FISHERMEN in West Dorset are ‘disgusted’ with plans to close more areas of Lyme Bay to ‘damaging’ types of trawling.

Natural England is calling for the area’s coral reefs to be designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) to further protect these important marine habitats.

The demand comes just a year after the Government permanently closed around 10 per cent – 60 square miles – of the bay to scallop dredging and trawling.

Fishermen say the latest proposals will be the ‘final nail in the coffin’ for their livelihoods and fear their lives could be put at greater risk by having to go further out to sea.

Local skipper Chris Wason vice-chairman of South West Inshore Fishermen’s Association (Swifa), said: “We are totally disgusted by it – they have already closed a huge area and are now looking to extend it.

“It’s discriminating against the south west more than anywhere else.”

But the proposals come as no surprise to the fishermen.

“Once they closed certain areas I expected them to try and close the whole Lyme Bay area,” said Mr Wason.

“It appears they want to put inshore mobile fishermen out of business. This is the final nail in the coffin.”

Swifa members met with Natural England representatives to discuss the implications of the new closed areas.

The Lyme Bay reef is one of four sites being proposed as the Poole Bay to Lyme Bay SAC to contribute to a European network of protected sites, known as Natura 2000.

In a site assessment, Natural England said scallop dredging and trawling has led to the ‘degradation’ of the reef but introducing the SACs could salvage the structures.

It said: “Fishing activity has resulted in the damage to the structure and functioning of many parts of the reef.

“However, statutory measures have recently been put into place to exclude scallop dredging and trawling from the reefs and evidence from studies of an area following fishing activity indicates that the site shows good recovery potential.”

The Dorset Wildlife Trust has welcomed Natural England’s report and said the move would help to protect the livelihoods of local fisherman and tourism businesses.

Director of operations Brian Bleese said: “The proposed SAC is vital for marine conservation and Dorset Wildlife Trust looks forward to working with local stakeholders, especially our local inshore fishermen, to ensure that both wildlife and traditional users of the sea can prosper.”

However, Mr Wason hit back: “Don’t bother to contact me because I will not work with any wildlife trust.”

Far from working with the conservation organisations, Mr Wason said Swifa would be fighting the proposals, or else risk their lives trying to make a living.

He said: “It is definitely getting more dangerous. The further we go out in the Channel, the more tide there is and the more dangerous it gets.”

West Bay fisherman David Sales, chairman of the Western End of the Southern Sea Fisheries Committee, said the new SAC proposals were some way off implementation and urged members to adopt a ‘wait and see’ approach.

He said: “It is in the discussion stage and whatever happens it won’t be until at least 2012.

“We have to realise that this is an EU directive to put 10 per cent of the sea under supervision and our government has to carry it out whether our fishermen like it or not.

“Our fishermen will be looking to see that we get the best deal.”

l There will be a formal consultation on the proposed SACs later this year.