DEFRA has put forward proposals for a large marine conservation zone in the area of Hythe Bay. The main objective of this zone is to protect a species of worm from the effects of fishing. The worm is called the burrowing spoon worm. The fishermen are objecting to the proposals based on surveys carried out by government funded organisations that have shown the spoon worm population increasing from 800 per square metre to 1400 per square metre over a 10 year period. Surveys have also shown that fishing has a minimal effect on the seabed compared to to the disruption caused by bad weather and strong tides.
Fishermen are in favour of marine consevation zones but only if they are implimented in the correct way. DEFRA want the Hythe bay to be a 'recovery' zone which will stop all forms of fishing, commercial and pleasure angling included. This will have wide reaching effects of other local business's that benefit from trade attracted to our coast for angling, to buy fish from one of numerous fishmongers or even just a portion of fish and chips by the seaside! With no fishermen there will be no fresh local fish! We would like the zone to be a 'maintained' zone which would allow us to continue fishing as generations have done before us for hundreds of years. With a maintained zone the spoonworm population would be monitored for any signs of a reduction in numbers, the fishermen have no problem with this as we have evidence from the previous surveys to prove that we have no effect.
We need public support to make this happen and we only have until 31st March to register as much oppostion as we can so if you want to help save your local fishermen of Hythe, Folkstone, Dungeness and Rye then we would be very grateful if you would sign this petition. Thank you.
