ANNONCER
Two UK Labour MPs with fishing industry constituencies are making a concerted effort to make Labour the party of fishing. Luke Pollard is MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport and Melanie Onn is MP for Great Grimsby.
The UK Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee is inviting evidence on how potential changes to the fisheries and seafood trading arrangements between the UK and the EU will affect fishermen, seafood processors, consumers, coastal communities and the environment.
Skipper Tommy Tulloch and engineer Michael Leslie have taken delivery of the new Keila K-121, designed and completed by Vestværftet in Hvide Sande on a hull built at the Nauta yard in Poland. The trawler carries a Kirkwall registration, although Tommy Tulloch’s home is on Westray, the most north-westerly of the Orkney islands.
Thurso Lifeboat crew spent a day in heavy seas going to the assistance of fishing vessel Sparkling Line with a fouled propeller north of Whiten Head.
Funding is available through the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) in England towards replacing engines on fishing vessels.
Scotland’s fishing industry is urging both governments to support its plan for a nine-month bridge after March 2019 to smooth the UK’s exit from the Common Fisheries Policy.
Three new Codes of Practice came into force in the UK on 23rd October, which are expected to improve safety for everyone in the fishing industry.
Human Rights at Sea has made public its independent project report and a fishing industry response into the non-EEA crew issue in Northern Ireland, and which has been linked to the ongoing investigations and drive to highlight the issue of slavery and trafficking across all UK industry sectors.
A study carried out on behalf of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) and Scottish Fishermen’s Organisation (SFO) has concluded that Scottish prawn trawlers no less competitive than the creel fleet, undermining the case for a major transfer of quota.
The NFFO has welcomed new funding for projects to support Irish Sea fishing communities. The funding is a mark of the good co-operation that currently exists between the fishing communities that operate in and around the Walney Extension offshore wind farm and the owners of the wind farm, Ørsted (formerly known as DONG Energy).