This Is Guernsey

By Thom Ogier

A FORMER fishermen’s association president wants Guernsey to mirror Jersey States’ decision to help pay its fleet’s harbour fees.

Dougal Lane (pictured), who has been a skipper for 30 years, said mooring in St Peter Port was expensive and with fuel costs high, any assistance would be welcomed.

‘It costs me £2,500 a year for my trawler and there are very few facilities,’ he said. ‘If they cut the mooring costs, it would be a great help.’ And he said that fishing boats should not have to pay more than leisure craft.

‘Cabin cruisers are just there as toys but fishing boats produce food for the island,’ he said.

But Commerce and Employment minister Carla McNulty Bauer believed mooring fees were insignificant and that Jersey was merely playing catch-up with Guernsey.

Much of the five-point support package announced by Jersey’s States yesterday was already in place here, she said.

She also insisted that the package was not financial aid but a market strategy and compared each of the Jersey support package’s five points with Guernsey’s situation.

‘The first outlines a marketing campaign to get Jersey people to buy local shellfish. Well, what does Guernsey’s Fete d’la Mair do if not encourage us to enjoy our local seafood?’ she said.

The second details an initiative between Jersey Enterprise and Jersey Harbours to cut operating costs in St Helier.

‘As far as I know the Guernsey fishermen only pay mooring costs in the harbour, which I understand to be nominal, and I have asked Public Services to look at this matter and check for me,’ she said.

The package’s third measure will give the Jersey fleet support to meet the Marine Stewardship Accreditation Scheme.

Deputy McNulty Bauer said this was a good idea, adding that similar schemes had been proposed to Guernsey fishermen.

‘The fishermen have the opportunity to move those plans along, so if they want to take that on, they can do,’ she said.

She considered the fourth point, to ‘help to identify opportunities to improve operating efficiencies’, rather vague.

‘It could mean any number of things but I think it’s about supplying advice on more efficient and economic methods and boats,’ she said.

‘Of course it’s sensible to improve your business efficiency but in Guernsey if anyone wants advice on these matters, they can always go to our department or to Sea Fisheries.

‘The same is available over here and it has been for a long time.’

She did not see a lot of point in giving support to help identify and expand export markets, which was the fifth and final point outlined.

‘There would only be a reason if there was a great excess of fish to get rid of,’ she said.

What the Jersey Fishermen’s Association and States had come up with did not say anything about financial aid, but gave advice, she said.

Geoffrey Fisher, Jersey’s assistant minister for Economic Development,   said the package would help ensure the industry’s long-term sustainability.

‘It is not a government handout. It’s a hand up towards adding value to a premium product caught by local fishermen,’ he said.

But veteran Guernsey skipper Peter Munro saw little point in States intervention.

Even if harbour costs were halved, he said, it would not make a significant difference to the industry.

‘It’s just a case of tightening your belt until fuel costs reduce or fish prices rise,’ he said.

Article posted on 28th June, 2008 - 9.30am