Sustainable Seas - Better Businesses - Closer Communities HOLDERNESS COAST FISHERY LOCAL ACTION GROUP DRAFT STRATEGY May 2011 1 Contents 1. Introduction Page 3 2. A Coastal Area with a Distinctive Identity Page 4 3. The Holderness Coast Fishery Page 11 4. SWOT Analysis Page 18 5. Key Issues Affecting the Fishing Industry and its Communities Page 20 6. The Role of the FLAG Page 22 7. Development of the Strategy Page 23 8. Strategic Objective Page 24 9. Priority Themes and Programmes Page 24 10. Delivery of the Strategy Page 36 11. Measuring Success Page 41 Appendix 1 Consultation List Appendix 2 Summary of Key Projects Appendix 3 FLAG Board Members Appendix 4 Partnership Agreement Appendix 5 FLAG Co-ordinator Job Description Appendix 6 Expression of Interest Form Appendix 7 Project Application Form Appendix 8 Application Process Appendix 9 Project Selection Criteria 2 1 Introduction The Holderness Coast Fishery Local Action Group (FLAG) area covers all of the coastal parishes in the East Riding of Yorkshire from Bempton and Flamborough in the north to Easington in the south. The area encompasses the main fishing communities and resort towns of Bridlington, Hornsea and Withernsea, together with smaller landings at Flamborough, Tunstall and Easington (see map 1). The area has a coastline of over 40 miles, from the chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head, by way of the brown sea-washed cliffs of Bridlington Bay to the sand and shingle banks of Spurn Point. The FLAG area has a population of 63,761, the largest settlement and principal fishing town being Bridlington which has a population of 35,192 while the remainder of this relatively remote coastal area has a low density of population. This stretch of coastline has a long tradition of looking towards the sea for its livelihood and countless generations have made their living by harvesting North Sea fish stocks from a variety of places such as the North and South Landings at Flamborough, Bridlington Harbour or by sailing from the open Holderness beaches at Hornsea, Withernsea, Tunstall, Easington and elsewhere. For centuries, variants of the traditional north-eastern fishing coble, an ancient design said to have Scandinavian, even Viking, origins, was the main vessel used for working the inshore grounds but during the 20th century the Bridlington fleet deployed larger decked vessels, whilst a number of new designs of inshore craft were also being introduced. At the same time, sail and oar were replaced by marine diesel engines and the business of hauling gear was also mechanised. Fishing has always been a cyclical business and the region’s fisheries have been dominated by the pursuit of different species in different ages. During Medieval times the Yorkshire coast summer herring fishery was a major source of revenue to rich and poor alike, whilst for centuries hand lining or netting of species such as cod and haddock was a mainstay of the industry. Crabbing became increasingly important from late Victorian times and today the lobster fishery forms a crucial element of the region’s fish trade. Throughout the centuries, however, whatever the species pursued or the method of capture deployed, the sea and the sea fisheries have always occupied a significant and distinctive position in the economic, social and cultural life of the region. As with much of the UK’s fishing industry, the coastal fishing communities of the East Riding have suffered, with declining numbers of vessels, an ageing workforce, fewer people working in the industry, reduced profits and decreases in the volume of the catch. Whitefish landings throughout the NE region since 1995 have shifted towards a reliance on shellfisheries, although even shellfish landings have declined, from just under 7000 tonnes per annum in 2004 to 3600 tonnes in 2008. Numbers of active trawlers operating out of Bridlington have reduced from 20 vessels to nil since 1995. In Hornsea, the number of commercial fishing vessels has halved since 1987 and in Bridlington the total volume of landings halved between 2004 and 2008. In recent years the development of the brown crab and lobster fishery has provided some stability to the industry and has enabled an inshore fleet to be maintained along the coast, notably in Bridlington (the main fishing port), Hornsea and Withernsea. There are, 3 however, a number of significant challenges facing the industry including concerns over future sustainability and the impact of offshore wind farms. The FLAG aims to encourage and facilitate cooperation between the fishing industry and the various agencies which have an interest in the coast and develop initiatives in order to secure a more sustainable future for both the industry and the towns where it is based. The FLAG Strategy provides an assessment of the current social and economic conditions and issues affecting the East Riding coast; looks in detail at the current status of the fishing industry; identifies the key issues which need to be addressed through the Axis 4 Programme and sets out the main objectives and themes of the programme, together with expected outcomes. Finally, the Strategy sets out proposals for implementation and monitoring. Map 1 The Holderness Coast FLAG Area 2 A Coastal Area with a Distinctive Identity The Holderness Coast forms the eastern coastal boundary to the East Riding of Yorkshire. This fragile stretch of shoreline bordering the North Sea extends over 40 miles from Bempton in the north down to Spurn Point in the south and is particularly distinctive 4 because of its significant cliff erosion rates that average between one and two metres a year 1 along parts of the coast. 2.1 Population In 2009, the East Riding of Yorkshire had an estimated population of 337,045 2. Of this figure, 63,761 people were estimated to reside along the coast, a figure that equates to 18.9% of the East Riding population. The population of the East Riding is estimated to have increased 7.0% between 2001 and 2009. This growth is also reflected within the FLAG area with an estimated 6.6% increase over the same period. These increases can be compared with rises of 5.7% for Yorkshire and the Humber and 4.8% in England as a whole. The coastal strip is comprised of 18 parishes and includes just three towns – Bridlington (35,912), Hornsea (8,466) and Withernsea (6,309) 3, which combined make up almost 80% of the coastal population. Although Bridlington is the largest urban area in the East Riding the coastal towns are relatively remote and isolated, serving only a 180-degree hinterland with a relatively poor road and rail infrastructure. The overall population density of the FLAG is low at 2.22 persons per hectare and, excluding Bridlington, drops to 1 person per hectare 2.2 Age Structure Table 1 below shows the age composition of the Coastal FLAG compared with the East Riding of Yorkshire. Although since 2006-07 natural change in the East Riding has decreased with marginally more deaths than births recorded, the population of the East Riding has still increased as a result of net migration. Large numbers of retirees from cities and towns in South and West Yorkshire in particular frequently opt to relocate to the East Riding’s coastal strip in order to take advantage of the improved quality of life offered by the area. Table 1: Population by age band, 2009 Total 0-15 16-29 30-49 50-64 M 65+ M 50-59 F 60+ F Coastal FLAG Area 63,761 10,181 8,889 14,133 11,594 18,964 16.0% 13.9% 22.2% 18.2% 29.7% East Riding of 337,045 56,859 49,772 62,297 85,459 82,658 Yorkshire 16.9% 14.8% 18.5% 25.4% 24.5% Source: ONS, 2009 Mid-Year Population Estimates This trend goes a long way to explain the shift in the demographics in the East Riding over the last 15 years. Since 1996 the estimated ratio of working-age population in the East Riding has been decreasing, which starkly contrasts with increases experienced both regionally and nationally. However, the most striking aspect to note is that the FLAG area has, proportionately, a much higher retired population (+5.2%) than even, the above average, local authority figure. Working-age population is 54.3% in the FLAG area, a figure 4.3% lower than the East Riding (58.6%). 1 Coastal Explorer Observatory , www.coastalexplorer.eastriding.gov.uk . Accessed February 2011 2 Office for National Statistics , 2009 Mid-Year Estimates, 2010 3 Office for National Statistics , 2007 Mid-Year Parish Estimates 5 For all of the age categories under 30, both the FLAG area and the East Riding have proportionally fewer people compared with the regional and national averages, which is mainly attributable to younger people in their twenties either accessing higher education or seeking higher paid employment, typically outside of the East Riding. While the gender split for the East Riding is in line with regional and national proportions, in the FLAG area there is a 0.5% swing over the local authority figure in favour of the female population (51.2% compared to 48.8% male), which is primarily due to greater life expectancy amongst female retirees. 2.3 Economic Context Gross Value Added (GVA) is the principal measure of the total value of goods and services that a geographical area produces and is an indicator of the overall health of a local economy. Latest figures in 2007 indicate that ‘Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing’ contributed £198 million (4.6% of total GVA) to the East Riding economy 4 despite offering just 0.2% of employment in the area.