As Christmas approaches most people's minds inevitably turn to Santa Claus and his bag of gifts.

But fishermen in Sussex have a very different type of claws on their minds right now.

They are in the middle of a revolutionary conservation drive which to them is literally a matter of life or death.

Faced with the same concerns over seafood stocks which have threatened to plunge a generation of British fishermen into crisis, the Selsey lobster catchers have come up with a novel but incredibly simple solution to their woes.

They have designed and adopted a new type of lobster pot which allows smaller lobsters to escape.

At the moment tons of baby lobster, too small for eating, are being caught off the Sussex coast every year.

They are inevitably returned to the sea in a poor condition or even dead.

But the newly designed lobster pot, which could now be put into use across Britain, allows the smaller lobster to get out via an escape hatch while still in the sea.

Tony Delahunty, who has been catching lobsters off the Sussex coast for years, said: "It's something we've felt is necessary to do because it is preserving the future of our trade and preserving the future of the lobster.

"It literally is the future of our trade that is at stake." The fishermen in Selsey have carried out most of the work to modify the pots themselves, winning praise from across the industry.

They are being used on a voluntary basis and early feedback suggests they actually speed up the work because fishermen now have to spend less time clearing pots of unwanted creatures.

David Guy, from Seafish, the trade's lobby group, said: "I fully support this type of project that has far reaching benefits and strengthens the communication links between fisheries enforcement and the practicalities of fishing.

"The Selsey fishermen were more than happy to complete the many hours of work needed on their gear to enable them to use with conservation measures that are realistic and easily managed, to lead to an improved fishery for the future.

"We are fortunate in the South East to have a forward thinking Sea Fisheries Committee that works with industry and we are now working with them on various other projects, including trials with cuttlefish egg laying ropes." It is thought that a national limit on the size of lobster which can be landed could be introduced later this year.

And the new pots, which 14 fishermen in Selsey are now using, will stand them in good stead for the expected change in legislation.

Selsey has been known as a crab and lobster fishing area for hundreds of years and is reknowned for its high quality specimens.

Mr Delahunty said: "I reckon it's about the best you can get in the country."