FISHERMEN believe the future of their industry is hanging by a thread. The Privy Council, the highest appeal court available to Guernsey, will decide today and tomorrow whether to allow Jersey boats to fish in the three- to 12-mile limit.

‘If the Jersey fleet came here, it would saturate the Guernsey fishing grounds. The industry would just collapse,’ said 63-year-old Willie Falla, a full-time fisherman for 45 years, probably the island’s longest serving.

‘At the moment it’s a sustainable fishing industry but it won’t be if there is any more effort on the ground,’ said the Guernsey Fishermen’s Association vice-president, who skippers a potter, the Catherine.

‘The Jersey fishermen have ruined their industry. There are so many boats and pots down there they have fished the best out of it. The grounds and the fish can’t take that sort of hammering,’ he said.

‘We get on relatively well with the Jersey fishermen but they tend to want everything. They are like vultures around their own place and there are too many of them.’

He was concerned at the impact if the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council sided with Jersey.

‘It would not be good because they would have the same rights as us. Jersey has not bothered to look after us. The only reason they are giving licences is they think it will help them at the Privy Council meeting,’ he claimed.

‘It’s been blown out of all proportion politically in Jersey. Theirs is mainly a lobster fishery and ours is crab. They are better to stick to their side and we are better sticking to ours.’

Jersey Fishermen’s Association chairman Mike Taylor blamed one or two members of the Policy Council for not wanting an agreement to allow Jersey boats into Guernsey waters.

He excluded Commerce and Employment minister Deputy Stuart Falla from that criticism. ‘It’s regretful we have had to go this far,’ he said. ‘The outcome of this case could have wider political ramifications. That is unfortunate, but some of our fishermen have suffered greatly.’