YESTERDAY the seven trawlers from Looe ventured out to sea. Their departure was a rare event so far in this storm-ravaged year.

The bad weather has meant that some families in the fishing community are suffering.

Looe harbourmaster Jeff Penhaligon said the trawlers have been able to take the chance to nip in and out when there has been a lull in the weather on odd days, but the sea conditions are still too poor for smaller boats.

David Bond, a Looe fisherman who is chairman of the South West Handline Association and vice-chairman of Looe Fishermen's Association, said: 'Unlike farmers, fishermen do not receive any compensation. If there is no fishing there is no money, it is as simple as that.

'We are all share fishermen on the Looe boats, and if the skippers can't take the boats out, we all lose. We have about 30 fishermen dependent on the boats. We are scratching a living. I know some people are finding it hard. It's a big struggle. Because the weather was all right, I went out netting on Christmas Day.'

Mr Bond added that in 36 years as a fisherman at Looe, he had never known weather like it.

Julian Clemens, auctioneer for Looe Fish Selling, said it is difficult to run the fish market without the continuity of supply, but the staff are still retained. 'There are a lot of holidays being used up at present,' he said.

'A lot of people are dependent on the fishing fleets. Without the fish it affects the wholesalers also based here. The lack of fish affects the infrastructure of all concerned in the fishing industry.'

At Polperro, Richard Dodson of Polperro Fish Co, said: 'It's awful, we badly need a long clear spell to compensate for the losses.'

Mr Dodson said the harbour has four permanent trawlers, a scalloper and a netter.

'Since Christmas the scalloper has only been out for five days and our own trawler for only seven,' he said.

'I know a lot of fishermen are surviving off savings. They are really suffering.'