A GROUP of fisherman are fighting proposed conservation legislation changes they believe could force them to give up their beloved pastime.

The amateur fishermen, who operate their boats out of South Gare, Redcar, east Cleveland, could lose out under changes being proposed by the North-Eastern Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authority (NEIFCA).

The government agency is consulting fishing groups along the North-East and North Yorkshire coast during the second phase of its shellfish management project.

Among the changes being proposed is the introduction of a 5kg bag limit in taking winkles, mussels, razors and limpets, while tightening the guidelines for lobster catches.

John Grainger is leading the fight against the proposed prohibitions.

He said: “I have been fishing out of these huts for more than 50 years and the amount of rules and regulations just keeps getting bigger.

“We do not have a problem with conservation, but it is not the casual fisherman like us that is causing the problems.

By Graeme Hetherington graeme.hetherington@nne.co.uk “These new regulations are affecting us and not the fulltime fishermen and certainly not the trawlers that work along the North-East.”

The amateur fishermen took part in a consultation meeting in Redcar last week.

Mr Grainger, 63, a retired steelworker said: “What a lot of people will not realise is that the inspectors can stop anyone from picking up shellfish – even people who are just on holiday.

“People will stop coming down to the huts if they are being stopped from fishing, and that would not be good for the area. We are going to fight these rule changes and keep alive our love of fishing.

“We are already only allowed to use ten lobster pots at a time, but commercial fishermen can use as many as they like. When will it end?”

The next consultation meeting will take place in the Crown Hotel, Scarborough, at 6.30pm tomorrow, before sessions in Sunderland and Bridlington and Hornsea, both in Humberside, in the coming weeks.

No one from NEIFCA was available for comment last night.

To take part in the consultation, go to ne-ifca.gov.uk