Government proposals that could potentially ban fishing north of Holy Island would devastate the community, stakeholders have warned.
Coun Colin Hardy, who represents Norham and Islandshires on Northumberland County Council, urged the Department of Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (Defra) to rethink its controversial plan that would see the waters around the island designated a highly protected marine area (HPMA).
It comes after the island’s fishermen and community figures condemned the plans that would put an end to thousands of years of the fishing industry on Lindisfarne. HPMAs would see activities such as commercial and recreational fishing banned, along with dredging, construction, and anchoring.
