The Manx fishing industry is facing a fight for survival.

Dr David Beard, head of the Manx Fish Producers Organisation, said it was a ’dire situation’.

Most of the fleet is currently tied up at the breakwater in Peel.

Dr Beard spelled out a grim message that the very existence of the Manx fleet is now in danger of collapsing.

He told the Manx Independent that the scallop market, which is the main market at this time of year, has disappeared, saying: ’It has gone. There is no market anymore.’

He added: ’Most of our sales go into France, Spain and Italy so there is no market at all.

’There is a small local market, but unfortunately it is a very small percentage.

’Most of the processors on the island took the decision on Friday night to ask the boats not to fish because of the risk of stocking too much in the freezers because everything would have to be frozen obviously.

’One or two boats have gone out but the biggest processor has said they can take no more until further notice. That’s why all the boats are tied up in Peel.’

Dr Beard issued this grim message: ’I mean, there are only so many weeks that the fishing industry can survive, it’s very, very serious.

’We are already under restricted fishing and also the weather has been appalling all winter so fishing days have been very limited up to now anyway.

’And then it was just starting to increase the number of fishing days and getting some good catches and then obviously this has all happened (coronavirus crisis).’

The island’s fishing industry is a ’key strategic industry’ and has been ’hit hard’ by the collapse of the export market, said Geoffrey Boot, the Minister for the Environment, Food and Agriculture. The DEFA Minister, who is MHK for Peel and Glenfaba, was speaking at Tuesday’s sitting of Tynwald.

He said: ’We are working closely with fishing people and the fish processors who have been hit hard by the collapse of the export market and have received no payment for recent export orders.

’Fishing has been curtailed due to weather and low stocks.

’They are a key strategic industry which we must and will support and maintain.’

Dr Beard confirmed there had been no payment for export orders.

He said the international markets were based on 60 days payment plans but all the French and Spanish markets had said they were extending those periods because they had no income.

Dr Beard acknowledged the government’s package of measures this week to help businesses generally but he said: ’We need to come up with some additional package in order to save the fishing industry.

’And we are in discussions with government, there are discussions every day. I can’t say anymore than that at this moment.’

Asked what the future holds he said: ’Unless there is some sort of scheme going forward then we probably won’t have a fishing industry here in the future, it’s that serious for us as an industry.

’And I have to say it’s serious for other industries as well at this time. It’s tough for everybody.

’Because we depend on an export market almost entirely and hardly anything for the UK, it’s all Europe, the cash flow has just stopped and we have no idea when it will open again.

’It’s a dire situation.’