Saturday, 9 June 2007

Thanks........ for nothing!

Below, is a letter published in this week's Fishing News from Shaun Edwards, skipper and owner of the gillnetter Nova Spero, often featured in this blog - how sad that Shaun feels this way and that he feels powerless to stop the endless irrational and senseless legislation that emanates from national governments controlling the fishing industry - stick with it Shaun!

"I would just like to say a big thank you to all the environmentalists, fisheries officers, quota systems that don't work, rules and regulations that are unworkable, the vastly overlarge seal population (fat furry b******s) and most of all a big thank you to all the governments (past and present) for their unwavering support over the years!

You have completely ruined a way of life for me, my crew and our families, as well as hundreds of others around the UK.

If you all don't believe what I am saying, then I offer any of the above (except the seals) the chance to come and take a trip on my vessel to see for themselves the devastation they have caused without doing a thing for any fish stocks, before I am tied up against the wall (I reckon that I will be by September). I can be contacted on 01736 351230 and I expect to be inundated with calls from all sorts.

I would also like to say a big thank you to Seafish for your support regarding my idea to to diversify into tuna trolling; despite DEFRA's initial support you felt it more important to pay the likes of Mark's & Spencer (a multi-million pound organisation) certification costs for one of their fish lines, as well as a host of other pointless projects that are about generating jobs for the boys and doing nothing for fishermen, rather than assisting genuine fishermen to try and diversify into different fisheries. (In my case, trolling for tuna, catching fish by the hook and line which to my way of thinking is a totally environmentally friendly and sustainable source of fish.)

Oh how I wish I was a farmer! Maybe if reincarnation exists then DEFRA officials, ministers and all the rest of the powers that be will come back as seals! Fat, furry and very greedy (hopefully in Canada!)

One final thought: £7million for anew market in Newlyn. Forget it! By the time it's built there will be no boats or fishermen left."


Ed. Let's hope it never comes to this!

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