Welsh fishermen have their own ideas on conserving our seas!

Welsh Fishermen lobbied the Senedd for the first time ever today over Welsh Government plans to establish highly protected Marine Conservation Zones around the coast.They are concerned about the effect these proposals could have on local communities, tourism and the fishing industry.

They were invited to make a presentation to Assembly Members by Ceredigion AM Elin Jones:

The fishermen led by Colin Evans, a boatman and lobster fisherman, presented their own proposals called 'Striking the Balance' which emphasised managing activities like fishing in conservation zones rather than ruling them out completely. Mr Evans from Bardsey Island believes the Government's plans could destroy the jobs of many in his area:

Environment Minister, John Griffiths, attended the presentation and stressed that the Government's plans were still at the consultation stage. His proposals already on the table include a ban on fishing , dredging and anchoring in some of the ten highly protected marine conservation zones around our coastline.