Fears over dwindling fish stocks in the estuary (From Southend Standard)
Get involved: send your pictures, video, news and views by texting ECHONEWS to 80360, or email us Click here for details »
Fears over dwindling fish stocks in the estuary
9:20am Wednesday 20th February 2013 in News
FISH stocks in the Thames Estuary are believed to be dwindling and could threaten the livelihoods of Southend fishermen.
Paul Gilson, joint chairman of Leigh and Southend Fishermen’s Association, said stocks of several species of fish and shellfish have dwindled while Dover Sole have all but disappeared.
He said: “Over the last two we have seen a collapse of fish stocks across the board. The problem started in the upper reaches first around Canvey then year-by-year working its way down river.
"It started in the middle of the river and over time has spread north and south it now has reached out to 12 miles and from Ramsgate to Southwold. It has affected nearly all species of fish in some way or another.”
While it has not been established what the cause of the decline is, many blame the removal of part of the seabed to build a new port in the upper reaches of the Thames above Canvey.
Comments(8)
I See It All
says...
11:24am Wed 20 Feb 13
Surley the Mr Gilson in this article is not the same Mr Gilson that was the star of the article in the Echo at 8:00am on Wednesday 28th December
2011.
"Paul Gilson – facing financial ruin
A FISHERMAN must hand over more than £395,000 for flouting fishing quotas or go to jail for three years.Paul Gilson, 56, of Undercliff Gardens, Leigh, has been given six months to pay the cash in full."
Carnabackable
says...
3:06pm Wed 20 Feb 13
The fishing boats fish closer to the shore than ever,it's little surprise the stocks, have diminished...
iknowbetter
says...
4:01pm Wed 20 Feb 13
I See It All wrote:If it is then he of all people should understand why he was so heavily fined for trying to sell sole that he had no quota for. Having said that once the UK sole quota has been reached the Spanish and French move in to hover up whats left so its no wonder the Thames is becoming devoid of fish. Many places on the Thames are nursery area's for Bass and Sole and many other species. Sadly the netting isnt as selective as Defra claim it is and many undersized fish,(by-catch) are crushed in the nets and discarded while commercial fishermen hunt down their quarry. Just another reason to opt out of Europe. If the UK fishing fleet wasnt decimated close to the point of collapse and we were left to manage our own waters then maybe we wouldnt be in this situation.
Could it be some fishermen are over fishing and then not declaring what they have caught?
Surley the Mr Gilson in this article is not the same Mr Gilson that was the star of the article in the Echo at 8:00am on Wednesday 28th December
2011.
"Paul Gilson – facing financial ruin
A FISHERMAN must hand over more than £395,000 for flouting fishing quotas or go to jail for three years.Paul Gilson, 56, of Undercliff Gardens, Leigh, has been given six months to pay the cash in full."
The quota system is a joke!!
iknowbetter
says...
4:08pm Wed 20 Feb 13
Carnabackable wrote:This is true but under current legislation boats under 10m can fish as close as they like. People have campaigned for years for an exclusion zone of 2 miles if i'm not mistaken but nothing has ever been done. Currently Defra are working on no take zones, No fishing whatsoever be it commercial or recreational will be allowed. Is this to little to late??
Through their sheer greed, the Thames has run out.
The fishing boats fish closer to the shore than ever,it's little surprise the stocks, have diminished...
Cosmo Spring
says...
5:31pm Wed 20 Feb 13
Carnabackable
says...
6:45pm Wed 20 Feb 13
Cosmo Spring wrote:Sea Horse....
let them eat horse
another council tax payer
says...
7:35pm Wed 20 Feb 13
I See It All wrote:spot on
Could it be some fishermen are over fishing and then not declaring what they have caught?
Surley the Mr Gilson in this article is not the same Mr Gilson that was the star of the article in the Echo at 8:00am on Wednesday 28th December
2011.
"Paul Gilson – facing financial ruin
A FISHERMAN must hand over more than £395,000 for flouting fishing quotas or go to jail for three years.Paul Gilson, 56, of Undercliff Gardens, Leigh, has been given six months to pay the cash in full."
wagger says...
10:15am Wed 20 Feb 13