Tributes have been paid to stalwart local fisherman David Sales.

David spent 40 years of his 60-year fishing career in West Bay, for which he was awarded a BEM in 2020, which was when he retired aged 83.

At the time he said it was "an award for all of us in the fishing industry at West Bay, they all had a hand in it some way or the other, it was just me that got picked out".

As well as this, he was awarded the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Travelling Fellowship award in 1968, a programme of overseas research grants. He travelled to the New England states of the USA and the maritime provinces of Canada for eight weeks to study the lobster fishing industry

He was introduced to new ways of measuring lobsters to ensure regulations were met. He brought the carapace measure - the length from the eye socket to the back of the head, rather than from head to tail - a much more exact way of measuring to prevent overfishing to the UK. It took him more than two years to convince the Ministry to adopt this idea nationally.

A spokesman for West Bay Discovery Centre said: "We were very sad to hear of the passing of local fisherman David Sales. When we were setting up the discovery centre, a few years ago, David was very helpful and answered our pleas for an insight into the local fishing industry.

"In 2020 David received a richly-deserved BEM for his services to commercial fishing and the environment. He was very much involved in the establishment of the Lyme Bay Fisheries and Conservation Reserve. The reserve, although initially contentious, has been a great success in protecting the seabed and maintaining fish stocks, enabling low-impact fishing to continue.

"He fished out of West Bay for around 40 years of a 60-year career. He once said to us, 'fishing has not been an easy life, you've got to love it'."

Mr Sales has also worked with Lyme Bay Fisheries and Conservation Reserve, was chairman of the local fisherman's association for around 30 years and a member of South Devon and Channel Shellfishermen.

A spokesman for South Devon and Channel Shellfishermen said: "We are extremely saddened to learn of the passing of one of our life members, David Sales of West Bay. David was a stalwart within South West fishing - being awarded the BEM for his tireless pursuit of sustainability. He will be much missed by many, not least by us. We send our love to his family."