The NFFO’s East Anglian Committee has highlighted the need for a concerted effort to protect fishing opportunities and the viability of the fleets in the region. Fishermen in the region are rapidly running out of options, according to the NFFO.
Provisional figures published by the Scottish government indicate that the Scottish fleet last year landed fish and shellfish worth £559 million, and a volume of 464,000 tonnes. This represents a 10,600 tonne (2%) increase in catches landed by 2068 active Scottish fishing vessels in 2017. The final statistics for 2017 will be published in September this year.
Based on the latest science for jack mackerel (west), the Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA) has increased the commercial TAC from 920 tonnes to 4190 tonnes.
The certification renewal by the Marine Stewardship Council of Atlanto-Scandian herring has been confirmed.
The decline of much of the UK under 10m fleet has escaped much attention in the furore of claim and counter-claim around Britain’s departure from the European Union, according to Jerry Percy of the Coastal PO and director of coastal fishing organisation LIFE Platform.
Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), has unveiled its new Statement of Strategy Enabling Sustainable Growth for the 2018-2020 period, aiming to boost competitiveness amidst market uncertainties, which is intended to deliver on the development objectives of Food Wise 2025 and the sustainability objectives of the Common Fisheries Policy.
According to Johnny Berfjord of Norwegian vessel owners’ federation Fiskebåt, there is potential to make the Norwegian quota system both simpler and easier to work with. His comments have been made on the association’s website just as the Norwegian authorities are working on a Parliamentary report on the quota system. Johnny Berfjord commented that there is a need to ensure calm and stability around the structure of the fishing fleet.
Marit Hamre has been elected the new chairman of pelagic fishing association Pelagisk Forening. She is the general manager of the Krossfjord fishing company based at Steinsland in the Fjell municipality near Bergen and which operates pelagic vessel Krossfjord.
Last week’s delivery of the annual report by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) on the performance of the Common Fisheries Policy concludes that stock status has significantly improved, although the rate of progress has slowed in the last few years. It also reflects an overall downward trend in the fishing pressure over the period 2003-2015 in the North-East Atlantic.
The two main UK fishing industry federations have underlined their joint position, working together to secure the best possible deal from the EU withdrawal negotiations.