Mersea’S fishermen say their boats may have to be taken out of service.

They claim the industry is facing a bleak future because of “serious mismanagement by an urban government that didn’t care about rural industries”.

West Mersea’s fishing boats are preparing for their catch to be limited to just 50kg of sole a month from July, and warned it will not be worth going out to sea.

Fisherman Clive Mills said small inshore boats had suffered at the hands of a European quota system, dominated by big operators and foreign fleets.

He added: “We’re near the end of our fishing year and I don’t know if we’ll be back next year.

“It’s an incredibly complicated picture, but it boils down to governments in other countries working the system to their advantage, while our Government has done nothing to support our fishing industry and let it be ruined.”

With skate fishing banned, Mr Mills said latest quota deals left him with only three tonnes of sole to catch this year.

“I need to catch 11 tonnes to pay the wages of two people and the costs of running the boat,” he said.

“We’re real people with real jobs who are very worried about our futures.

“The last Government ruined us and we’re seeking a meeting with the new minister to have it out with him about whether we have a future. But I’m not hopeful.

“Nothing can be changed about the quota and there’s no money to pay tie-up fees for boats to stay in harbour, not that we want charity.”

Mr Mills predicted there was “no future” for a fishing industry that was not allowed to catch anything.

He added: “My family have fished these waters for generations and I’ve been doing it for 30 years.

“It has always been hard work, but it’s our way of life and I do not know what I can do instead.”