Marine plan spending casts doubts on Alderney priorities

It has led to questions about how the island, which has a growing deficit with Guernsey, is prioritising its spending.

It has also confused Alderney’s fishermen and one of its own members.

Already £25,000 has already been spent by Alderney on preparatory work.

At this month’s Policy and Finance Committee meeting another £25,000 was earmarked for the project, reduced from £50,000.

Alderney States says a marine plan is being developed to coincide with the expected extension of territorial waters from three miles to 12. The new limits will form a ring around the Bailiwick.

According to the States of Alderney, the island’s marine plan will consist of the ‘multi-sectoral management of a marine area for the purpose of sustainable use and conservation’, creating ‘an operational framework through which the value of marine biodiversity can co-exist with multiple marine-based human activities’, such as fishing.

Deputy Joe Mooney said the States of Guernsey did not currently have the cash to spend on a marine plan.

He said because Guernsey had no dirty industries – save the issue with sewage, which is also common to Alderney – and a relatively small commercial fishing fleet, it was satisfied it could deal with problems if and when they arose.

‘For Guernsey, creating a marine area would be a few years away when we’ve got some money,’ he said. ‘I would have thought it was some way down the line for Alderney too. When you have issues with air links and sea links I couldn’t see it as a priority.

‘All the letters regarding legislation around a 12-mile limit will be written as we sort out Brexit.’

He questioned what the States of Alderney was trying to achieve.

‘What will change about what you are doing or what is happening now? You are looking at one or two officers enforcing the regulations, unless you ban leisure or commercial industry altogether.’

A spokesman for the States of Guernsey said: ‘To date, the States has not prioritised work on a marine area strategy. This will be prioritised in due course. If Alderney wishes to pursue its own, that is a matter for Alderney.’

The marine plan concept has fishermen baffled – and suspicious.

Ray Gaudion, former president of the Licensed Fishing Vessels Association, commented: ‘I think it’s just making jobs for people to feel important. Locally, fishermen here are more conservation-minded than anywhere else.’

He added: ‘How are they going to police it or manage it? The authorities don’t even do what they are supposed to do with three miles.’

Policy and Finance Committee chairman James Dent said Alderney had better fish stocks in its 12-mile limit than Guernsey did.

‘There are huge resources to be captured by Alderney. This is about protecting our fishing.’

He added that the UK government wanted to see that Alderney’s waters would be well managed in the event of limits being extended.

‘We would need UK support if there was an accident in the Channel shipping lanes and in dealing with discarded chemicals in Hurd Deep.’

He said there was no suggestion that a full-time officer would be employed to manage the marine area.

Alderney States member Louis Jean said: ‘Alderney should be taking advantage of what Guernsey does with the limits and Brexit, not paddling ahead in our own little canoe, spending money that we don’t need to spend.’

The marine plan is due to be ratified by the full States of Alderney. The £25,000 expenditure will have to be agreed by P&F.