REPORTS
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DIRECTOR’S REPORT FOR THE QUARTER ENDING 31^th MARCH 2007

Weather : Continuing mild but with stormy periods throughout January and parts of February.  Storm swells were even more noticeable than usual with erosion of Gower sand dunes and the Llanelli coastal path.  March was more settled.

Fishing Activity
Finfish : Generally low key with netting from Carmarthen Bay eastwards throughout the period, and some mainly < 10 metre trawling activity in March. Species taken included ray, sole, plaice, codling, whiting and bass.

Numbers of bass were evident, some of good size and in a spawning condition.  On note also were numbers of codling to 5lbs, quite a good spring run and much better than of recent years.  To such an extent that the 50kg per vessel per month quota was inadequate, leading to some wasteful discarding.

MOLLUSCS
Whelk : Following the Committees decision not to introduce a closed season, three boats fished Carmarthen Bay.  The smaller boats hauled out as usual.  In the end the extra fishing period coincided with the worst of the bad weather!

Cockles : Limited effort on very small cockle on the Burry Inlet middle bank. As a consequence of small cockle and low winter yields, poaching activity was muted and kept in check by Fishery Officer patrol.

Mussels : Some effort on Burry Inlet north side only.

Worryingly, cockle mortality was seen at Laugharne and Penclacwydd, and of mussel at St Ishmaels.  CEFAS analysis indicated strong and healthy shellfish and the mortality was put down to adverse weather conditions (wind, wave and freshwater/river runoff).

CRUSTACEANS
At this time of the year most of the industry spend their time maintaining their vessels and preparing the gear, although the larger vessels continue to fish for crab and those at Fishguard for prawns.

Every year the fishing seems to get earlier, and with a settled March and warm weather, the gear was soon shot away.  Catches and prices were reasonable all round.  No infringements were detected.

Sampling of wild lobster stock from Gower to Fishguard took place for gaffkemia (bacterial infection).  Thankfully the results from CEFAS (Weymouth) were negative in wild stock so the outbreak appears to have been limited to one set of holding tanks only and which have now been cleansed.  A follow up survey is scheduled for June as a precautionary measure.

GENERAL
We welcome Fishery Officer Stephen Rees to the fold, who has been ‘learning the ropes’ during this quite part of the year.  In fact 2007, thus far, has been quieter than most years.

Wash-ups of clam species, Ensis, Spinney cockle and whelks were very apparent across many exposed beaches in Carmarthen Bay and Gower.  Large Mya arenaria at Oxwich drew press attention.   These appear to have arisen as a consequence of the timing of a large swell with neap tides.

The annual statistics for the use of FPV Cranogwen make for good reading, especially since the inevitable problems following the vessel and engine refit were still to be ‘shaken out’.  It is pleasing to note the efforts made and that Fishery Officers now welcome periods upon the refurbished vessel – unlike the old.  The Master/Deputy Master arrangement is working well thanks to their efforts and that of the FO crew (numbering 3 when either Master or Mate is away).  Deputy Director continues to press for the more stringent targets to be met which, although challenging, are do-able if all vessel functions perform to specification, weather is average and no other enforcement or staff crises develop.

The Committee’s Biologist continues to work on a diverse range of projects and seek student manpower support and other financial assistance to collect biological information and undertake their analyses to which he is able to provide an interpretation.

DIARY OF EVENTS
D = Director   D = Deputy Director    B = Both     MCO = Marine Conservation Officer

NOTE : Some inspections are covered under more than one legislation, therefore can appear as more than one count in each period.

OUTSTANDING CASES 2006/07

CONCLUDED CASES - END MARCH 2007

Members’ attention is drawn to Prosecution cases concluded within the quarter by way of reference to Press Releases issued.

press release 04/07                      date: 6 March 2007

Cocklers fined for fishing closed beds
Individual fines of £1000 were imposed on two cockle gatherers for poaching incidents which took place last year.

Ammanford magistrates sitting on Monday 5th March heard prosecution cases brought by the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee in relation to the cockle fishery in the Three Rivers area of Carmarthen Bay.

In the first case the court heard that Fishery Officers had observed Nigel Davies of Square Hall, Pemberton, Llanelli gathering cockles with an accomplice on the closed beds in the Taf estuary near Laugharne on 5 August 2006. Apprehended near Llanybrie, the pair were found with 350 kg of cockle worth £300.

Davies was fined £1000 in his absence and ordered to pay £70 costs. Evidential reasons prevented the prosecution of his accomplice.

In the second case, Lee Jackson, of 45 Trallwm Road, Llanelli was also fined £1000 in his absence and ordered to pay £300 costs. In the company of two others he was stopped by Fishery Officers on the track leading from the closed cockle beds at Llanybrie on 20 July 2006. In the rear of the vehicle in which they were driving, Officers inspected gathering equipment and cockles worth £500. Despite the catch and the men dripping with water and mud, the defendants, when interviewed claimed to have taken the cockles from unrestricted beds in Pembrokeshire.

The magistrates heard that samples taken from the defendants catch were seized and then analysed by the Committee’s biologists in relation to their age, size, condition and colour. Analysis showed that the sample taken from the defendants was totally different from the site in Pembrokeshire, whereas it was identical to the cockles at Llanybrie.

The court found the case against Jackson proved. His co-defendants Luke Muir, of 9 Y Rhoddfa, Burry Port and Steven Billings of 27 Morawel, Cefncaeau, Llanelli had both pleaded guilty to the court on 29 January 2007 when, having been given credit for their early admissions, were each fined £300 and ordered to pay £150 in prosecution costs.

A spokesman for the Committee welcomed the level of support from the court in the task of managing and conserving the fishery. ‘Cockle form a very important element in the marine environment where they occur. Natural mortality in 2006 dictated that the Three Rivers fishery remained closed. Effective deterrence in the form of these fines is a central plank of our management strategy’.