Fishermen in Harwich are to hold emergency talks following the news of further cuts to fishing quotas in an attempt to save dwindling fish stocks.

The trawlermen of the town believe better protection of British waters from foreign trawlers is also needed to save the industry.

Following marathon talks in Brussels on Thursday, new European plans to limit hauls were announced to try to save stocks of cod, hake and whiting.

As the news spread across Harwich, leaders of the industry in the town on Friday agreed action was needed.

Captain Rod Shaw, chairman of the Harwich Fishermen's Association, said: "We are not arguing, there are not the fish there used to be. Whether that is down to over-fishing, global warming or a warmer North Sea, the point is there are fewer fish."

But he said he thought better protection of the British waters was needed alongside quotas to try to support the industry.

He said: "The situation of foreign ships coming in to Britain has always been of concern to the Harwich fleet.

"We have seen this happening just off our coast. Better protection would be welcome and that is something we would like to see."

The once large Harwich fishing fleet, which is documented sending dozens of ships to the coast of Iceland in the 15th century, has dwindled in recent years to less than a dozen boats.

All but one of them are less than 10 metres long and tend to never go more than 20 miles from the harbour, taking Dover sole, flounder, whiting and cod.

But numbers of fish have taken a nosedive in recent years.

During Thursday night's talks, not even the fishermen were arguing against the Brussels Commission's insistence on cuts of more than 50 per cent in cod catches next year.

The fish is so scarce that fishermen have only managed to catch 60 per cent of last year's EU quota of 81,000 tonnes, and the last time the entire quota was taken up was in 1995.

John Jowers, fisherman and West Mersea councillor, said the cut in cod quotas would have an impact on other fishing. He said: "When quotas are cut on one fish it puts pressure on other stocks."

By David Grocott

Reporter's e-mail: david_grocott@thisisessex.co.uk

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