Veteran fishermen have been banned from operating from Sandhaven harbour amidst a battle with trust members.
The Sandhaven and Pitullie Harbour Trust has refused five men berths at the Aberdeenshire pier due to what they describe as alleged “unacceptable behaviour” towards board members.
It means that the group will not be able to take their boats out to the North Sea for any purpose while their orders stand.
Gilbert McDonnell – spokesperson for the group – claims that they are being punished for raising concerns about “the way the harbour is being run”.
He said: “It’s getting to the point where I think ‘by this time next year we are not going to have a harbour’.”
Harbour ban is ‘devastating’ for Sandhaven fisherman
Mr McDonnell told The Press and Journal he has been fishing from Sandhaven near Fraserburgh since he was a child.
The 37-year-old has spent more than three decades on the water, but after being involved in altercations with members of the harbour trust over management issues, he has been issued an indefinite ban.
Family friend Stephen Bernard has also been banned permanently, while Mr McDonnell’s uncles, William and Michael, along with fellow boat owner Robert Barton have been given 12-month orders.
Mr McDonnell said his ban is nothing short of “devastating”.
He said: “It’s my family’s livelihood.
“It’s a massive loss over a disagreement, but I feel that we have the support of the community behind us.
“For me it’s more a sentimental thing, we can’t really carry on the heritage of my family.
“My daughter has been out learning on the boat from myself and my father from a young age.
“She’s 12 now, but it’s come to a sudden end now for her.
“She wants to follow in her dad’s footsteps but she can’t do that at the moment because her dad has been banned.
“It’s devastating for all of us.”
Sandhaven fishermen claim that complaints about harbour aren’t being heard
Mr McDonnell also claims that local voices are not being heard concerning the running of the Sandhaven and Pitullie Harbour Trust.
The trust was set up in 1999 with the aim to oversee the work required to develop the harbour.
On its website, the members say they “work for the community” to develop the 14 acre site.
However, Mr McDonnell said that he has lost faith in the appointed leadership of the harbour to carry out the development.
“A number of us approached the trustees about the situation, but we got closed down straight away,” he explained.
“They won’t hear our side of the story. We were essentially told to go away.
“One of the main incidents was when my uncle and our friend Steve, who were directors of the trust at the time, wanted to take minutes of the trustee’s AGM last summer.
“But we got to told to not ask any questions.
“Soon after that he got sacked from the board of trustees. It was coming up that he had resigned on company’s house, even though he hadn’t.
“It was never discussed, the harbour board had made a decision behind Steve’s back.”
The group also claim that parts of the harbour have been neglected and that a plan to open public toilets, funded by a £19,000 grant, has been side-lined.
Mr McDonnell said: “It’s getting to the point where I think ‘by this time next year we are not going to have a harbour’.”
Harbour Trust accuses ‘stakeholders’ of unacceptable behaviour
When contacted by The P&J, representatives from the trust said the bans had been forced due to alleged “unacceptable behaviour” from those in question.
They claim the behaviour dates back to last year, when members were “hounded and intimidated”.
A statement issued in September said: “Since the trust’s AGM in August, the directors and the trust have been hounded and intimidated both on social media and at our homes by a select few who identify themselves as the ‘stakeholders’.
“These individuals are intending to hold a meeting under the false pretence of it being an ‘extraordinary general meeting’ of the Sandhaven and Pittulie harbour.
“Impersonating a company is a criminal act and may be dealt as such. The Harbour Trust is a company limited by guarantee.
“The directors hold no personal gain nor shares – the trust is set up this way to protect the harbour from such behaviours as this.
“Despite letters to our homes threatening our position as the trust’s leadership team – the trust will not hand over ownership/leadership of the harbour to the self-identified ‘stakeholders’.
“Any action against the trust or its property, or attempts to enact any steps towards the trust will be a criminal act and will be dealt with as such.”
Last night, the trust said “poor behaviours continue” in 2024 and they had no choice but to issues bans.
They added: “The trust does not utilise its statutory powers to implement a ban without due and significant reason.”
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