WEST Dorset boatman have fired a broadside at the Government over plans to charge them up to £1,000 a year to fish inshore waters.

They say the proposed levy could scupper the already hard-pressed trawlermen, putting many out of business.

Others could be forced to risk their lives going to sea in poor weather to make ends meet, they warn.

Now skippers at West Bay and Lyme Regis have backed a petition urging Ministers to abandon the plan.

In a letter to the Fisheries Directorate at Whitehall they warn that operators of small commercial boats are already being swamped by a sea of red tape.

And they add: "It seems incredible that fishermen who are at present struggling with spiralling costs, falling fish prices and bureaucracy are being asked to pay again for the privilege to fish."

The protest petition has been organised by the South Coast Fishermen's Council which operates between Portsmouth and Lyme Regis.

It comes in response to government plans to charge sea anglers and commercial boat operators annual licence fees.

Under the proposals sea anglers would face paying £22 a year to bring them in line with river fishermen.

Commercial boatmen would be charged £500 for operating craft under eight metres and £1,000 for vessels between eight and 12 metres. Larger trawlers would be exempt.

In return for the fees the government says it would safeguard sea fish stocks and look after sea anglers' interests.

But West Bay boatman Dave Sales, chairman of the Southern Sea Fisheries Committee, has warned that the levy would hit their harbour badly and could break some boatmen.

"They are planning to hit the part of the fleet that can least afford it," he warned. "We are not doing the environmental damage it's the big fishing boats. It would be fairer if some sort of charge was spread across the whole industry not just our section.

"It seems they want to do away with the little fishermen because we seem to be a nuisance to them but we can't understand why."

In their formal response to the Government's plan the Fishermen's Council points out that its members already pay the Seafish Levy along with their taxes, National Insurance and Council Tax.

"No other business is asked to pay so much so they can be victimised by bureaucratic nonsense," they continue.

And they say the plan could affect sea safety.

"Either the inshore man will have to sell his licence and work illegally or fish further out to sea than is safe.

"Any additional financial burden will increase the need to fish in adverse weather thus jeopardising safety."

This week the Southern Sea Fisheries Committee added its weight to the protests.

Their formal response says: "The proposal to charge the inshore fleet for access to the resource is likely to cause artisanal stakeholders, who do the least environmental damage, to sell their licenses and could therefore lead to a mass exodus from the UK register with associated socio-economic impact.

"The committee is sceptical about the legality of the proposal to charge anglers a licence fee for access to their right of public fishery."

West Bay Sea Angling Club's publicity officer Maureen Jackson has already condemned the plan to charge them an annual licence fee, branding it an "absolutely horrendous" idea.