THE message that there will be no financial subsidy from the States is exactly what our fishing fleet didn’t want to hear.
With fuel costs rising against stagnant prices and competitors receiving cash help from their governments, fisherman had hoped to see a level playing field.
After a series of blockades and protests on the continent, Spain has come up with a package to help its crews counter the rises.
The French authorities have pledged to plough in investment of 310m. Euros as part of a three-year programme.
Now Jersey is reported to have just announced its own lifeline in the shape of a five-point package of support for the fishing community.
But in our States on Wednesday, the line coming from Commerce and Employment was a very different one.
With the UK deciding against subsidies, C&E minister Carla McNulty Bauer announced that Guernsey would follow suit.
The States did not want to be rushed into a knee-jerk reaction, she said.
It is true that the States cannot solve a global energy crisis ‘by pouring money on’.
Also fishing is not the only industry affected - as our stories today about similar woes affecting our local transport providers show.
But the minister’s message could be the last straw for some local fishermen.
What was once a good, solid, family trade has for some become a daily struggle.
Worse still, others have given up altogether.
Only last month in this newspaper a former president of Guernsey Fishermen’s Association warned that without the same level of government action as our European neighbours, our crews would simply be unable to compete.
The States will have to act, he said, if it wants a fishing industry here.
Concerned noises have also come from other local politicians who fear for the future of this indiginous industry.
As a part of our island’s heritage - as with horticulture - no one wants to see it ebb away.
More heartening is that a decision on a licensing regime for the three-to-12-mile zone, currently under British control, is drifting slowly nearer.
Let’s hope that on this issue there could soon be some better news on the horizon.
7 Article Comments
It would appear that as with our last states, The new assembley has the same tunnel vision for our future, the only people who matter are the finance sector employees, any other sector can go to hell. With the cash back tax break for the finance industry amounting to £100 million a year( at todays costs) some way of allieviating expenses experienced by LOCAL buisneses should be found. how about double tax allowance on fuel, or no tax on earnings, it certainly would not cost anything like £100 million.
How about sending the immigrants back and putting the money they get back into the island?
I cannot believe This Is Guernsey posted the last comment from some xenophobic idiot. There is currently work for immigrants to the island because of the healthy economy and an island will always have non-local labour.
Given that half the island is probably ‘non-local’ and involved with all sorts of key employment from growing to nursing and finance its just an ignorant statement.
Getting back to the point, I do agree that fishing needs more support - mainly in terms of a 12 mile zone and exclusion/nursery areas for breeding fish.
Not sure whether fuel subsidies are a good idea though as where do you draw the line? Fishing using fossil fuel is not sustainable long term.
Surely boats will go back to sail at some point. Sounds crazy but diesel won’t last forever no matter who pays for it!
no it is not an igonorant xenophobic comment at all they are taking over the island there are not enough jobs for LOCALS AND IN YOUR WORDS GIVEN THAT HALF OF THE ISLAND IS POPULATED BY IMMIGRANTS .IT IS TOO MANY AND A MANY LOCAL POEPLE HAVE EMMIGRATED AS THEY FEEL THEY HAVE LOST THEIR ISLAND.
No, Sophie. If they are emigrating it is because of the high cost of living. This is as a direct result in low taxes and privileges for those that can afford them. I can assure you that your ‘immigrants’ are not taking local jobs (other than those in Finance that cannot be filled), but because too many jobs are being created for locals to fill. There are only a couple of hundred people claiming benefits, probably mostly on disability, but most are too lazy to be bothered. The non locals that work here work for rubbish pay in rubbish accommodation. Also, there must be a decent amount of locals that are housing these people else how would they get a licence.
You are shouting at the wrong sector of society.
By the way, I am local (my family roots here go back over 150yrs) but intelligent enough to understand that ‘local’ is just a tag - other than a housing licence you don’t deserve preferential treatment just by virtue of your birthplace.
I couldn’t care less where people are from as long as they combine to make a good community and an island like Guernsey needs skills and experience gained globally to survive.
You have to adapt or fall by the wayside and small minded people are not equipped to realise this - they assume someone else will always help them. Subsidies and benefit are just temporary sticking plasters not a long term solution. This goes for fishing - find another way to fish or find another way to make money.
Sounds harsh but the world is a competitive place and doesn’t owe anyone a favour.
Fishermen only needs friends when it suits them.
Remember the infamous 28 ton of bass two years ago all of it went to either france or brixham with none of it to the island. The commercial sector where also quick to have a go at the charter angling industry that has been built up within the islands. To date none of the origional accusations have been proved or substantiated that the anglers were decimating ‘our’ stock. According to the fishermen ‘our stock’ does not mean for the islanders it is for their own pockets and also for export. Need a friend, only when it suits.