Fears over dwindling fish stocks in the estuary

9:20am Wednesday 20th February 2013 in News

FISH stocks in the Thames Estuary are believed to be dwindling and could threaten the livelihoods of Southend fishermen.

Paul Gilson, joint chairman of Leigh and Southend Fishermen’s Association, said stocks of several species of fish and shellfish have dwindled while Dover Sole have all but disappeared.

He said: “Over the last two we have seen a collapse of fish stocks across the board. The problem started in the upper reaches first around Canvey then year-by-year working its way down river.

"It started in the middle of the river and over time has spread north and south it now has reached out to 12 miles and from Ramsgate to Southwold. It has affected nearly all species of fish in some way or another.”

While it has not been established what the cause of the decline is, many blame the removal of part of the seabed to build a new port in the upper reaches of the Thames above Canvey.

Comments (8)

10:15am Wed 20 Feb 13

wagger says...

I suspect the dredging of the sea bed to fascilitate the new port is having many side effects that we are not being informed about. Falling fish stocks and the dissapearance of the mud from Chalkwell and beyond being just two of them. All we need now is Boris's barmy mid-Thames airport just to round it off !
I suspect the dredging of the sea bed to fascilitate the new port is having many side effects that we are not being informed about. Falling fish stocks and the dissapearance of the mud from Chalkwell and beyond being just two of them. All we need now is Boris's barmy mid-Thames airport just to round it off ! wagger

11:24am Wed 20 Feb 13

I See It All says...

Could it be some fishermen are over fishing and then not declaring what they have caught?

Surley the Mr Gilson in this article is not the same Mr Gilson that was the star of the article in the Echo at 8:00am on Wednesday 28th December
2011.

"Paul Gilson – facing financial ruin
A FISHERMAN must hand over more than £395,000 for flouting fishing quotas or go to jail for three years.Paul Gilson, 56, of Undercliff Gardens, Leigh, has been given six months to pay the cash in full."
Could it be some fishermen are over fishing and then not declaring what they have caught? Surley the Mr Gilson in this article is not the same Mr Gilson that was the star of the article in the Echo at 8:00am on Wednesday 28th December 2011. "Paul Gilson – facing financial ruin A FISHERMAN must hand over more than £395,000 for flouting fishing quotas or go to jail for three years.Paul Gilson, 56, of Undercliff Gardens, Leigh, has been given six months to pay the cash in full." I See It All

3:06pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Carnabackable says...

Through their sheer greed, the Thames has run out.
The fishing boats fish closer to the shore than ever,it's little surprise the stocks, have diminished...
Through their sheer greed, the Thames has run out. The fishing boats fish closer to the shore than ever,it's little surprise the stocks, have diminished... Carnabackable

4:01pm Wed 20 Feb 13

iknowbetter says...

I See It All wrote:
Could it be some fishermen are over fishing and then not declaring what they have caught?

Surley the Mr Gilson in this article is not the same Mr Gilson that was the star of the article in the Echo at 8:00am on Wednesday 28th December
2011.

"Paul Gilson – facing financial ruin
A FISHERMAN must hand over more than £395,000 for flouting fishing quotas or go to jail for three years.Paul Gilson, 56, of Undercliff Gardens, Leigh, has been given six months to pay the cash in full."
If it is then he of all people should understand why he was so heavily fined for trying to sell sole that he had no quota for. Having said that once the UK sole quota has been reached the Spanish and French move in to hover up whats left so its no wonder the Thames is becoming devoid of fish. Many places on the Thames are nursery area's for Bass and Sole and many other species. Sadly the netting isnt as selective as Defra claim it is and many undersized fish,(by-catch) are crushed in the nets and discarded while commercial fishermen hunt down their quarry. Just another reason to opt out of Europe. If the UK fishing fleet wasnt decimated close to the point of collapse and we were left to manage our own waters then maybe we wouldnt be in this situation.
The quota system is a joke!!
[quote][p][bold]I See It All[/bold] wrote: Could it be some fishermen are over fishing and then not declaring what they have caught? Surley the Mr Gilson in this article is not the same Mr Gilson that was the star of the article in the Echo at 8:00am on Wednesday 28th December 2011. "Paul Gilson – facing financial ruin A FISHERMAN must hand over more than £395,000 for flouting fishing quotas or go to jail for three years.Paul Gilson, 56, of Undercliff Gardens, Leigh, has been given six months to pay the cash in full."[/p][/quote]If it is then he of all people should understand why he was so heavily fined for trying to sell sole that he had no quota for. Having said that once the UK sole quota has been reached the Spanish and French move in to hover up whats left so its no wonder the Thames is becoming devoid of fish. Many places on the Thames are nursery area's for Bass and Sole and many other species. Sadly the netting isnt as selective as Defra claim it is and many undersized fish,(by-catch) are crushed in the nets and discarded while commercial fishermen hunt down their quarry. Just another reason to opt out of Europe. If the UK fishing fleet wasnt decimated close to the point of collapse and we were left to manage our own waters then maybe we wouldnt be in this situation. The quota system is a joke!! iknowbetter

4:08pm Wed 20 Feb 13

iknowbetter says...

Carnabackable wrote:
Through their sheer greed, the Thames has run out.
The fishing boats fish closer to the shore than ever,it's little surprise the stocks, have diminished...
This is true but under current legislation boats under 10m can fish as close as they like. People have campaigned for years for an exclusion zone of 2 miles if i'm not mistaken but nothing has ever been done. Currently Defra are working on no take zones, No fishing whatsoever be it commercial or recreational will be allowed. Is this to little to late??
[quote][p][bold]Carnabackable[/bold] wrote: Through their sheer greed, the Thames has run out. The fishing boats fish closer to the shore than ever,it's little surprise the stocks, have diminished...[/p][/quote]This is true but under current legislation boats under 10m can fish as close as they like. People have campaigned for years for an exclusion zone of 2 miles if i'm not mistaken but nothing has ever been done. Currently Defra are working on no take zones, No fishing whatsoever be it commercial or recreational will be allowed. Is this to little to late?? iknowbetter

5:31pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Cosmo Spring says...

let them eat horse
let them eat horse Cosmo Spring

6:45pm Wed 20 Feb 13

Carnabackable says...

Cosmo Spring wrote:
let them eat horse
Sea Horse....
[quote][p][bold]Cosmo Spring[/bold] wrote: let them eat horse[/p][/quote]Sea Horse.... Carnabackable

7:35pm Wed 20 Feb 13

another council tax payer says...

I See It All wrote:
Could it be some fishermen are over fishing and then not declaring what they have caught?

Surley the Mr Gilson in this article is not the same Mr Gilson that was the star of the article in the Echo at 8:00am on Wednesday 28th December
2011.

"Paul Gilson – facing financial ruin
A FISHERMAN must hand over more than £395,000 for flouting fishing quotas or go to jail for three years.Paul Gilson, 56, of Undercliff Gardens, Leigh, has been given six months to pay the cash in full."
spot on
[quote][p][bold]I See It All[/bold] wrote: Could it be some fishermen are over fishing and then not declaring what they have caught? Surley the Mr Gilson in this article is not the same Mr Gilson that was the star of the article in the Echo at 8:00am on Wednesday 28th December 2011. "Paul Gilson – facing financial ruin A FISHERMAN must hand over more than £395,000 for flouting fishing quotas or go to jail for three years.Paul Gilson, 56, of Undercliff Gardens, Leigh, has been given six months to pay the cash in full."[/p][/quote]spot on another council tax payer

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