Draft Sea Fisheries (Inshore Trawling, Netting and Dredging) (Amendment) (Jersey) Regulations 200-
REPORT
Experienced fishermen have for many generations set nets on the Island’s beaches, both as a source of income and as a leisure activity. Correctly set, a beach set net causes little danger to other beach users and minimal unnecessary impact on the marine environment.
There have however, been an increasing number of
incidents where nets have been either abandoned full of weed or set low down the beach during spring tides in
a position where fishermen cannot work them during periods of neap tides. These
nets are very durable and continue to catch fish and shellfish until they are
finally removed.
The
legislation will not have any impact on fishermen using nets in a traditional,
conscientious manner; however it will assist Fishery Officers in ensuring that
nets that are abandoned or inappropriately set are removed within a reasonable
timescale.
Earlier this year such a beach set net was allowed to become “neaped” at Belcroute Bay, and the Fisheries and Marine Resources Panel considered whether legislation should be brought in to discourage fishermen from allowing nets to be “neaped”. It was decided that as this was possibly a one-off situation, no action was necessary.
Since that Panel meeting, a net has again been “neaped” in similar circumstances and 3 other nets have been apparently abandoned; all of these nets have generated a significant number of complaints from the public. Having considered a number of options, the Panel recommend that a new Regulation be introduced restricting to 96 hours the amount of time that a set net may remain in place.
There are no
financial or manpower implications arising from these Draft Regulations.
Explanatory Note
These Regulations amend the Sea Fisheries (Inshore Trawling, Netting and Dredging) (Jersey) Regulations 2001 (principal Regulations).
Article 1 is an interpretation provision.
Article 2 amends the principal Regulations so as to disapply the new Regulation 6A, inserted by these Regulations, from the area comprising 3 nautical miles of sea measured from the low-water mark of ordinary spring tides. The effect is that the new Regulation 6A applies only to the landward side from which such sea is measured.
Article 3 amends the principal Regulations by inserting Regulation 6A. Regulation 6A prohibits a beach set net used for fishing from being left in the same position for more than 96 hours.
Article 4 sets out the title of these Regulations and provides that they shall come into force 7 days after they are made.
