05/12/2005 - A tip off from a member of the public led to the Environment Agency making its biggest ever seizure of illegal fishing nets in Cornwall at the weekend. The alarm was raised on Saturday (Dec 3) evening after a small group of commercial fishing boats were seen behaving suspiciously in St Austell Bay. An eye-witness reported that gill nets were being set close to the shore near Crinnis Beach. Netting is restricted in this area to protect migrating salmon and sea trout.

Local byelaws clearly state that fixed nets must be set at least 3 metre below the surface of the sea to allow salmon, that swim higher in the water, to pass safely along this stretch of coastline without being caught. An Environment Agency patrol boat was launched and a search made of the sea between Black Head and Spit Beach.

Four illegal fixed nets were recovered totalling 1,500 metres in length – the largest measured 500 metres and contained a dead harbour porpoise (Photo available). There was no sign of any commercial fishing boats in the area. In addition to the illegal gill nets, the Environment Agency’s fisheries enforcement team recovered eight heavy duty anchors. As well as an important bass fishery, St Austell Bay is regarded as a vital holding area for salmon and sea trout. The fish congregate in the Bay before entering the River Fowey to spawn. The Fowey is one of only two rivers in Cornwall currently meeting is breeding target and is one of the most important salmon rivers in the region.

‘Over the past 18 months we have seized and destroyed 8,000 metres of illegal nets in St Austell Bay. This latest seizure shows that while many fishermen operate by the rules, there is a small minority who cannot be trusted. We have a good idea who set these nets and are continuing our investigation,’ said Mark Pilcher for the Environment Agency. This latest haul of illegal bass nets follows similar seizures in other areas of Cornwall including Whitsand Bay, Cawsand Bay, Gerrans Bay and the Percuil Estuary where a prosecution is pending. Harbour porpoise are regular visitors to St Austell Bay where they feed on shoals of pilchard which are now present in coastal waters frequented by bass and migrating salmon.