Fishermen unhappy at the condition of the Fish Quay

Barry Paint said that while he had concerns about a lack of maintenance around the harbour in general, the problems at the fish quay were obvious to all.

‘The concrete piles are split and the steel is exposed and rotting,’ he said. ‘It’s falling apart.’

Deputy Lester Queripel, who formally asked the States’ Trading Supervisory Board if the structure met fishermen’s needs, and if there were sufficient moorings there, said the answers he got left him with more questions.

‘They said that while the Fish Quay facilities were adequate, they could be improved, and reflected the age of the current facility,’ he said. ‘I want to know if they will be improved and, if so, what are they going to do.’

He was told that nine people were on the waiting list for moorings at the Fish Quay, two were already accommodated at the quay but wished to change mooring provision, one was on the west coast, while the remaining vessels were elsewhere in St Peter Port Harbour.

Deputy Queripel said STSB was asking for money from the States for essential repairs to the harbour.

‘It shouldn’t be done like that, as essential repairs should be allowed for in their budget in the first place,’ he said.

Simon French, who has been a fisherman all his life, said facilities at the Fish Quay were adequate as far as he was concerned, but problems were building for the future.

‘It’s all right wanting new things but you need to look after what you already have,’ he said.

‘There’s been a lack of maintenance around the harbour for a long time.

‘The granite breakwater needs re-pointing and in some places, stones are missing. Concrete pylons are cracked and what it’s like under the water is anyone’s guess.’

Planks from the wave wall at the eastern end of the Fish Quay often fell out, he said.

‘I understand that money is tight, and spending all that money on a cruise liner tender berth is only really window dressing,’ he said.

A fisherman who did not wish to be named said the biggest problem, as far as he was concerned, was the lack of somewhere to offload his catch at low tide.

‘In fairness to Harbours they do try and help us, but everything comes at a cost,’ he said. ‘We can offload on one of the ro-ro ramps, but we have to pay for it, and the old lifeboat slip is currently subject to a one-tonne weight restriction due to its condition.’

When fishermen asked about the possibility of getting a winch system like the one in Jersey, he said they were told that they ‘would have to pay for it themselves’.

‘First we had Covid and now we have rising fuel prices, and things are difficult as it is,’ he said.