Fishing Fleet, Foxes & Frost! There's an Alliteration for you...

Reading the Guardian online recently (website), I wasn't too surprised that it reported that members of the Hastings Fishing Fleet are unhappy with the Government's 'deal' with the European Union. I have written many times about the local fishing fleet since I wrote about the Greenpeace visit to Hastings nearly 6 years ago (blog), which included a meeting where Paul Joy voiced similar thoughts to those he discusses in the Guardian article. A "passionate Brexiter" and knowledgeable about the industry, he had admitted that the UK government department responsible (DEFRA and their website) was guilty of badly translating the Common Fisheries Policy quota details, disrespecting the smaller fishing boat fleets whilst favouring the larger fishing boat fleets.

But I was surprised to read that Paul's fishing boat is not going out fishing now, especially looking back to seeing the lights of 3 or 4 fishing boats out at sea this morning, when I began my daily exercise before 07.00. I have since spoken to one of the fishermen I know who told me that he had gone out this morning at about 06.00 to lay nets which they will return to tomorrow morning. He told me that there aren't many fish around at the moment, but he suggested it's likely that Paul's boat will be out again in the Spring, though there is no hint of that in the Guardian article. Anyway, you will be pleased to know that members of the local fishing fleet are still fishing in local waters. Developments will be very interesting, I believe...

Field above Fairlight Glen

Anyway, foxes! Recently, I heard a couple of foxes 'screaming' in someone's garden just around the corner from where I live in the town centre, and this morning, whilst still quite dark, I spotted what I at first thought was a dog chasing after a fox across the East Hill... But no, it was a second bigger fox, presumably a dog fox, and yes, January is the mating season for foxes, so if you've been hearing foxes screaming at one another, you know the reason why, it's January and foxes are procreating!

Why the photograph above? Well, it was too dark to photograph the foxes, and they were running too quickly for me to get out my mobile phone anyway. And Fairlight was the destination for me to turn around at for my daily exercise today, nice sky too. 😉

And frost? I have to admit I've not owned a car for many years now, mainly using public transport, or walking, to get about, although not so much public transport for the last 10 months! And frost isn't really something I take notice of, although I do remember the inconvenience of having to clear windscreens. But the first lockdown last year changed the way I look at nature, and this morning, whilst walking back along Barley Lane, I couldn't help noticing the wonderful leaf-like patterns not just on windscreens, but on car bonnets too, like in the photograph above that I took this morning. I just looked up why this happens (most references are about patterns on glass, for example this reference), which explains that it is caused by tiny imperfections in, or on, the glass.

Isn't nature wonderful, and Jack Frost an excellent artist?!? 👍

Have a good weekend, and stay safe folks! 

Fishing, Hastings and the European Union

The fishing fleet that works from the Stade in Hastings is one of the oldest fishing fleets in the country, the largest beach-launched fishing fleet in Europe, and also famous for its unique and 'listed' tall black huts that were originally used to dry nets, and now used for storage. But what of Britain and its fishing relationship with other European countries, was being part of the Common Fisheries Policy of the European Union (EU) the first time Britain entered into agreements with other countries? 

Well, unsurprisingly, no it wasn't, indeed Britain came to an agreement called the North Sea Fisheries Convention as long ago as 1888, an agreement with Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands, that allowed each country to fish in each other's waters to within 3 miles of respective coastlines. 

However, Britain wasn't happy with this agreement many years later and withdrew in 1963, subsequently instigating the 1964 London Fisheries Convention, signed by the same countries, plus a few others, which allowed each country to fish within each other's waters between 6 and 12 miles from respective coastlines. I wrote about this convention and when Britain submitted its 2 years notice to leave in this blog from 2017.

Since then, of course, Britain joined the EEC in 1973, subsequently becoming the EU, and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which seeks to ensure environmental, economic and social sustainability that fosters a dynamic fishing industry and ensuring a fair standard of living for fishing communities (European Parliament website). It also allows each country to fish between 12 and 200 miles from each other's coasts. 

By 2009 the EU sought to reform the CFP, following a wide-ranging public debate on the way fisheries were managed. A new Common Fisheries Policy came into effect from the 1st of January 2014, and which included policies that particularly effected Hastings fishing industry (European Union website), that is, firstly, to bring in sensible steps to prevent already caught fish having to be discarded. 

Secondly, to bring in quotas to prevent over-fishing and ensure sustainability of fishing stock. This has been very contentious in Hastings, indeed, for the smaller fishing boats and local sustainability, and part of the reason why Greenpeace came to Town in 2015 (blog). It also contributed to anti-EU feeling and Ukip inspired protests like the above demonstration in 2018 (blog).

However, as explained in my Greenpeace blog, and the point was made at that meeting by Paul Joy (NUTFA) too, the job to divide quotas, indeed, to fight within Europe to exclude Under Ten Metre Fishing Boats from quotas, as they had previously been (before 2015), was the British Government and Defra's responsibility, not the EU's. Indeed, the new Common Fisheries Policy (website) states that "Small scale vessel owners would need to receive the right quota mix from national administrations."

So what did Defra do? Well, they gave only 4% of the allocated fishing quotas (blog) to the smaller, and more sustainable, fishing fleets, which make up 80% of British fishing boats... Consequently, this allowed for 96% of quotas to go to larger fishing boats/businesses, and, surprise surprise, over half of Britain's fishing quota has been sold off to foreign fishing boats, although this had been happening already (BBC), for example, 55% of the annual value of catches in 2019!

So, what will British fishing fleets, including the Hastings fishing fleet, gain in coming years? Well, the ability to fish 3 nautical miles from other country's coasts allowed between 1888 and 1963 is no more. The ability to fish 12 miles from other coastlines allowed from 1964 has disappeared already as we left the London Fisheries Convention very recently. Now we will not have agreement to fish between 12 and 200 miles from other coasts either, oops, but as I explained in my blog, neither will EU fishing boats have rights to fish in British waters. We may need to reach agreements...

Oh yes, and approximately 90% of Hastings' catch is sold to Europe...

Plus Defra will still be in control of whatever quotas British governments allocate over the years, experience reminds us that for years they've favoured the 'Big Boys' 😬

Moving Pebbles along the Beach!

Machinery at Rest yesterday

You may have noticed the quite regular moving of pebbles from one part of the beach to another, it happens at least once a year, sometimes quite a few occurrences. Well, it's a serious part of the process, going on as I write, of protecting the coast, Hastings Borough Council (HBC) and the Environment Agency (DEFRA - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) work together to "produce Shoreline Management Plans and Coast Protection Strategies which enable schemes of work to be implemented in line with DEFRA policies" (Hastings Borough Council website).

In Action

Therefore not quite so silly as it may first appear to the general public and, indeed, one of the necessary factors that ensure our coastal protection locally. I have mentioned similar before, and know one of the lads involved in this work, cheers Graham, keep up the good work!

“This work will protect potentially vulnerable areas from flooding, remove surplus shingle from where it's not needed and help reduce the impact of wave action on the shoreline. The work is expected to last up to three weeks.”  Announced last week (HBC facebook).

Sole Political Party and they Skate around the truth!

I've written about the local Hastings fishing industry, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), Greenpeace, and the Government and Defra many times over the last 3 and a half years, indeed, since writing this blog. The article written in the latest edition of the Hastings Independent (issue 110), "Stormy Waters," has the support of someone from the Marine Management Organisation saying much of what I keep repeating... That it has not been the European Union and the CFP that has "stitched up" fishermen using boats under 10 metres long, such as are used by the Hastings fishing fleet, but our own Government and Defra, the "bulk of the (British fishing) quota was given to big boats." Indeed, 80% of the British fishing industry uses smaller boats, but were allocated only 4% of the British catch by Defra! This was supported by the Hastings Fishermen spokesperson at that Greenpeace meeting back in March 2015...

Now I have had a publication delivered to me from the local Conservative Party (Hastings and Borough Matters) that, quite frankly, has distorted the truth, blaming the CFP for harming "our Fishermen in Hastings and Rye" and that the CFP has "been a failure" completely ignoring the fact that Defra is the true culprit! As I reported last year (blog), we have given notice to quit the London Fisheries Convention, signed in 1964, which will mean that when we have left the EU, we can police the waters between 6 and 12 miles from our shores, preventing other signatories from fishing in those waters, similarly, British fishing boats will not be allowed to fish in other signatories' waters, something that Michael Gove has boasted as "taking back control of our waters" and that "the future will be bright" for the local fishing industry.

Of course, far from being the 'champion' of the local fishing industry that Gove says she was, and our MP has certainly campaigned for reform of the CFP, though even when she was in Cabinet, and when she must have had some political clout surely, nothing ever changed regarding the allocation to Under Ten Metre fishing fleets; with the larger boats still getting preference from Defra and continuing to receive 96% of the catch in Britain's allocation (see New Under Ten Fishermens Association NUTFA website too). Oh yes, and who is the Minister in charge of Defra? Our great new friend the Secretary of State, Michael Gove!

With many thanks to the Hastings Independent for the photograph above of Gove's recent visit... Oh yes, and fat chance that the Defra position will ever favour the Under Ten Metre fishing boats as they have consistently favoured the big boys! So, don't hold your collective breath, Hastings.



Support Marine Conservation Zones Please!

In 2011 sea user stakeholder groups agreed and recommended a network of 127 carefully selected marine sites for protection, so far only 50 have been designated. Right now there is a public consultation about adding a further 41 Marine Conservation Zones (Wildlife Trusts website). We live by the sea, Hastings has a fishing fleet that supports sustainable fishing, I have already sent acknowledgement of my support for this proposal to Defra, you can do so too at the following website. Let's provide a Wave of Support, many thanks!

Hastings Fishing Boats Protest!

Well, it's again with thanks to our wonderful roving photographer that these images from the weekend's fishing industry protest can be shared, cheers Marcus!

In a carefully staged campaign around the country, protests were held by about 200 fishing boats at the same time in Whitstable, Portsmouth, Plymouth, Milford Haven and Newcastle, as well as in Hastings, aggrieved by what they consider to be an 'abject betrayal' by the Government over Brexit effectively being extended until the end of 2010, despite the referendum being in June 2016, nearly 2 years ago!

Boats came to join Hastings fishing boats from many ports including Rye, Newhaven, Eastbourne, Folkestone and Colchester. Essentially angry that, despite promises from Brexiteers in Ukip and the Tory Party that British coastal waters would be brought under the control of the British Government, that there had been no movement yet, and didn't look like there would be any movement until 2021 at the earliest!

However, as I've alluded to many times since Greenpeace came to town 3 years ago (blog), the real problem for Under Ten Metre Fishing Boats such as in Hastings (nearly 80% of British fishing boats are allowed only 4% of the total British catch!), which carry out sustainable fishing, was actually the British Government and Defra pandering to the 'bigger boys' and their larger trawlers, which carry out unsustainable fishing. Indeed, Defra even allowing them to sell off some of their rights to foreign vessels!

The Right-wing businessman and xenophobe, Arron Banks, who funds Ukip and made a huge financial contribution towards the 'Leave' campaign, appears to have been a spokesperson for the weekend's protests and is scaremongering yet again, asserting that the EU will attempt to "cull what is left of the British (fishing) industry" and that we are "staring down the barrel of a gun with this transition deal."

Meanwhile Defra have contradicted Banks, asserting that it had already negotiated with the EU, and that the British share of the common fisheries catch would not be reduced over the transition period, which is about "delivering a smooth and orderly Brexit."

So who do we believe? Personally I wouldn't trust either of them! Certainly not a major political funder and businessman who has his own agenda... Nor Defra, who have appeared to have been under the thrall of the large trawler fishing fleets elsewhere in Britain, and who have not supported the New Under Ten Fishermens Association (NUTFA website), and certainly not supported the sustainable fishing policy promised by the Coastal Champions 5-point action plan (blog) signed up to by our MP, the Member of Parliament for Hastings & Rye, 3 years ago!

The only thing I can add is, watch this space...

Badgers in East Sussex - NO Vaccine available!

Whilst the recent badger cull in Gloucestershire, Somerset and Dorset has been widely publicized, now plans are being made to extend the cull to Cheshire, Cornwall, Devon, Herefordshire, Wiltshire and Worcestershire. Meanwhile, in East Sussex, a charitable body, the Sussex Badger Vaccination Project (SBVP) had been vaccinating badgers for Bovine TB (bTB) in the East Sussex 'High Risk Area' (HRA). 

However, in December, the Department for the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), announced that there is a BCG vaccine shortage, and that they are no longer sourcing the vaccine to the SBVP or other groups vaccinating badgers, though they do appear happy to increase the extermination of badgers, by extending the cull! 

Although a large part of East Sussex is a High Risk area for bTB, there is a relatively low incidence in the county, though it has proven very persistent, and why Defra has named East Sussex a HRA. Whilst culling is the Defra strategy for HRAs, they don’t believe East Sussex has enough farmers or landowners who have been badly enough affected by bTB to make a case for culling now.

Consequently, farmers in East Sussex have no legal means of tackling the disease in wildlife, and the SBVP had decided to target their resources within the HRA, particularly toward cattle farmers, as needing more urgent assistance than in the rest of the county, which is a Defra 'Edge Area', eg where Hastings is situated. Sadly, even this is not happening now, and it is unclear when the vaccine will be available again. 

The SBVP was founded in August 2013 by Kate Edmonds, who, together with help from colleagues, arranged for fund-raising, training and equipment to enable a core team of volunteers to commence vaccinating badgers.

The use of a vaccine is currently the only non-lethal way of tackling bTB in badgers. During the vaccination process, badgers are captured overnight in baited traps before being vaccinated the following morning. They are released after being checked for well-being, vaccinated in the thigh muscle, and then sensitively marked to ensure they do not get vaccinated again.

After release the traps are reset, and the process repeated the next day for unmarked badgers. The minimum level of stress for badgers is important while they’re in the trap, and during vaccination and marking. 

Kate’s colleague, Trevor Weeks, advised that if 80% of badgers in a herd could be caught each year, herd immunity can be expected within 4-5 years. The SBVP had also gained acknowledgement from the local NFU and Country Landowners Association, as well as the local farm vet. Kate told me that they had “all agreed to help promote badger vaccination here in the Defra High Risk Area of East Sussex.”

Kate submitted an application to Defra for funding, whose current strategy for the Edge Area is badger vaccination plus cattle controls, though no vaccine is available for now! They have no strategy in place for the East Sussex HRA, which is roughly in the area east of Brighton, around Lewes, Hailsham, and west of Eastbourne.

Funding for the SBVP has been provided by International Animal Rescue, the Southdowns Badger Group, and from voluntary contributions. However, the more funds the SBVP can raise, the more badgers they can vaccinate (when the vaccine becomes available again), extra equipment can be bought, and more volunteer teams can be trained. 

The SBVP is a charitable body, go to their website for more information.

This blog is an update to an article I wrote for the Hastings Independent in 2014.

Hastings Fishing...

How did I miss this? Well, I did... 

I've written quite a bit previously about Greenpeace and our local fishing industry, and the campaign to support Under 10 Metre Fishing Boats. Well, I missed this development, which is quite positive to our local fishing fleet (Defra website). However, there still appears to be concerns about the cod quota and local boats, cod having been very abundant recently in local waters, yet not being dealt with by Mr Eustice's announcement...   

Contact your local MP and Defra if you, like me, are still concerned!