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The relentless war against our fishermen


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#1 Guest_Steve Ellwood_*

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Posted 13 March 2010 - 08:49 PM

Courtesy of the Telegraph On Line @ http://www.telegraph...-fishermen.html

Quote


The relentless war against our fishermen
British fishermen are facing a two-pronged attack from Brussels and successive British governments.

By Christopher Booker
Published: 6:56PM GMT 13 Mar 2010

For years this column has been reporting the gradual destruction of Britain 's fishing industry, hit by a double whammy. One was Edward Heath’s handing over control of our fishing waters to Brussels, which today means that the EU’s fisheries commissioner, Maria Damanaki, a one-time student revolutionary from Crete, has far more power over our waters than anyone in Britain. The other has been the ruthless war waged on our fishermen by successive British governments.

Recently two Norfolk skippers faced trial in Kings Lynn magistrates court. The local cockle fishermen have been finding ever more of their traditional fishing grounds closed to them by wind farms, sand-dredging, cable-laying and new conservation rules. This often forces them to go out in dangerous weather conditions in order to scrape a living. Greg Campbell and Lee Lake faced criminal prosecution by English Nature for illegally fishing in a closed area. The two men explained how, while lying to in a Force 9 gale to repair a safety chain, they had been carried a short distance into the forbidden area by a 15-foot swell. The evidence of fisheries officials on land, seven miles away, was that the two men had been seen inside the closed area for over 45 minutes.


The case against them took 18 months to assemble. But after four days of the trial, the officials’ evidence appeared so flimsy that the case collapsed, leaving taxpayers with a £150,000 bill. All Natural England could say to Fishing News was that they were grateful they had been permitted by the High Court to join local fisheries officials in bringing the prosecution, and that they were “disappointed that it has not been possible to proceed with the case we brought”.

The war to wipe out what remains of Britain’s fishing industry, once the largest and most conservation-conscious in Europe, will doubtless continue as relentlessly as ever.


#2 Kevin Munro

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Posted 13 March 2010 - 10:52 PM

What a joke!!

£150,000. thats just unbelievable that.

#3 sam

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Posted 14 March 2010 - 09:10 PM

Nothing compared to what Natural England gives to terrorist environmental groups. Plus they suggest that they were dissapointed that they weren't able to prosecute innocent men, says it all really.

#4 rodi

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Posted 14 March 2010 - 09:18 PM

Me again Steve. Just catching up and bile duct working overtime.

I think this summarises very accurately everything I find totally objectionable about our arrogant, nasty, unaccountable Bureaucrat Priesthood. These guys obviously had been in probs and the court saw that. The sheer viciousness of English Nature's demeanour is beyond belief and totally believable. It is also very un British to behave in this way.

Now, tell me Steve, which voters voted for English Nature?? Who is the Minister of the Crown responsible for them? Which elected representative do they report to? In what way are they accountable?
I dont think you know. I do not, that is for sure. The salries are "triffic", you can be sure.

But, we know how they call the shots...in so many many ways. It doesnt matter who you vote for, they ll still be there. Unless, that is, pulbic opinion forces an 80% cut in their budget.  

So, the poor ruddy fishermen have the EU on the one side and our own Bureaucratic nazis on the other with their quack science and quack beliefs. Global warming comes to mind, doesnt it?? Talk about Scylla and Charybdis!!!!
Hmppphh

#5 rodi

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Posted 20 March 2010 - 10:22 PM

Forgot to add. C Booker has always been a good friend to fishermen in this country. Army too. Good man to send a story too if the fish gestapo are at it. If you cant find how to contact him, tell me. I ll find him
Hmppphh



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