Market Seeks Fresh Fish Supplies Pilot Project for Bass Tags As
if the industry does not already have enough to worry about, reports
in the Western Mail recently suggested that fish and shellfish caught
in the Cardiff area would be unsaleable due to their radiation levels
and that local fisheries were under threat of closure. A medical diagnostic
plant run by G E Healthcare was alleged to be discharging radioactive
substances into Cardiff Bay which would create levels of plutonium
or tritium in fish and shellfish in excess of stringent new limits
proposed by the UN’s Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants.
With visions of glowing fish useful only as Christmas decorations and
the issue of Geiger counters as statutory equipment, the Association
telephoned the Food Standards Agency to discover the truth.
Dr Jillian Spindura of the FSA in London soon put our minds at rest.
No glowing fish – no imminent closure of the fishery. Relief!!
Whilst there were miniscule background levels of plutonium in Cardiff
Bay, there was little likelihood that they were or would ever be significant
enough to create a health risk or cause a closure of the fishery through
the new proposals. Jillian is to keep us informed on any developments
and is to flag up the presence of our important fisheries in any UK
and EU debates about saleability of fish and pollution levels.
Other parts of the UK are not looking so good, however. Areas north
of the Ribble Estuary in Cumbria are looking much more at risk of restrictions
on sales and the implications if such restrictions come in are clear
for us where we still have good stocks of saleable fish and shellfish.
We need to close ranks and work together.
No Take Zones
Managers of the Skomer Marine Nature Reserve in West Wales are trying
to establish the Reserve as a No Take Zone similar to what was established
in agreement with local fishermen over part of the Lundy MNR. The Reserve
was designated as an MNR in agreement with local communities and users
several years ago on account of the high quality and diversity of its
marine life and habitats and the area has been studied by scientists
for a number of years. A ban on scallop dredging activity was introduced
by SWSFC Byelaw at that time.
Reserve managers believe that it is vital to establish the Reserve
as a No Take Zone in order to protect the fragile species and environment
within this nationally important area and in order to establish a baseline
to compare with unprotected areas and environments. They are suggesting
that those local fishermen with a track record of fishing within the
Skomer Reserve during 4 out of the last 5 years would be able to continue
to fish until they gave up their licence through death or going out
of fishing ( a sunset clause). Reserve staff have spent a considerable
amount of time talking to fishermen to try to reach agreement.
The Association, through a resolution passed at the recent Board meeting,
is supporting local fishermen in resisting the introduction of a NTZ
for the following reasons :
- Relocation of the fishermen away from the reserve will increase
pressure on stocks and competition between fishermen in areas surrounding
the reserve
- Discussions have not started yet about any changes in fishing
activity resulting from the imposition of the Pembrokeshire Marine
SAC which
will have further impact on the local fishermen
- The evidence for the
impact of fishing activity in the Reserve and its significance
has not been presented to justify the permanent
loss
of a historic and important local fishing ground
Angling and diving activity will still be permitted in part or all
of the Reserve.
The Association will keep the door open for discussion about how
any demonstrable and significant damage caused by fishing activity
can
be minimised within the Reserve. However, with around 70% of Welsh
inshore waters being designated as SACs / SPAs under the EU’s
Habitats Directive and recent suggestions by the Royal Commission that
30% of UK waters should be closed to all forms of commercial fishing,
the Association finds it difficult to agree to anything drastic while
the situation is so unclear and appearing to threaten all that we are
working for.
NEWS IN BRIEF
The pontoons are currently going in at Burry Port harbour at a rate
of knots, and take up by the commercial sector has been good. The previous
number of commercially licensed fishermen with moorings in Burry Port
Harbour was three, and this has now increased to ten with yet more
interested members currently considering a permanent mooring.
Security is set to improve with an electronically operated gate to
access the walkway to the pontoons, a CCTV camera is to be installed
monitoring access to the moorings and in the very near future the harbour
will be manned for longer periods including weekends etc.
The Association is working with the Harbour Authority to develop a
project to provide improved facilities for fishermen in the Harbour.
Mooring fees for licensed fishing boats in Burry Port Harbour have
just been confirmed at £65 / metre length of vessel (excluding
VAT).
Burry Port Harbour News.
Dr’s Graeme Hays and Jonathan Houghton of Swansea University are
keen to hear from fishermen who discover large jellyfish “blooms” in
South Wales waters. and their locations as they wish to study their incidence
and hopefully discover why they occur in such high numbers in certain
areas.
Jellyfish are now known to exist higher up in the food chain than once
thought, they can feed on many juvenile fish (as they occur in large
numbers) and can interfere with net hauling etc.
Of course jelly fish are also food source for regular visitors to Carmarthen
Bay e.g. the Leatherback Turtle.
If you are interested in helping,, please tell them where you saw the
jelly fish (with GPS positions if possible) and when you saw them. A
description of the jellyfish (size, colour, approximate numbers) would
also be helpful.
They can be contacted by email on: j.d.r.houghton@swansea.ac.uk,
or by mail:
Dr J. Houghton, School of Biological Sciences,
University of Wales Swansea, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP.
Association staff and members are working with Swansea City Council
to try to secure a piece of land at the Marina to develop for the needs
of local fishermen. Plans for the site include individual lockups and
ice making facilities for members together with power and water supplies.
A cold storage unit and quay side ice facilities are also being considered
as part of the project. Once discussions with Council and Marina staff
are complete, planning applications are to be made for the collective
development plan.
The intention is to provide facilities which will give fishermen more
security within the Swansea Marina and the capability of operating in
a more efficient and professional way.
Swansea Marina Development Scientists Ask for Help
Dr’s Graeme Hays and Jonathan Houghton of Swansea University are
keen to hear from fishermen who discover large Jellyfish “blooms” and
their locations as they wish to study their incidence and hopefully discover
why thy occur in such high numbers in certain areas.
Jellyfish are now known to exist higher up in the food chain than once
thought, they can feed on many juvenile fish (as they occur in large
numbers) and can interfere with net hauling etc.
Of course jelly fish are also food source for regular visitors to Carmarthen
bay– e.g. the Leatherback turtle.
If you are interested in helping,, please tell them where you saw the
jelly fish (with GPS positions if possible) and when you saw them.
Association staff and members are working with Swansea City Council to
try to secure a piece of land at the Marina to develop for the needs
of local fishermen. Plans for the site include individual lockups and
ice making facilities for members together with power and water supplies.
A cold storage unit and quay side ice facilities are also being considered
as part of the project. Once discussions with Council and Marina staff
are complete, planning applications are to be made for the collective
development plan.
Work is also going on to improve facilities for members at Burry Port,
Saundersfoot, Milford Haven, Neyland and Fishguard. The intention is
to provide facilities which will give fishermen more security in
Have you heard this one??
A fisherman was in a terrible accident, having not paid attention during
his Safety Awareness training course. His manhood was mangled and torn
from his body. His doctor assured him that modern medicine could replace
it but that his insurance wouldn’t cover the surgery, since it
was considered to be cosmetic. The doctor gave him three quotes: £3,500
for small, £6,500 for medium and £14,000 for large. The fisherman
was pretty sure he wanted a large, but the doctor urged him to talk it
over with his wife before he made a decision. So the fisherman left the
room to call his wife to discuss the options. He returned looking very
dejected. “Well what have you two decided?” asked the doctor.
The fisherman replied, “She’d rather have a new kitchen!”
A boat is slowly sinking and there is just one man left on board, praying.
A lifeboat comes past and beckons him to jump on board. “No,” says
the man. “I have faith in the Lord. God will save me.”
The man continues to pray and suddenly a helicopter appears and throws
down a rope. The pilot begs him to grab the rope but the man says: “No,
I have faith in the Lord. God will save me.”
The boat continues to sink and the man continues to pray. Then a speedboat
arrives, just as the water was lapping the gunwales. But the man will
not jump in and save himself. “I have faith in the Lord,” he
says. God will save me.”
Eventually the boat sinks and the man drowns. When he arrives in Heaven
he says to God: “Lord, I trusted you all my life but you let me
down. I can’t believe it.” “You can’t believe
it!?” says God. “And I sent you two bloody boats and a chopper!”
A share fisherman left the boat on Friday evening, but, being payday,
instead of going home he stayed out the entire weekend partying with
the boys and spending his entire wage packet. When he finally appeared
at home on Sunday night, he was confronted by a very angry wife and was
shouted at for nearly two hours about what a rubbish husband he was.
Finally, his wife stopped nagging and simply said to him, “How
would you like it if you didn’t see me for two or three days?” “That
would be fine with me,” said the fisherman.
Monday went by and he didn’t see his wife. Tuesday and Wednesday
came and went with the same results. But on Thursday the swelling went
down just enough so he could see her a little out of the corner of his
left eye!
QUARTERLY ISSUE DATES
Issues of the Newsletter are to be printed at the end of each quarter.
i.e. the end of March, June, September and December each year.
This is your opportunity to have your say on any subject that you think
might be of relevance to other members.
Any submissions will be considered for publication - just nothing too
close to the knuckle! Editor’s decision is final!!
Please use the 'Contact Us' page to send us an email.
Readers Letters
If you have anything you feel is worth sharing with the other members
to inform them of any issues you are experiencing, ideas you have had
or just to ask opinion or to start a forum where people may respond to
your views , please submit them to Glyn Jones at the Burry Port Office
The letters would be best sent as an email attachment so that they could
be simply inserted into the newsletter, but if you have a typed or hand-written
letter , it can be re-typed and inserted for publication.
Healthy debates about gear type, fishing methods, how to reduce / eliminate
the black market fishery, getting more for your catch are just some of
the infinite possibilities.
Please submit them at least 2 weeks before the next issue is due to go
to press.
Classified Adverts Section: Wanted
and Items For Sale.
If you have any adverts to submit for Items for Sale or Wanted, please
send them to Glyn Jones at the Burry Port Office, for inclusion in the
next issue.
Some formats of the adverts are shown to give you an idea of how they
might look.
Please include contact details, the price sought, and a good description
of the item including condition.
You can also request a style by quoting the corresponding letter in your
request for a classified advert (e.g. Style A, B, C, or D etc)
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