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Friday 15th May 2009: With the scallop dredging season fast approaching it’s closure the hot air continues to come out of the Welsh Assembly, this time from Nick Bourne, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the National Assembly and Assembly Member for Mid & West Wales. He has questioned Elin Jones (Rural Affairs Minister) about her policy on Scallop fishing in Cardigan Bay. This follows concern which have been raised with Mr N Bourne AM about the effect of scallop dredging in Cardigan Bay. Nick Bourne said “ I can confirm that fisheries and marine nature conservation officials are working closely with Countryside Council for Wales, local Fisheries Committees and Welsh Fishing Industry representatives to consider the management of the scallop fishery in Wales and the implication of dredging within European Marine sites in Wales. Any new measures introduced would be subject to public consultation with all stakeholders, and the intention is for the review of the current management arrangements to be ready for next season on the 1st November 2009”. Well, all that can said about that is: You best get your finger out mate as the 1st November is only 5 months away and it’s taken you 6 months to get this far, by the time that you lot get things sorted their won’t be anything left to dredge. If you really look at it, it’s all about money. We have killed the countryside now it’s the turn of the sea , we’ve taken all the Herrings, Sprat’s and about almost everything from the sea, for what, money. We know that everyone has earn a living but don't destroy everything in your path to get it, mind you, there are some greedy bar-stewards out there. Back in the 70’s I watched fishermen bring in boxes of Sprats from fishing in the Thames Estuary then sending them out to Russian factory ship to be used as fertiliser, what a waste.
Saturday 4th April: Environmental campaigners were in New Quay on Saturday 4th April to highlight the damage that scallop fishing is doing in Cardigan Bay. The group calling themselves SOS (save our seas) had a stand displaying many photo’s of types of boats that operate along the coast also leaflets highlighting the damage they are doing to the marine environment. The group was set-up to campaign to protect Cardigan Bay marine wildlife which is a Special Area of Conservation and hope to get as many signatures to hand to Ms Elin Jones AM, Minister for Rural Affairs at the Welsh at the Welsh Assembly. The group wants the number of scalloper’s restricted or even a ban would be better. Some day’s up to 45 large vessels could be working the area, often up to 10 hours a day. How they hope monitor the activities of these boats is a mystery, there is talk that North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries are being scaled down and also loosing one patrol boat at the same time. To get more on this group go their website via link below
Wednesday 25th March "latest saga" Ceredigan County Council last week held a full meeting of members to approve that urgent action be taken in Cardigan Bay from over-fishing by scallop-dredging. Cllr Ian Dewi is quoted as saying that boats are coming up from Devon to fish because their own area has been ruined. This site stated way back in November that these boats were coming from all destinations to fish along the Welsh Coast not just from Devon the boats just operate from that area,( they also fish the Brittany Coast landing their catch in the West Country). It was highlighted at the meeting that scallop-dredging vessels operating between Cardigan and New Quay are operating at an unsustainable level. Cllr Gill Hopley (New Quay) has said that a large number of people have worked hard to achieve the Special Area of Conservation in Cardigan Bay and we must ensure the bay is properly protected, but does Cllr Hopley realise there’s a small scalloper operating out of New Quay.
Tuesday 24th February. The saga over the scallop dredging in Cardigan Bay seems to continue when yet another summit which was held in Aberystwyth (23rd February 2009) this time hosted by Ceredigion’s Welsh Lib/Dem MP Mark Williams. The meeting held was to give local representatives and local residents the opportunity to discuss their worries with the Minister of State for Wales Mr Wayne David. Also in attendance were Welsh Assembly Mid & West Wales Regional Assembly Member Alun Davis and Joyce Watson along with five Ceredigion County Councillors representing Penparcau, Aberaeron, New Quay, Llangrannog and Cardigan. To save a lot time and writing, the meeting contributed to global warming with a load of hot air, the best these politicians could do and what they all do best is fiddle there expenses an retract back to their ivory towers.
Friday 20th February latest news: Wales Office Minister Wayne David met up with a delegation of local fishermen, councillors and other parties in Aberystwyth to discuss scallop dredging in Cardigan Bay. Mr David said that both the UK Government and the Welsh Assembly Government take this issue very seriously and that it recognise how important to keep an even balance to ensure a viable and sustainable scallop fishery and the conservation of the marine environment in Cardigan Bay. He also stated that, regulation of scallop dredging in Welsh waters is a matter for the Welsh Assembly but will be feeding the concerns of everyone involved back to the Rural Affairs Minister Elin Jones. Elin Jones has already asked her officials to review the current Scallop Fishing (Wales) Order in time for the new season starting in November and a consultation will be held before any new order is made.
This weekend sees the return of the seasonal invaders, the ‘Scallopers’ off our coast. The scallopers have been
given access to fish the area between Cardigan, New Quay and just north of Aberaeron. The area is about is 5 miles out and beyond. Local fisherman say they are dreading the invasion they have lost so many lobster pots over the years as these boats dredge anything up that’s in there path which includes their lobster pots. Some say these boats come up from Devon and Cornwall which some do but most are foreign boats i.e Irish, French just land there catch there. A Plaid Cymru candidate said that the area needs properly policing, it does but to much money is spent on Welsh Assembly and County Council gin palaces. New Quay has only two or three fishing boats that fish out more than 2 miles plus.
Saturday 8 November comment from :anonymous?
Tuesday 18 November. comment from Hanna. The Ceredigion Council launched a brand new RIB this summer to educate and monitor what's going on in the SAC (Special Area of Conservation) which stretches out 12miles (so scalloping effectively happening within this dedicated conservation area). It would be great if the SAC Officer could monitor and report back the use of the area by the scallopers, especially if and when any breaches take place when they come in too close - last year's loss of pots happened as they were way too close to shore! I think this would be far better use for this boat than policing speeding in the harbour! However, lot of scalloping that takes place in the UK shores is not all due to foreign boats (wherever they may be
Wednesday 26 November comment from your operative: Hanna, the Ceredigion RIB must have had the evening off yesterday (25th November), looking out from New Quay we had 4 Scallopers off the coast. You say that that all are not foreign boats, may be not, but most are crewed by eastern Europeans. The reason for that you can chain them back up after a 16hr shift. Local boats are not the problem their lightweights compared with the big boys that are out for periods of seven days at a time. The picture below is what local fishermen are up against, not much of a chance have they?
Friday 28 November: comment from J Briddon: The SAC Rib was taken out of the water in September and put to bed for the winter.
Monday 1 December: comment from Mr Anomnous The problem with the scallopers out there is that it`s a free for all as theres is no policing on them. The south west and north west fishery protection do have radar vans on the cliff to moniter the boats activity but in my eyes this is not good enough they should be out there and every scalloping boat should be fitted with some sort of tracking device to catch those coming in close at night with there lights turned off. The thing is the limit is 12 mile but its too late the damaged that has been done out there now it has been so intense with the dredging from last season it will take decades now for it to recover the last sort of fishing out there at this scale was in early 1980`s there has always been 1or 2 small local scallopers out there doing no harm.Last year there was up to 80 boats in one night from every corner of Britain, Spain, France and Denmark ploughing the sea bed up. A scalloper(beamer) as shown in the photo can tow up to 20 dredges and will bury its dredges down to 3ft into the sea bed trashing everything it goes through. High peaky ground that was visiable on a fish finders 2 years ago isnow leveled to a small hump as they have flattened good crab and lobster rocky ground they not only catch scallops but bring catch other species like spider crab which get smased in the dredges which then returned back dead in to the sea.The other night i counted 35 boats from a northwest to a northeast direction on the horizon so the impact there alone is a massive destruction. All i can say is i agree with hanna on one hand but on the other hand as a person who is on the sea daily any types of fishing and has an impact but you have to mininise the impact the intensity the best you can 3-5 small boats that fish 10 hours a day is not damaging enough on a 200 square mile radius to give you carnage but 35-80 big boats towing 24 7 with heavy gear is thanks.
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Tuesday 20 January 2009: News item Scallop dredging will be back in the headlines again this week when Welsh Liberal Democrat MP Mark Williams questions Environment Secretary Hilary Benn about the damage the scalloper’s are doing to the seabed in Cardigan Bay. Mark Williams we be asking the Secretary of State if he was concerned by the damage being done, and whether he could ensure measures contained in the Marine and Coastal Access Bill would be robust to protect against environmental damage concerns. An increase in scallop dredging is causing serious damage to the marine habitat in Cardigan Bay and the Secretary of State sayid he does recognise the problem. We need more protection in Cardigan Bay and the Welsh Assembly Government should looking at a ban in Cardigan Bay before its too late or we loss everything. Mr Benn agreed that the Marine Bill was intended to provide protection for specific marine areas and pointing out that the government had stepped in and stop scallop dredging in Lyme Bay.
Tuesday 10th February: latest update. Restrictions on the Scallopers could be extended in Cardigan Bay amid concern about sea bed conditions and dwindling stocks. Elin Jones Rural Affairs Minister has asked officials to lengthen the exclusion zone from three miles to six nautical miles. Last year, an eight month, three-mile restriction zone was placed around an area off the Ceredigan coast between New Quay and Cardigan measuring some 12 miles in length. In May 2008, a ban on fishing for scallops along the entire length of Cardigan Bay was extended by a month from June until the end of December. Elin Jones is becoming increasingly concerned about the level of scallop fishing within Cardigan Bay. She has asked for the Countryside Council for Wales and industry representatives to determine whether the management of scallop fishing can be further improved. The Welsh Assembly Government said 28 vessels were authorised to dredge for scallops in Cardigan Bay, 14 measure more than 15m in length.
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