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Published: 18 June, 2008: FISHupdate.com
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Jonathan Shaw
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FOLLOWING the South West Inshore Fishermen's Association's (SWIFA) statement about his intended closure of the Lyme Bay trawler and scallop fisheries, UK fisheries minister Jonathan Shaw has agreed to meet with those he considers will be most affected economically by his decision.
This, according to SWIFA is a "last-minute" addition to his planned agenda for a Westcountry visit, which is scheduled for tomorrow and Friday.
Nick Prust, Chairman of SWIFA, said: “Without our earlier press statement predicting the Lyme Bay closure order, we would not have been on the minister’s agenda.
"We have agreed to meet Mr Shaw on his terms at a venue yet to be decided, even though we realise it is more for his benefit than for ours.
"Sadly, he has decided to ignore the pleadings of fishermen, the social and economic evidence of SFIA and the marine ecology knowledge of Professor Mike Kaiser of Bangor University.
"The zonal solution in Lyme Bay that SWIFA created in August 2006, would have seen jobs and the environment protected.
"Mike Kaiser heralded at the recent inaugural meeting in Bristol of the national Scallop Group '...the start of an exciting era in which the fishing industry is facing up to the difficult challenges of achieving sustainable exploitation in a rapidly changing natural and economic environment.'
“I fear that the minister’s stance will have set-back for years industry support for marine planning that lies at the core of the Marine Bill.
"Fishermen based in the area to be closed and scallop processing businesses who depend on Lyme Bay catches, will gather for the meeting.
"The minister wishes to explain his motives and we have agreed to give him that opportunity.
"I am sure it will not be a comfortable exchange of views, but we will listen.
"We will let him know, in no uncertain terms, that his decision will wreak unacceptable and long-term social and economic damage to Lyme Regis and West Bay and in the ports and communities that provide labour for scallop landing and processing.
“[Tomorrow evening], the South West Inshore Fishermen’s Association (SWIFA) members will gather on the Cobb in Lyme Regis to review the minister’s decision and announcement.
"They will then decide their next actions that may include initiating judicial review proceedings."
He concluded: "Although legal advice is costly, we have volumes of evidence going back over many years that back our case for continuation of fishing."
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