PFSA Calls For A Rethink
At the request of the PFSA, Plymouth City Council have arranged a meeting on 16th August with all parties to discussed the mitigation measures that need to be put in place when work begins on the Sutton Harbour lock gates in early September. We have set out what we believe needs to be done.
What is needed:
Availability of alternative at Millbay
The alternative landing and berthing arrangements in Millbay should be available whenever vessels are unable to use Sutton Harbour, in their normal course of their landing and berthing operations – not only on an undefined emergency basis.
Communications
There are many links in the chain. It will be essential that communications between SHC and vessels, within SHC and between SHC and Plymouth Trawler Agents operate efficiently and without hitch.
Landing the fish
As they stand, the proposed arrangements will lead to vessels having to queue to land fish and potentially long delays, compounded by inadequate transport support.
There should be at least two loader cranes with considerably more lifting capacity and reach than has been proposed.
Crab and scallop vessels should be provided with assisted landing, when required.
There should be ice available at Trinity Pier to keep the fish fresh
There should be chilled storage at Trinity Pier to ensure that fishing can be landed efficiently promptly and to keep the fish fresh (the alternative would be to have a large refrigerated lorry on stand-by)
Staffing levels by SHC should be sufficient to ensure that everything operates smoothly and fish can be landed efficiency and safely
Transporting the fish
Refrigerated vehicles should be provided with sufficient capacity; a lorry rather than the van and low loader proposed. An open low loader is entirely unsuitable.
The transport should be available when fish are landed. Vessels should not be expected to queue and wait possibly several hours.
SHG should arrange documentation to ensure that there is an accurate record of the fish boxes being transported and delivered to PTA, to avoid difficulties over missing quantities of fish.
Berthing
The last time refurbishment works were carried out, vessels were permitted to work from Millbay. The same flexibility should be available this time.
Trinity Pier
It is not reasonable to expect crew to remain on board all the time the vessel is berthed at Trinity Pier, and to require vessels to move to Sutton Harbour at first available free flow period. This was not a requirement last time. The judgement should rest with the skipper.
The manual should state whether there is a weather window when vessels will not be permitted to berth or will be at risk and, if so, set out plan B.
There should be a mooring plan, with any weight restrictions set out.
Skippers should be able to arrange bunkering and to take on ice supplied by SHG, in order to avoid delays and optimise fishing opportunities (SHC have stated that this will not be permitted, though their own consultant’s report recommended that it be allowed)
King Point
The number of available berths should be stated
Vessels should be able to take on ice and (where appropriate, bait) and work from King Point
Barbican landing stage
Any additional cost of using the landing stage should be borne by the EA or SHC, as part of the scheme costs.
Compensation
Financial restitution should be provided by the Environment Agency to vessel owners and shore based businesses (e.g. Plymouth Trawler Agents) to cover losses
Further details to be resolved
There is a considerable amount of further detail to be resolved before the alternative arrangements come into operation. The information should be made publicly available and it should not be left to individual skippers to make enquiries and try to find out how they might be affected.