THOUSANDS of fishing jobs have been lost and coastal communities devastated by European policy, an industry boss in the region has claimed.

Jeremy Pritchard, managing director of North Shields’ Fish Quay, has told The Journal of his concerns over the impacts of European Union fisheries policy which he claims is failing to reward fishermen’s efforts to conserve stocks with fair quota allocations.

His comments have been backed by the leader of a national fishermans’ organisation in the region.

Mr Pritchard, who has been in his post 18 years, spoke out after voicing his concerns in a letter to a national newspaper, published yesterday.

In the letter, he labels EU policy “clumsy” and says it has contributed to the “loss of thousands of fish-industry-related jobs and the devastation of coastal communities.”

Mr Pritchard claims fishermen are working to helping conserve stocks.

He claims the result is an improvement in stock levels, which is being rewarded “if somewhat grudgingly” in increased quota allocation.

Mr Pritchard told The Journal: “I would never invent a policy like the Common Fisheries Policy.

“Its application has been damaging, the fallout from that has been the loss of jobs, a massive reduction in the industry.”

Last night, fisherman Dennis Clark, chairman of the National Fishing Federation of Fishermen’s Organisation committee in the North East, said: “This is absolutely correct, we are faced with basically a top down from Brussels method of running the fish industry, where the regulations that affect the industries in 26 countries have to be decided from Brussels. It is impossible to come up with meaningful policies when you are trying to run a fisheries policy like that.”

He criticised European decision-makers for an “unnecessary reduction” in quota which leads to discarding and does not allow fishermen to get the full value of their catch. The European Parliament last week voted for sweeping reforms of the controversial EU Common Fisheries Policy.

MEPs voted for a package of measures to protect endangered stocks and end discards, the practice of throwing unwanted dead fish into the sea.

It is hoped that the changes can become law by next year, after more talks with the 27 EU governments.