CHANGES to fishing licensing could spark a free-for-all. Commerce and Employment minister Stuart Falla said fleets were keen to get into local waters because it was such a fantastic fishery.

‘They are not interested in matters of history – it’s because there is money to be made. There is no higher moral ground here – that is because Guernsey over the years has looked after its stock,’ he said.

‘If we allow UK or Jersey or any other fishermen from elsewhere greater access to our three- to 12-mile fisheries, that stock will be depleted.’

Guernsey’s threatened licensing system excludes vessels above 17m, which, Deputy Falla said, was the biggest argument UK fishermen had against it.

‘You don’t travel across the English Channel in a 17m boat every day just because of the seas that are involved and the journey time. They want the 17m restriction lifted to bring in far larger boats to justify travelling across the Channel and at great speed.

‘Large boats take more fish and if our licensing regime allowed bigger boats, then our stock would be depleted quicker.’

But he did not believe that losing the court case would see the demise of the local industry.

‘Guernsey fishermen know our waters better than anybody else and are experts in Guernsey waters. They would still be the best, just sadly there would be more people doing the same thing.’

A Privy Council hearing in London last week heard that it was necessary for the island to legislate against ‘monster’ UK fishing boats intruding into its waters.