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| Mystery of hundreds of thousands of dead fish on Cornish beach solved | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The mystery of why hundreds of thousands of fish were found washed up on a Cornish beach over the weekend has been solved: they were dumped by a trawler that caught too many sardines in shallow water. | The mystery of why hundreds of thousands of fish were found washed up on a Cornish beach over the weekend has been solved: they were dumped by a trawler that caught too many sardines in shallow water. |
| After a photographer happened on the huge shoal of dead fish on Marazion at St Michael’s Mount beach, various explanations were offered for her eerie discovery – just two weeks after a similar sighting on another Cornish beach. Bad weather out at sea and attempts by the fish to escape large predators were both suggested as explanations. | After a photographer happened on the huge shoal of dead fish on Marazion at St Michael’s Mount beach, various explanations were offered for her eerie discovery – just two weeks after a similar sighting on another Cornish beach. Bad weather out at sea and attempts by the fish to escape large predators were both suggested as explanations. |
| However, according to Gus Caslake, the chairman of the Cornish Sardine Management Association, one of its member vessels was responsible. It had been following shoals of fish that were closer to the shoreline than normal this winter, and was forced to release large numbers after it caught too many to safely pull aboard. | However, according to Gus Caslake, the chairman of the Cornish Sardine Management Association, one of its member vessels was responsible. It had been following shoals of fish that were closer to the shoreline than normal this winter, and was forced to release large numbers after it caught too many to safely pull aboard. |
| The Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (Cifca) and the UK government regulator, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), have launched investigations into the two incidents. | The Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (Cifca) and the UK government regulator, the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), have launched investigations into the two incidents. |
| Simon Cadman, Cifca’s principal enforcement officer, told the Guardian that “it’s likely that the fishing in that area has been the cause of the problem” in both cases. | Simon Cadman, Cifca’s principal enforcement officer, told the Guardian that “it’s likely that the fishing in that area has been the cause of the problem” in both cases. |
| Cadman said he was aware of several boats that were operating in the area on Saturday evening, targeting the shoals of sardines that return to the Cornish coast each winter. | Cadman said he was aware of several boats that were operating in the area on Saturday evening, targeting the shoals of sardines that return to the Cornish coast each winter. |
| Caslake said that the first incident at Pentewan Sands was likely caused by fishing vessels driving the sardines on to the beach as they tried to escape the nets. It had previously been reported that the dead fish included mackerel, but Prof Heather Koldewey, head of marine and freshwater conservation programmes at the Zoological Society of London, confirmed the fish were sardines after visiting the site on Monday. | Caslake said that the first incident at Pentewan Sands was likely caused by fishing vessels driving the sardines on to the beach as they tried to escape the nets. It had previously been reported that the dead fish included mackerel, but Prof Heather Koldewey, head of marine and freshwater conservation programmes at the Zoological Society of London, confirmed the fish were sardines after visiting the site on Monday. |
| Dumping sardines is legal because the species are not covered by the European Union’s landing obligation laws. | Dumping sardines is legal because the species are not covered by the European Union’s landing obligation laws. |
| Debbie Crockard, the Marine Conservation Society’s fisheries policy officer, said: “If they are discarding that amount of sardines then [the MMO] should be looking into that, because that is a ridiculous amount to be throwing back into the sea ... If this is happening on a regular basis then the law should be looked at.” | Debbie Crockard, the Marine Conservation Society’s fisheries policy officer, said: “If they are discarding that amount of sardines then [the MMO] should be looking into that, because that is a ridiculous amount to be throwing back into the sea ... If this is happening on a regular basis then the law should be looked at.” |
| However, Cadman said that public embarrassment may drive behavioural change within the fishing industry. | However, Cadman said that public embarrassment may drive behavioural change within the fishing industry. |
| “We will be speaking to these guys. It is for the industry itself to actually put its operations straight in terms of how they conduct their fishing,” he said. Cadman would not say which boats or companies he was investigating. | “We will be speaking to these guys. It is for the industry itself to actually put its operations straight in terms of how they conduct their fishing,” he said. Cadman would not say which boats or companies he was investigating. |
| Cornish sardine fishermen plan to put boats on standby to assist others that catch too much too close to shore, Caslake said. That would allow them to offload fish and make it back to port safely. | Cornish sardine fishermen plan to put boats on standby to assist others that catch too much too close to shore, Caslake said. That would allow them to offload fish and make it back to port safely. |
| A spokesman for Ocean Fish, one of the companies that operates boats in the sardine fishery, said that none of their boats had been involved. He confirmed that the MMO had contacted the company on Monday morning seeking information. | A spokesman for Ocean Fish, one of the companies that operates boats in the sardine fishery, said that none of their boats had been involved. He confirmed that the MMO had contacted the company on Monday morning seeking information. |
| A spokeswoman for the MMO said: “We are looking at the activity of vessels in the area but it is too early to say what the cause [of the beached fish] might be.” | A spokeswoman for the MMO said: “We are looking at the activity of vessels in the area but it is too early to say what the cause [of the beached fish] might be.” |
| The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which certifies sardines caught off the coast of Cornwall as sustainable, said it had also launched an investigation into the event. | The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which certifies sardines caught off the coast of Cornwall as sustainable, said it had also launched an investigation into the event. |
| James Simpson, the MSC communication officer, appealed for more information. The body’s auditors would be looking closely at the incident when they next assess the fishery’s accreditation, Simpson said. | James Simpson, the MSC communication officer, appealed for more information. The body’s auditors would be looking closely at the incident when they next assess the fishery’s accreditation, Simpson said. |