{"id":157806,"date":"2025-09-15T06:27:14","date_gmt":"2025-09-15T06:27:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/157806\/"},"modified":"2025-09-15T06:27:14","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T06:27:14","slug":"cornish-fishermen-discuss-fears-over-trawling-ban-proposals","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/157806\/","title":{"rendered":"Cornish fishermen discuss fears over trawling ban proposals"},"content":{"rendered":"

Seb NobleCornwall political reporter, Newlyn<\/p>\n

\"BBCBBC<\/p>\n

Chris Ranford said a zonal approach would have less of an impact for the fishing industry<\/p>\n

Cornish fishermen would like to meet the new environment secretary to discuss concerns over the future of their industry.<\/p>\n

A consultation on extending a ban on bottom-trawler fishing to cover more marine protected areas (MPA) is currently ongoing. <\/p>\n

Fishermen fear restricting where they could catch would be economically ruinous – but opponents insisted the practice damaged habitats and underwater species.<\/p>\n

The government insisted it was taking action to protect seabeds and it would be beneficial for both nature and the fishing industry.<\/p>\n

Bottom trawling involves a large net being scraped across the seabed to catch fish.<\/p>\n

But Cornish fisherman insisted the nets they use were less harmful and they often avoided protected areas already. <\/p>\n

Chris Ranford, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation, said he was open to meeting Emma Reynolds following her appointment in a cabinet reshuffle<\/a> earlier this month.<\/p>\n

“The door is always open in Cornwall to help people understand the fishing industry, whoever it is, and we’d certainly welcome a visit,” he said. <\/p>\n

“Perhaps new people, new faces, a clean slate could be a good thing,” Mr Ranford said.<\/p>\n

He welcomed the extension of the consultation into bottom trawling and hoped parts of MPAs could still be made accessible to boats.<\/p>\n

“There’s not a question of being able to go everywhere and do anything,” said Mr Ranford. <\/p>\n

“It’s a case of let’s get the best evidence possible – if there’s evidence to say that there’s no problem then they should be allowed to continue to fish.”<\/p>\n

\"Newlyn<\/p>\n

Fishermen in Newlyn are among those who currently practise bottom trawling <\/p>\n

However, the Blue Marine Foundation, which campaigns to protect the ocean, insisted a so-called zonal approach in MPAs would not work.<\/p>\n

Charles Clover, its co-founder, said: “I find it very hard to see how you could ban trawling – which is the most destructive activity in the sea – only in a small area.<\/p>\n

“This idea you can go and fish in this bit not that bit because it’s not important or scientifically necessary is just wrong.<\/p>\n

“You need to protect the area that has been designated. It has been designated after years of consultation for a good reason.”<\/p>\n

Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said the government had extended the consultation to listen to stakeholders on the matter.<\/p>\n

He said: “Bottom trawling is already restricted in around 60% of Marine Protected Areas, what the government’s been proposing is looking at restrictions where it affects a seabed infrastructure or seabed monuments… we’re listening to the folks, and the decision will be made on the basis of that consultation.”<\/p>\n

Pollard said the government was trying to find a way of supporting the industry, making sure they “can have a more certain future”, while also protecting fish stocks.<\/p>\n

A Defra spokesperson said: “Restoring our oceans to good health is essential for both nature and for fishing businesses.<\/p>\n

“This government is taking decisive steps to ban bottom trawling when it is damaging protected seabeds and our consultation makes clear how this would be implemented appropriately.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Seb NobleCornwall political reporter, Newlyn BBC Chris Ranford said a zonal approach would have less of an impact…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":157807,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[192,79],"class_list":{"0":"post-157806","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-environment","8":"tag-environment","9":"tag-science"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157806","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=157806"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157806\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/157807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=157806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=157806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=157806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}