Government proposals that could potentially ban fishing north of Holy Island would devastate the community, stakeholders have warned.
Coun Colin Hardy, who represents Norham and Islandshires on Northumberland County Council, urged the Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) to rethink its controversial plan that would see the waters around the island designated a highly protected marine area (HPMA).
It comes after the island’s fishermen and community figures condemned the plans that would put an end to thousands of years of the fishing industry on Lindisfarne. HPMAs would see activities such as commercial and recreational fishing banned, along with dredging, construction, and anchoring.
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Coun Hardy, who stands for the Conservative Party, said he would be putting a motion forward to the council calling for the authority to object to the plans. He said: “I’m not happy about it. We’ve got a major problem with Holy Island. We have to keep the fishing industry there and keep the families there.
“The guys there know how to manage the sea and the industry, they’ve done it for years. Defra would be coming and taking away their inheritance and their kids inheritance.
“I think Defra have looked at it as a soft target – not a lot of people and not a lot of complaints. There’s only seven boats – but these seven boats are like seven farms, and if it was seven farms under threat on the mainland there would be outrage. We need to get Defra to change their mind and take their HPMA elsewhere.”
Coun Hardy added that an online meeting had been scheduled for August 24 by Defra, but that it had been poorly advertised and many residents were unaware it was taking place – as was the county council. He said local MP Anne Marie Trevelyan had voiced her opposition and urged residents to get involved to stop the island becoming a “museum.”
Coun Hardy continued: “We’re trying to keep the local people on the island and introduce some young families to support the school – otherwise it will become like a Beamish Museum.
“The last person across the causeway at night would turn the light out. Holy Island will die. Fishing on Holy Island pre-dates the Lindisfarne Gospels. People need to go and do the consultation and get Defra to change their mind.”
Last week, a joint statement was issued by town council clerk John Bevan and vicar Rev Canon Dr Sarah Hills on behalf of local fisherman outlining the community’s opposition to the proposals. It read: “The fishermen and community of The Holy Island of Lindisfarne strongly oppose Defra’s selection of the waters around the island as a proposed site for Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA) designation which would ban all fishing. The community and an increasing number of supporters including many experts, believe it is both misguided and inequitable based on the criteria DEFRA themselves have set.
“The fishermen on Holy Island are also keen to emphasise that it shouldn’t be positioned as ‘fishing against environment’. They are small scale sustainable fishermen – in fact lobster and crab potters with a strong sense of environmental stewardship to protect the resource on which they and their families depend. Important allies not enemies in protecting the oceans. There is shock and dismay at the short amount of time allowed to put forward their case.”
Alongside Lindisfarne, the other areas identified as HPMA candidates are Allonby Bay in the Irish Sea, Dolphn Head in the Eastern Channel and Inner Silver Pit South and north east of Farnes Deep, both in the North Sea. Defra have said that the socio-economic impact was considered as a “key part” of its assessment of the sites and that Lindisfarne is a “highly biodiverse” area, home to 40 threatened or important species.
A spokesman for the department said: “This consultation will inform decisions on future highly marine protected areas and their final boundaries. The public and stakeholders will have the opportunity to share their views and provide additional evidence of the potential impact of proposed pilot sites.
“Highly protected marine areas will protect the marine environment and help a wide range of valuable habitats and species to fully recover whilst ensuring we can continue to meet the sustainable needs of those who rely on our seas.”
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