The South Bay Traders' Assoc- iation has always robustly defended the view that Scarborough must maintain a strong and dynamic fishing industry.

From the association's point of view, it provides the best free show in town, is non-competitive with our membership, provides local businesses with excellent raw materials and, probably most importantly of all, it gives our community a unique quality, a "working harbour".

We therefore strongly believe that the continuation of the fishing industry is vital to our town's fortunes. That said, times have moved on. Taking the negatives, white fish landings have dropped and fuel prices have risen; on the positive side shellfish landings including lobster have grown exponentially and this is surely an opportunity to be taken and developed.

In his letter Bob warns that a lobster hatchery may cause an overabundance of lobster stocks in the seas surrounding Scarbor- ough and this could lead to price falls in the local market. Well, if this is the case, then why bother with the local markets?

Surely this is Scarborough's opportunity to look further afield – 95 per cent of all lobsters caught in the UK are sold into France, Spain and Italy, with British lobsters being seen as far superior to their continental cousins. So could this not be an ideal opportunity for those independents who fish the smaller boats to get together and co-operate, pooling their catches into single loads to be shipped to more lucrative markets inland?

I understand the Cornish and Welsh independents are already doing this to good effect.

On the feasibility side, lobster hatcheries are almost non-profitable so to believe that Scarbor- ough will get one on a stand alone basis seems unlikely, however I would have thought that tying it into the general fishing scene should sit comfortably with our fishermen. It does at least secure a fishing-related use for another section of West Pier.

I am informed that Yorkshire and Humberside Seafood Group would be very interested to talk to any local fishermen who wish to discuss developing and opening new shellfish markets.

Finally, I found Tom Rossiter's, the research director for Seafish UK, answer to my question on the hatchery most reassuring. I quote: "John, it is as likely for the sun not to rise tomorrow as it is for Scarborough, hatchery or no hatchery, to have any effect on the world price of lobsters!"

John W Senior

Chairman

South Bay Traders' Association

Sandside, Scarborough