CAMPAIGNERS gathered outside court in support of three fisherman accused of overfishing.

Placard-waving protesters called for European Union fishing quotas to be distributed more fairly among small boat owners.

They collected signatures on a petition outside Colchester Magistrates’ Court.

Terry Stimpson, James Craig, and Daniel Swallow appeared in court charged with 12 offences of breaching conditions of their fishing licence.

Stimpson, 51, of Tudor Green, Clacton, Craig, 19, of Woodstock, West Mersea, and Swallow, 25, of Seaview Avenue, West Mersea, only spoke to confirm their names and address during the short hearing and did not enter pleas.

They will next appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on May 28 for a pre-trial hearing.

Mr Stimpson’s wife, Karen, was among the family, friends and people involved in the fishing trade taking part in the protest.

Karen, 49, said: “They are being prosecuted for not chucking back dead fish, for not polluting the sea bed.

“It costs about £80,000 per year to run a boat and they are allowed to catch about £25,000 worth of fish.

“I brought up our children on my own, because he works so hard – the mistress in our marriage is the sea. If the weather is right he goes out because when it is poor, he loses out.”

Mrs Stimpson said the family stand to lose their house to pay off the fine, which could be up to £50,000 for each charge, if he is found guilty.

She said: “Fisherman also face losing their licence, which when you have been in the industry for 30-odd years is dreadful.

“The quotas are not right when about 85 per cent of the fishing fleet are made of under-10 metre boats, but they have about 4 per cent of the UK quota.

“You need a degree to understand the regulations in full, but fishermen are hands-on men who understand tides and where the fish will be.

“It will be hard to change the EU quota, but we would like the UK to stop giving back unused quota and re-allocate it instead. The whole system is flawed.”

Quotas were introduced to maintain fish stocks.

A Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs spokesman said it can understand the frustration felt by many under-10 metre fishermen when they see quota that is not being fished.

He said: “That is why we are looking to redistribute quota from larger boats to smaller boats if it is not being used.”

A spokesman for the Marine Management Organisation, which is prosecuting the fishermen, said quotas are set annually by the European Commission and the Marine Management Organisation has the difficult task of ensuring stocks are managed throughout the year.

If stocks are overfished, the Government and taxpayers have to pay steep penalties.

He said: “We are committed to protecting fish stocks and quotas for law-abiding fishermen who rely on these species to sustain their livelihoods. We cannot comment on matters which are active within the courts system.”