Human Rights at Sea has published a new case study exploring the issue of Philippine manning agencies supplying Non-EEA crew to the UK fishing industry and the issues this raises in terms of transparency of practice, due diligence to assure welfare safeguards for crew, and the necessary safeguards required to ensure decent work conditions.
Far East fishing company Dobroflot has made a successful shipment of 3000 tonnes of fish to the port of Arkhangelsk using the northern sea route.
While French pelagic vessels struck it lucky last week with an 'accidental' catch of 44 bluefin tuna in waters near Jersey, the volume of bluefin across UK and west of Ireland coastlines is causing frustration for fishermen who can only watch in envy at France with its bluefin quota.
Representatives of the French and UK governments and their respective fishing sectors have reached an agreement following clashes that took place a week ago in the Baie de Seine between British and French fishing vessels.
Quota increases are proposed for next year for some Baltic stocks, including both western and eastern plaice and western Baltic cod, but reductions are proposed for some stocks, including western herring. The EU Commission’s proposals also include increases in Gulf of Riga herring and Main Basin salmon quotas. Reductions are recommended for the remaining stocks covered by the proposal.
UK-based Human Rights at Sea (HRAS) and the Botswana-based NGO Stop Illegal Fishing (SIF) have entered into a mutually supporting collaborative partnership to continue to maintain and raise the global narrative on illegal fishing activities which include promoting human rights protections against abuses of crew.
Icelandic fishing companies Samherji and Síldarvinnslan have contracted with the Karstensen yard in Denmark for a pair of new pelagic vessels, replacing older vessels.
Recycling techniques for end-of-life tonnage developed by a LIFE project are now being used by shipyards in Spain to scrap fishing vessels and support ships. Reciclauto Navarra, the company behind the project has just signed an agreement to be involved in safer ship recycling in North and West Africa.
The Russian Pollock Catchers Association's Sea of Okhotsk pollock fishery has received Marine Stewardship Council certification for a second time. Again confirmed as sustainable and well-managed, the fishery's catch can continue to carry the blue MSC label.
According to the NFFO, the recent clashes in the Channel between UK and French fishing vessels over scallop grounds highlight a number of important issues; primarily that whatever the rights and wrongs of disputes over fishing rights, it is never admissible to resort to intimidation and violence.