ANNONCER
A pioneering, multi-partner international scientific survey to assess the status and composition of herring stocks to the west of Scotland has found that the area to the west of Melvaig, Wester Ross, holds some importance as a winter/spring spawning ground for herring.
Mike Mitchell, managing director of Fair Seas Limited, and Nathan de Rozarieux, managing director of Tegen Mor Fisheries Consultants Limited, have been appointed to the Seafish board and will serve three year terms. These are Ministerial appointments supported by the four fisheries administrations, who jointly sponsor Seafish.
Cefas and the University of Exeter are working to track bluefin tuna and confirm reports that these fish that were once a common sight in the North Sea and Celtic Sea are returning to British waters. In recent years they have been observed more frequently in or coastal waters, particularly during the late summer, autumn and winter as they move into coastal areas to feed on energy-rich fish, such as sprats and herring.
Owners of active, Welsh-registered commercial fishing vessels are urged to take advantage of an opportunity to access grant aid to purchase Personal Flotation Devices (PFDs) with integrated Personal Location Beacons (PLBs) for their crew at a heavily discounted price of £15, saving over £350 per PFD.
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is looking for English fishing vessels to take part in trials aiming to encourage more selective fishing activity
Brian Young has been appointed as the new Chair of Seafish. The appointment is for three years and he brings a wealth of experience to this role. He was previously Deputy Chair of Seafish and has enjoyed a long and successful association with the organisation, having previously held the position of Chair of the Importers and Processors Sector Panels from its inception, to joining the Board in 2015.
Scotland’s Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing has written to the UK Government expressing his concerns over transitional arrangements for fisheries following Brexit and raising questions over the UK Government’s approach to fisheries in the upcoming negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU.
Producers of BBC series Eastenders have been putting out feelers for locations in the south-east of England on either side of the Thames for a potential future storyline, and are seeking extras and suitable fishing vessels to be featured in a run of episodes to be aired later this year.
According to Seafish’s Economics of the UK Fishing Fleet estimates, British fishing saw the highest annual value of landings on record in 2017, in spite of increases in fuel costs. The Seafish report, now in its twelfth year, demonstrates that fishing revenues have risen by £14 million since 2016 to a total of £950 million and with landing volumes up by 10,000 tonnes.
Scottish fishermen’s leaders yesterday met Prime Minister Theresa May to urge her to ensure that the UK takes back complete control of its waters after Brexit.
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