Fight to ban fishing off Skomer

Nov 4 2007 by James McCarthy, Wales On Sunday

SEA Empress hero Blaise Bullimore is fighting to ban fishing in the sensitive waters off Pembrokeshire’s unique Skomer Island nature reserve.

The retired marine conservation officer says the waters around the site of special scientific interest – famed for its 6,000 pairs of puffins – need legal protection to stop them being plundered by man.

Skomer is also home to 165,000 pairs of manx shearwater plus thousands of guillemots, razorbills and gulls, which rely on the sea for food.

Now Mr Bullimore, 54, is heading a bid to give it Highly Protected Marine Reserve status to stop all exploitation.

But the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee says it would just put locals out of business while doing nothing for wildlife.

Mr Bullimore, who was at the centre of tackling the Sea Empress oil spill off the Welsh coast 10 years ago, said: “A huge amount of research shows how overfishing degrades the environment and makes it less robust and capable of fighting things like climate change.

“The economic clout of the fishing industry in the UK is not that great, but there is this rose-tinted view of fishing.

“Despite weak legislation, there has been a commitment to the reserve by the Countryside Council for Wales. My view is Skomer has been a success in spite of legislation, rather than because of it.

“The main reason we want to stop fishing there is because of the effects on the environment and ecology of the reserve. Angling leaves large quantities of debris on the sea bed. In one day we collected 75kg of lead from the sea bed.

“The idea of highly protected marine areas is gaining currency. Environmental sustainability has to come first because without it you cannot have fishery sustainability or economic stability.

“A ban would mean there would be a reduction in competition for food. Potentially that could see an increase in birds.”

But Mr Bullimore, a marine scientist for over 25 years, fears a lack of political will.

“Fishing has immense impacts, on marine environmental habitats and functioning as well as on fish stocks,” he said.

“Despite strong scientific evidence, the fishing industry largely appears determined not to accept it, nor the measures that could begin to turn the degradation around, and, despite some fine words, political will is sadly lacking.

“If and when it emerges, the provisions in the long awaited Marine Bill will demonstrate what commitment there is.

“However, the provisions of the Bill will not apply in Wales unless the Assembly Government makes similar provisions. At present it is far from clear if they will.”

But Phil Coates, South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee directer, poured cold water on any fishing ban.

He said: “On Skomer, none of the fishing has any impact upon these bird species. All fishing disturbs the marine environment and removes fish – but what does that amount to? How will a small area assist in combating climate change?

“Putting locals out of business by displacing them from a fishing zone will do little on a larger scale. This needs progressive, joined up, co-ordinated action.”

A Welsh Assembly spokesman said: “The Government is working with the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on a draft Marine Bill which will include powers for Welsh ministers to establish Marine Conservation Zones.”