Fishermen 'going through a really tough time'

Two Guernsey politicians are calling for more support to sustain the struggling fishing sector.

It follows reports of predatory octopuses eating shellfish from pots leading to concerns over declining catch.

Deputies Marc Leadbeater and John Gollop said local fishermen should be given support to access the tuna market.

But Deputy Neil Inder, President of Economic Development, said his committee had not been approached by any fishermen asking for support.

Deputy Leadbeater said he had had concerns about opportunities for fishermen for some time.

He said: "A lot of jurisdictions around us have a tuna quota and fish in our waters. Our fishing fleet seem to be singled out and don't have access to those tuna markets. I don't think it's fair."

Octopuses returned to Guernsey waters in 2020 after a 50-year hiatus.

Leadbeater said he believed climate change was leading to an increase in the numbers seen locally.

He said: "We're going through a really tough time with the octopus coming in and smashing the lobster, the crab and the scallops. It's absolutely decimating the fishing industry and now's the time to do something."

Leadbeater said a lack of support had led to missed opportunities: "We need to support fishermen to diversify.

"Tuna is a highly profitable industry, not just catching it but sports fishing too. The UK fleet have been successful in that area and we need to take advantage of it too."

Follow BBC Guernsey on X and Facebook. Send your story ideas to [email protected].