A campaign group, who raised over 11,000 signatures for the fishermen at Cove Harbour, have launched a new petition which will be discussed by Aberdeen City Council.
Their original petition ‘Save the fishing boats of Cove Harbour’ collected over 11,000 signatures, but it was addressed directly to landowner Mr Pralhad Kohle, who is at the centre of a row with the fishing community.
The group members have since been advised to address it directly to Aberdeen City Council.
Mr Kohle, a plastic surgeon, who owns a house overlooking the bay and some surrounding land, ordered the fishermen to remove all vessels and equipment from the harbour in April 2014.
He has more recently added several large boulders and barricades to prevent anyone parking cars at the harbour and has erected a sign stating that the bay is private property.
Chairman of the Cove Fishermen Association and Cove resident, Jim Adam, said: “Not only do the boulders hamper the fishermen at the harbour, but they are seriously hampering the recreational users.
The divers, sea-kayakers and recreational fishers who come here are also being denied vehicular access down there.
“It is a conservation area. They are a safety hazard, we can’t get boats off the beach in bad weather and rescue vehicles can’t get down.”
Cove councillor and former history teacher, Neil Cooney, advised the group that a new petition should be submitted including at least 100 Aberdeen City residents.
He fully backs the campaign and is passionate that Cove’s fishing heritage is kept alive.
He said: “As a council, we can only act if a petition is addressed directly to us.
“Boats have been fishing out of Cove Harbour since the middle ages. It’s a tradition that needs to be kept going.
“Cove is the only harbour left on that stretch of coast now. Some fishermen still rely upon for their livelihood.”
“The new petition reached the required 100 names within an hour.”
Aberdeen City Council petitions committee will meet on April 20 to discuss the situation.
When asked why he had taken this course of action Mr Kohle said: “My solicitor told me to do it.”
He would not make any further comment.