Sad day for Hull as link to proud past severed

The city was once home to the biggest deep water fleet in the world and has been associated with fishing since the 14th century, but a rapid decline in the export of fish from Iceland has forced the closure of the Fishgate auction house, which held its last sale yesterday.

Atlantic Fresh Ltd, its controlling supplier, said it was moving supplies to its market in Grimsby.

In a joint statement with Fishgate, the company said: “This extremely regrettable decision has been forced upon the company due to the continued serious decline in the export of fresh whole fish from Iceland with a reduction of around 50 per cent over the last two years.

“There is little positive prospect for increase in the near future with recommendations from the Iceland Marine Institute being for a further reduction in the important haddock quota for the coming year, which could further damage overall volumes into the Humber. In these circumstances it is not commercially viable to sustain two auction markets and operations.”

The closure of the market, which opened in £5m premises 10 years ago, has resulted in 16 job losses but experts said the cost could be higher – with some blaming its loss on Britain’s entry into the then Common Market in the 1970s.

John Davies, former editor of Trawling Times, said: “This is all down to the EU and common fisheries policy for the simple reason: once you surrender sovereignty you surrender control. This is another nail in the coffin of the British fishing industry and the Humber in particular.”

Hull MP Alan Johnson said he hoped the market could be re-opened if supplies increased.