Guernsey's chief minister calls for UK government support over fishing ban

Jonathan Le Tocq has written to the Ministry of Justice over a ban of Guernsey fishing boats from EU waters

Guernsey's chief minister has called for support from the UK government following a decision to ban local fishing vessels from EU waters.

The UK government is suspending a fishing agreement because of a lack of quota controls.

In a letter to the Minister of Justice Lord Faulks, Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq said Defra's action "cuts right across the UK's relationship with Guernsey".

He also said that the decision was made without consultation.

'Measures imposed'

A Defra spokesman said discussions over quotas - particularly relating to ray and skate - had been ongoing since March and the suspension was a "last resort".

On the issue of quotas Mr Le Tocq said: "We feel these measures, which we never signed up to in the first place, are now being retrospectively imposed upon our industry."

He said it would "put people out of work, change the nature of the fisheries industry in Guernsey and we don't want that to happen, that's quite a major issue for us".

"Indeed small fishing fleets around the UK sometimes have had exemptions from the quota systems as it would destroy their businesses," he added.

A Ministry of Justice spokeswoman said it had received the letter and would respond in due course.