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Fisherman blames beach erosion for retirement

BBC Alan Stead is wearing a black coat and and a grey cap, he is leaning against lobster pots and two vessels are visible behind him.BBC
Alan Stead said he had been forced to sell his fishing boat after four decades at sea

A fisherman says he has been forced to retire years earlier than he planned to because of the state of Hornsea's beach.

Alan Stead said the depletion of sand made it safe to launch and land his boat only at limited times, making it impossible to earn a living.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council carried out remedial works to improve the beach and slipway in December 2023.

A spokesperson said: "The slipway is currently in fair condition and can still be used, but we know the fishing community has reported further problems with accessibility because of current low beach levels."

A tractor with a boat hitched on the concrete slipway at Hornsea, the sea is dark and calm and the sky is orange and red as the sun rises behind the boat.
Smaller boats are still able to use the slipway at Hornsea

Andy Faichney, who also fishes from Hornsea, believes offshore dredging could be responsible for the sand vanishing from the beach.

"The sand is being taken out of the ground and carted up to Teesside for aggregate for building with. And that during the summer is happening nearly every day of the week."

He agreed that an improved slipway enabling access to the beach at high tide was necessary to maintain the viability of what he described as Hornsea's small artisanal fishery.

The council said realigning the ramp to the south would provide more sustainable beach access for a range of boats but that it did not have the funds to do the work.

Andy Faichney's boat was recently damaged by huge boulders hidden just below the water on the beach. He believes boats dredging offshore for building materials are dumping unusable aggregates and winter storms are washing it onto the beach.
Fisherman Andy Faichney believes dredging for aggregates offshore could be to blame for the state of the beach

Until recently crews could launch off the slipway at any point of the tide.

Tractors and trailers are now restricted to low tide or when conditions are perfect.

Fishermen said they have to choose between gruelling trips of 12 hours or more at sea or trips they say are too short to make a living.

Mr Stead said "I'm losing time at sea due to the ramp".

"I can't do it anymore. I've got too many aches and pains. I can't do the job, can't do the pots, can't get my crew on the wage that he needs to earn a living".

His boat has been sold to a younger fisherman from Withernsea.

Alan Stead standing against a grey and cloudy sky looking out to sea. The cab of a blue tractor is visible behind him.
Mr Stead watches as his boat sails out of Hornsea to its new home in Withernsea

For Hornsea the loss of Alan's yellow boat from the commercial compound is the end of an era. "That's it, no more a fisherman" he said as he stepped off the tractor and into a new chapter of his life.

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