Tag Archives: scallop fishing
Offshore industry hails LED scallop fishing drive
The Offshore Wind Industry Council has welcomed plans to fund a new environmentally friendly method of catching scallops – using underwater LED lights. It is one of five projects announced by the Offshore Wind Evidence and Change Programme (OWEC) as part of its 2024 funding round, and the aim is to enable more diversified fishing around offshore wind farms. The 18-month project will explore ways to co-locate scallop fisheries and offshore wind farms together, using alternative fishing methods to the traditional practice of dredging along the seabed which disturbs marine habitats and species. These will now be rolled out at a regional level by fishing crews in Scarborough, Bridlington and Whitby who fish around and within offshore windfarms. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 07:20
The Opposition get’s nasty! Scallop fishing restart criticised by TV’s Iolo Williams
Commercial fishing ended in Cardigan Bay, Ceredigion, five years ago when it became a special area of conservation. The Welsh government has approved limited fishing in specific areas using a “flexible permit scheme”. But TV presenter Williams said it “opens the door for ploughing the sea bed on an industrial scale”. In a post on his facebook page, he wrote: “This does not support local, sustainable fisheries. “I’m dismayed but not surprised that this bunch of worthless parasites has, once again, supported the destruction of an internationally important wildlife site.” “I am appalled that the Welsh government, who are supposed to have sustainability at the heart of all their work, can contemplate opening up a protected area to such a destructive fishing method,” he added. The decision came after a two-year study found limited fishing in certain areas would have no adverse impact on the area. On Tuesday, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) group revealed its “disbelief and disappointment” at the approval because of Cardigan Bay’s “habitat for bottlenose dolphins and porpoise”. OMG! Read the story here 16:56
Bycatch alert system growing for fourth year
NEW BEDFORD — New fishing grounds are being added to the highly successful system developed by UMass to avoid catching yellowtail flounder in the Northeast, it was announced Wednesday. Dr. Brian Rothschild, dean emeritus of the UMass School for Marine Science and Technology, said the program “has reduced the ratio of yellowtail to scallops and because of that it has been an economic boon to the fishery.” Read more here
