Protest against harbour growth
PROTESTERS from pressure group Extinction Rebellion will join a morning of action in Brixham this weekend.
Organisers say they want to turn the spotlight on an application for levelling up funding for an extension to the fish quay.
Supporters of the plan say it is vital to preserve the port’s £41 million-ayear fishing trade for the future, but opponents say the money could be better spent elsewhere.
A spokesman said: “This bid is quietly being prepared to pay for an extension which will support greater numbers of ecologically devastating beam trawlers and benefit very few beyond the quay itself.
“Beam and bottom trawling is so indiscriminately destructive it has just been banned from four Marine Protected Areas around the UK. Ocean Rebellion, Extinction Rebellion and other local groups will be protesting before it is too late and there is a huge increase in fish trucks ploughing through Brixham’s old town, a huge increase in damaging industrial fishing and millionaire trawler owners become richer while the public suffers. And all this while other critical areas are in crisis.”
The protesters are also asking: “Why is the £41,000,000 a year industrial fishing business in line for Levelling Up funds while children’s services are in a poor state; crisis-hit health care is collapsing under lack of support; cash-strapped social care is barely able to function; the critical tourist economy is struggling with multiple challenges; education is unable to support the most vulnerable children; local jobs are precarious; the lack of affordable housing has become a crisis; there is inadequate public transport and infrastructure across the area; the cost of living is soaring, driving families to food banks and into poverty.”
The protest is on Sunday (10.30am to 1.30pm) at Brixham Fish Quay.