Threat to seine net fishing (From Tivyside Advertiser)

Threat to seine net fishing

1:40pm Monday 31st October 2011 in News

Seine net fishing synonymous with the village of St Dogmaels for many centuries is under serious threat of becoming extinct because of the state of the River Teifi and high licence fees.

Where there were at one time around 150 men engaged in casting nets between St Dogmaels and the sea only three crews remain and there are fears that the ancient method of fishing, introduced in 1118 by French monks at St Dogmaels Abbey, could pass into history.

The main problem facing the netsmen is that the majority of pools they fish have silted up while others contain a large number of trees washed downriver.

A Seine licence holder for many years Alan Giles said that the situation had worsened to such an extent there were only two workable pools – Nawpis and Sama - between three boats.

“I cast my nets at the Pinnog in St Dogmaels and they were ripped to shreds because of trees in the water and a pool further downriver is also unusable.

“We have made representations to the Environment Agency but they say that clearing the river is not their responsibility,” he said.

In relation to licence fees Mr. Giles pointed out that in 1993 a licence cost £408 compared to nearly £600 today.

“With the introduction of tagging last season the Environment Agency was fully aware of how many fish we caught. Instead of increasing fees they should be reducing them in an effort to preserve what is part of the heritage of this area and a big tourist attraction.

“The way things are I can’t see much future for us,” added the netsman.

His sentiments were shared by the other two licence holders Brent Williams and Wayne Jones.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said “We would only be involved if there was a flooding issue. That stretch of river is managed by the Teifi Fairways Committee.”

On licence fees the spokesman conceded that there was an increase last year, but stressed that there were no plans to increase fees for the next two years.

A spokeswoman for Ceredigion County Council also said that the Fairways Committee was responsible for managing the river.

The Fairways Committee, set up in 1972, holds the lease of the riverbed from Pen-Yr-Ergyd (The Narrows) upriver to Cardigan Hospital.

Fairways director in charge of legal and environmental issues Jim Marsden was adamant that clearing the river was not their responsibility.

“We would clear anything that was a hazard to navigation but trees that have fallen into pools are on the Pembrokeshire side of the river and the responsibility of Pembrokeshire County Council,” he said.

But not so according to Pembrokeshire.

A spokeswoman said “The Environment Agency deals with main rivers like the Teifi and would liaise with private landowners over the removal of trees, whereas we are only involved in ordinary watercourses.”

One thing appears certain and that is a lot of water will have flowed down the Teifi before the matter is resolved.