Enviromental Licence Scheme Ruins Livelihood – Claim
ANGRY fishermen staged a demonstration in protest at the handling of a dispute over cockling licences in Flintshire.
The Environment Agency has come in for strong criticism for only issuing 50 permits for cockle fishing in the Dee Estuary.
Many fishermen living in the area who have been refused licences claim they have been treated unfairly.
About 50 people joined in Friday’s protest in Greenfield, which was designed to force the agency to re-think its policy.
Organiser Brian Faulkner, of Celtic Street in Connah’s Quay, was refused a permit even though he has ‘rock-solid evidence’ that he has been fishing for cockles in the Dee for more than 20 years.
The 49-year-old said: “My livelihood has been ruined and at the same time the cockles are dying because not enough licences have been granted.
“It’s a total waste. I’ve got people calling me up all the time saying the same thing has happened to them.
“Grown men are crying about this – local people who can’t get jobs. No-one knows what to do.
“It has affected us massively. The Environment Agency could have issued more licences and lowered the quotas for each man if they are worried about the number of cockles.”
The protesters were joined by Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami and AM Carl Sargeant.
Mr Sargeant said: “I have been contacted by many local constituents who have been cockling locally for many years, but this year they have all been refused licences at the same time as people outside the area have been granted permits.
“If local fishermen are not granted licences to cockle on the Dee then many will suffer financial hardship.
“I support the plight of our local fishermen.”
The Environment Agency Wales says licences were given to applicants who could ‘demonstrate unequivocal evidence of having a history of cockle fishing on the Dee Estuary’, adding that it would have been ‘discriminatory and illegal’ to allocate licences on the basis of an applicant’s postcode.
It says the majority of licences have gone to local people.
A breakdown shows that 25 were issued to people from North Wales, 15 from England and 10 from South Wales.
A spokesman said: “Before the new regulating order was put in place last year, it was not possible for any fisherman to earn a regular income from the cockle fishery.
“Between 2003 and 2008, only one bed could be opened, for only two days, and only 500 tonnes were taken before the bed was stripped.
“The new system means we have created a sustainable, safe and stable cockle industry for 50 fishermen to make a decent living.”
Originally posted 2009-07-14 08:17:48.
