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What
is the Green Lobby's argument against inshore fishing?
This
is a complicated issue and more information can be found on
Devon Wildlife Trust’s website (link found on our links
page). However,
it can be broadly summarised as follows:
Back
in 2001 Devon Wildlife Trust, and South West Fish Producers
Organisation (who went on to set up SWIFA), worked together to
reach an agreement to protect some reef beds in Lyme Bay.
Devon Wildlife Trust hailed the Agreement as a landmark
and for several years the situation seemed to have reached a
satisfactory compromise.
However,
at the beginning of 2006, Devon Wildlife Trust were concerned
about the number of vessels, unaware of the agreement, that
were found dredging in protected zones.
Their concerns were supported by a Devon Sea Fisheries
Committee Report. This
led to Devon Wildlife Trust withdrawing their support for the
2001 Agreement and calling for a complete ban on dredging in
Lyme Bay.
As
soon as SWFPO became aware of the issues in the DSFC Report,
and Devon Wildlife Trusts concerns, they took action.
The first step was to form an organisation, SWISA*,
which represented and communicated to all fishermen in the
effected area. The
second step was to immediately reinforce the need for
adherence to the 2001 Agreement and to stop further breaches.
Later
in 2006, and after many discussions with DEFRA’s Marine and
Fisheries Department, SWIFA reaches an agreement to be bound
by the introduction of more protected zones in Lyme Bay.
Devon Wildlife Trust is of the view that, since the
breakdown of the 2001 Agreement, the only way forward is a
complete ban of dredging in Lyme Bay.
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