NEWS

Below is a copy of a letter sent today to Gordon Brown PM and cc'd to David Cameron MP and Anthony Steen MP from Brixham Town Council.

Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP

10 Downing Street

19.06.2008

Dear Prime Minister,

On behalf of the fishing industry of Brixham we, Brixham Town Council, urge you to take action in respect of the fuel prices currently being inflicted on our fishing fleet. As you will know, Brixham fishermen have consistently landed the highest value catch in England and Wales. Last year the industry brought in £21,000,000 of primary product to the Town; it is the linchpin of our economy. This year the catch is falling off rapidly as it becomes more and more economically unviable to put to sea.

Cases of genuine hardship are increasing as some of our most efficient and experienced fishermen are returning to port after 10 days at sea and, having paid their fuel bill, have only been able to pay the crew £100 or £10 pounds a day! Inevitably boats are now obliged to go to sea under crewed with all the safety connotations associated with the most dangerous of all jobs in the UK.

It is appreciated that fuel costs are affecting a wide sector of the economy from haulage to farming. We nevertheless assert that the fishing industry is by far the hardest hit. When a farmer ploughs his field he can have a reasonable expectation of the value of the resultant crop. Not so the fisherman, he has no means to know what, if anything, will be the yield when he casts his net, nor how much of the catch he will have to discard as over quota. Trawling is also necessarily a fuel intensive activity added to which the weather, the state of the tide and the distance to the fishing grounds makes fuel consumption impossible to predict.

All coastal fishing communities are affected by this crisis particularly ports where self employed “share” fishermen make up the majority of the workforce. Although demand for fish remains high, the value does not increase in the global economy as people switch to imports or other white meat products. The National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations and the Scottish Fishing Federation are of the opinion that the impact of fuel costs has gone “beyond critical”.

By contrast, we read in Trade Press that the French, Dutch, Belgian and Spanish Governments have reacted with some financial support for their fishing industries. French trawlermen have been promised a 930m Euros scheme over three years financed by EU money and a 2% tax on supermarket fish sales. How can UK fishermen compete on such terms? French fishermen will pay considerably less to fill the tank and there should be parity.

Every job at sea supports several jobs ashore so that, for Brixham, a crisis for fishing is a crisis for our entire community. All we ask is a level playing field with our continental neighbours, many of whom fish in our own waters, landing and selling fish in France for it to be promptly re-imported to the UK. We would not be writing this letter were it not a matter of the gravest urgency to preserve the industry from failure before Brixham becomes no more than a sterile heritage attraction and retirement centre in place of a viable and vibrant centre of industry supporting families, the community and the wider economy.

Yours Sincerely,

Ki Barnes, Town Clerk, Brixham Town Council.

Pp : Chairman Cllr Mr C Bedford

Cllr Mr P Addison

Cllr Mr G Boote

Cllr Mr V Ellery

Cllr Mr B Harland

Cllr Mr N Henderson

Cllr Mr M Hodge

Cllr Mr S John

Cllr Mr P Killick

Cllr Mr C Lomas

Cllr Mr M Morey

Cllr Mrs J Stockman

Brixham Town Hall and actor John Slater commemorated with a blue plaque

The first of three blue plaques commissioned by Brixham Town Council 's in partnership with Torbay Civic Society is to be unveiled on Monday 28th April at 3pm.

(The date has been changed to Monday 28th April).

MORE...

Brixham Town Council Grant Awarded to Brixham Swimming Pool

At the meeting of Brixham Town Council held on the seventh of February members awarded Brixham Indoor Swimming Pool an exceptional grant.

The normal large grant ceiling limit for the council of five thousand pounds was unanimously agreed to be waived in this case. Councillor Ellery said ‘The swimming pool is such an asset and benefit to the whole town that this exceptional grant to help with the facelift and refurbishing of the pool is vital.'

The sum of twenty five thousand pounds from existing funds has been granted to the pool after Dick Dyke, chairman of the pool company, gave a presentation to the town council in January. This award does not affect the Town Councils' budget grant fund for 2008/9.

Councillor Chris Bedford , Chairman of the Personnel Committee said ‘All the children in Brixham need to be able to learn to swim. We all love Shoalstone pool but this it is not the answer in winter. This indoor pool is for every age group and I feel we have done something positive that benefits a wide section of Brixham in awarding this exceptional grant.'

Applications for Large and small grants from other groups will be open again from the first of April 2008 and potential applicants can request an application form in March 2008.

Committee Members: Chair B Harland, V Ellery, N Henderson,

S John, P Killick, C Lomas & J Stockman.

Ki Barnes, Brixham Town Council Clerk, Town Council Office,

Town Hall, New Road, Brixham, TQ5 8TA.

Brixham Town Council

Town Council Office, Town Hall, New Road, Brixham , TQ5 8TA .

Telephone 01803 859678 email brixhamparish@torbay.gov.uk