Tag Archives: Scotland
Peterhead firm given green light for fish processing factory expansion
Northbay Pelagic has been given the green light to expand its Peterhead fish processing site that will help the firm hit new national fishing targets. Operation manager Scott McKenzie said the additional space was needed to meet the Scottish Government’s new landings obligation. Speaking at the Buchan area committee, Mr. McKenzie explained: “Scottish pelagic fleets this current year must land 30% of their catch in Scotland. Next year it will increase to 45 per cent and the year after it will be up to 55 per cent. Northbay Pelagic is one of the largest pelagic fish processors in the country. It currently processes around 25,000 tonnes of fish per year including mackerel and herring. – >>click to read<< 07:07
Scotland fishing: Inshore limit called for following HPMA debacle
An open letter written by a commercial fisherman has called for restrictions to curb more damaging forms of fishing in inshore waters. Alistair Philp, National Coordinator of the Scottish Creel Fishermen’s Federation, writes: “Now that the threat of the poorly thought-out Highly Protected Marine Area (HPMA) proposals has passed, it is time to have a sensible debate about the alternative options.” The letter issued on behalf of the Our Seas coalition, which includes a wide range of coastal organisations, describes a need to “reverse the decades of mismanagement that has already hollowed out much of our inshore fishing industry.” It argues for the reinstatement of an inshore limit akin to or like the historic Inshore limit called for – designed to preserve fish nursery and spawning grounds – such as was in place until 1984. >>click to read<< 14:01
Industry welcomes confirmation that HPMA proposals have been scrapped
The move was welcomed by the fishing industry which had campaigned against the proposal. Shetland Fishermen’s Association (SFA) executive officer Sheila Keith said members were pleased that common sense had prevailed. “The angst caused by the ill-conceived proposals was clear by the responses to the consultation which showed, when you removed campaign responses, 76 per cent of respondents opposed, and only 20 per cent supported the plans. “However, our concerns are not wholly alleviated as the government still discuss the implementation of “enhanced marine protection” over 10 per cent of Scottish waters. >>click to read<< 10:19
Two fishermen who disappeared at sea nine years ago drowned in tragic accident, coroner rules
Two crew members drowned in a tragic accident when the boat they were fishing on sank in the North Sea, a coroner has ruled. Michael Pulpul, 38, and Jhunitzquo Antonio, 34, disappeared when the Ocean Way trawler which were were travelling on got into difficulty around 100 miles off the coast of Northumberland. The vessel sank on November 2, 2014 and their bodies have never been found. The pair, who were from the Philippines, were travelling with two other crew members from the same country – Rumulo Rocha and Nixon Ocon – and one of the boat’s skippers James Noble, 45. Mr Pulpul, Mr Antonio and Mr Noble lost their lives when the boat, which Mr Noble co-owned with fellow skipper Billy Edwards, capsized during adverse weather conditions. Photos, >>click to read<< 15:08
SNP fully scraps controversial fishing restrictions in final climbdown
Scottish Government minister Màiri McAllan announced her party will no longer pursue divisive plans to restrict fishing in 10% of Scotland’s seas. The environmental policy aimed to protect sea life under threat but was met with a huge backlash from concerned rural and coastal communities. In June, Ms Allan said HPMAs would no longer be implemented on schedule by 2026 as government ministers went back to the drawing board. It came weeks after leading figures from the country’s seafood sector held a major protest outside Holyrood. Now Ms McAllan has revealed the proposals will be ditched entirely following the angry responses from fishing industry leaders opposed to the scheme. >>click to read<< 08:29
Galloway fisherman to lodge Police Scotland complaint after being targeted in huge operation
A Galloway fisherman claims he was “victimised” in a major police operation linked to people trafficking. Port William man Paul Maguire had his boat temporarily impounded and guarded, his crew house raided and quayside lobster shed searched. Police also raided his parents’ home in nearby Mochrum while his mother was celebrating her 90th birthday. According to witnesses at the scene, armed officers forced entry to the lobster shed shouting a warning. Police Scotland confirmed they had warrants to search the premises. The operation began when a UK Border Force vessel pulled alongside Mr Maguire’s boat in Luce Bay at 1pm last Wednesday. >>click to read<< 14:35
Scottish fishers hit back with new poll findings showing huge public support
An overwhelming majority of Scots believe fishing fleets should be safeguarded as seas become more crowded, with the emergence of offshore wind and renewables, according to a new survey. The poll of 1,000 adults by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) underscores strong public support for protecting the industry as it faces pressures from new marine users. The findings give the industry ample ammunition to fight back against attacks by a powerful environmental lobby armed with data it claims show fish stocks in decline. They also come just days after the SFF’s 50th anniversary dinner, at which Elspeth Macdonald, chief executive, told around 100 guests fishing deserved recognition for its low environmental impact. Announcing the poll results, Ms Macdonald said: “This survey proves conclusively that the people of Scotland firmly believe fishing should continue to be a priority as we balance the needs of different marine industries. Photos, >>click to read<< 07:50
Scottish firm fined £20,000 for illegally fishing for King Scallops without a license in Isle of Man
A Scottish firm has been fined £20,000 after its vessel was found fishing illegally in the Isle of Man’s territorial waters last year. The owner of the Star Fishing Company Limited pleaded guilty to fishing for King Scallops without a licence on 3 December 2022 at Douglas Courthouse on Tuesday. Prosecutor Rachel Cubbon told the court the Star of Jura entered Manx waters twice in the early hours on Saturday 3 December, which was confirmed when DEFA and Marine Scotland examined the boat’s on-board monitoring and tracking systems. Further investigation of the Master’s daybook and electronic logbook revealed 12 bags of King Scallops had been landed in Manx waters, which was not declared. >>click to read<< 10:24
Could bluefin tuna become Scotland’s new ‘silver darlings’?
For years, Atlantic bluefin tuna were a rare sight in Scottish waters, with their numbers depleted as their prime source of food – herring and mackerel – landed instead on the nation’s dining tables. So, when skipper Angus Campbell’s fishing boat Aqua SY 210 pulled up alongside the quay at Stornoway a few weeks ago, the whopping bluefin tuna his crew had landed – 10ft long and weighing 164kg – strung up for curious locals to see, there was more than a little interest. “It was definitely very exciting,” says Mr Campbell, who has been fishing the waters off the Isle of Harris since he was just 15 years old. It was Scotland’s first commercially caught Atlantic bluefin tuna for decades. >>click to read<< 09:48
Lifeboat crew return after 18-hour call
Stephen Manson described the seas as “brutal” after the lifeboat was called out to aid the Danish trawler Westbank and her three-man crew. The 17m fishing vessel had broken down, and the RNLI crew launched into difficult conditions in the North Sea, heading into the south-easterly gale which has brought chaos across Scotland. “It was brutal, there were big seas, a lot of rolling and things going walkabout on the boat,” Mr Manson said. “We handled it well and it all ran fairly smoothly, but weather was very much a challenge, especially getting there.” >>click to read<< 10:58
Brunvoll with Full Package for Sunbeam’s New Trawler
Sunbeam Fishing Limited’s newest trawler has a broad range of Brunvoll products incorporated into its design. In addition to the main propulsion and tunnel thruster, Sunbeam Fishery has opted for the retractable azimuth combi thruster and the BruCon control system. The vessel is designed by Salt Ship Design and will be built at Myklebust Shipyard. In a nod to their enduring trust in Brunvoll, Scottish Sunbeam Fishing Limited has once again opted for the expertise and reliable solutions that Brunvoll offers. The Sunbeam trawler will be equipped with a wide array of Brunvoll’s high-performance products, bringing advanced technology to the heart of the vessel. >>click to read<< 10:54
How I restored an old arctic trawler to explore the Scottish islands
Amelia Dalton was at her father-in-law’s funeral when she got the phone call. And it wasn’t good news. The Arctic trawler she had bought, named Monaco, to establish her own cruising business had started to sink in the North Sea. “Off I went up to Peterhead with a background in cooking and antiques to get this boat pulled out of the water and on goes the story of how we converted this 85-foot trawler into a small expedition boat,” Dalton explains. Laughing as she recalls the memory, Dalton admits that “pretty well everything went wrong that you could imagine,” starting with the boat sinking in the North Sea. Photos, >>click to read<< 11:47
Whale Vomit: Fisherman shocked as dog finds ‘disgusting’ blob on beach – and could be worth £400,000
A fisherman said he was surprised after his dog found a “disgusting” blob on a Scottish beach which could be worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Patrick Williamson, 37, was walking his dog on a beach in Ayrshire when the pup dropped her ball and ran towards a mysterious rock on the shore. The local resident was sure it was ambergris – also known as whale vomit – and was surprised to find it in the area. The substance, a secretion produced in the intestines of sperm whales, is created by the animals when they cannot regurgitate problem foods. The whale will then expel the valuable ambergris, which will float in the sea until it washes up on the shore – ready to be found by a lucky treasure hunter. Photos, >>click to read<< 12:10
Owners and skipper fined after trawler gas death in Fraserburgh
The owners and skipper of a fishing trawler have been fined following the death of a man who was overcome by gas on board. William Ironside, 52, was one of five men who fell ill on the Sunbeam in Fraserburgh in August 2018. At Peterhead Sheriff Court the owners, Sunbeam Limited, were fined £220,000 while skipper James Duthie was ordered to pay £7,500. Duthie, 66, was also sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work. In October 2018 the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) said it was a “tragic accident” which nearly resulted in multiple fatalities. >>click to read<< 14:52
Scottish Port Feels Force Of UK Fishing Storm
In Peterhead, a major port in northeast Scotland and Europe’s largest wholesale market for white fish, Brexit was supposed to offer “a sea of opportunity” for locals. Instead they have suffered a wave of complications and added financial costs in recent years, even before the impact of surging inflation. “Careful what you wish for, it hasn’t turned out as they promised,” Mark Addison says in front of his trawler, the Benarkle II, which is moored just behind Peterhead’s fish market. “It’s been the hardest three years,” he tells AFP. “Brexit followed by the (Ukraine) war was just a double whammy.” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent prices soaring worldwide, with the fishing industry hit hard by rocketing fuel prices and large cost increases for key equipment such as nets. Photos. >>click to read<< 08:34
Son pays tribute to Scots fisherman who died after boat capsized
Tributes have been paid to a Scots fisherman who ‘died doing what he loved’ after his boat capsized in the North Sea. Sandy Alexander Snr has been named locally as the 69-year-old man who tragically died near Macduff, Aberdeenshire, around 12pm on Thursday. A major emergency response was launched after the vessel capsized but Sandy could not be saved and was sadly pronounced dead a short time after he was found in the water. His son Sandy Jnr said he died doing ‘what he loved’ as he paid tribute in an online post. He said: “I’m posting this in memory of first and foremost my dad, my skipper, my best pal. Photos, >>click to read<< 09:07
Fuming fishermen say SNP and Green politicians are not telling the truth about Scotland’s bountiful seas
Fishermen in Shetland say that the extent of biodiversity loss in Scottish seas seas has been greatly exaggerated by Scottish Government ministers and others. To help “debunk myths and misleading claims about the industry”, the Shetland Fisherman’s Association (SFA) has published the latest of its ‘Fishy Falsehood’ papers. It points to clear evidence that marine species are continuing to thrive in Scottish seas. The SNP/Scottish Green executive has paused its hugely controversial Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) proposals, which would’ve banned fishing in 10 per cent of Scottish coastal waters. Green MSP Arianne Burgess summed up the motivation for the ban when she said: “In Scotland and across the world nature is in crisis, with many species facing extinction.” >>click to read<< 10:53
Galloway fishing representatives hope voices will be heard after meeting cabinet minister
Galloway fishing representatives have expressed hopes their voices will be heeded following round-table talks with Mairi McAllan in Kirkcudbright. The cabinet secretary met industry delegates in the wake of her decision to withdraw controversial proposals for highly protected marine areas (HPMAs). She toured West Coast Sea Products’ scallop factory ahead of the Johnston Centre summit. Ms McAllan told the News: “I was pleased to meet with representatives of the local fishing industry, businesses, community groups and others in Dumfries and Galloway this week to discuss how we can work together on marine conservation. >>click t0 read<< 10:03
New Gov’t plan to track small fishing boats
Proposals to introduce electronic tracking and monitoring technology for small fishing vessels will be consulted on as part of package of new fisheries measures. The consultation proposes that vessel tracking devices will be required by Scottish commercial fishing vessels under 12 metres in length wherever they operate, and by all vessels of the that size when they operate in Scottish waters. It also asks whether Remote Electric Monitoring systems (REM) – which are more sophisticated than vessel tracking – should be required on some inshore vessels. A Scottish Government spokesperson explained: “Rolling out such technology across Scotland’s fishing fleet would show that vessels are operating sustainably and within the law, increasing consumer confidence in Scottish seafood. >click to read< 10:58
Ayrshire fishing industry: Consultation is launched
SNP MSP Siobhian Brown has welcomed plans from the Scottish Government that will attempt to boost the fishing industry in Ayr and Troon and has encouraged local stakeholders to engage with the consultation. The consultation on how to collaboratively improve inshore fisheries data, which was launched on August 14, includes proposals to introduce electronic tracking and monitoring technology for small fishing vessels, which will help to increase consumer confidence in Scottish seafood. It follows two recent consultations: one on Remote Electric Monitoring (REM) on board pelagic and scallop vessels, and the other on Scotland’s Future Catching Policy. These collaborative consultations, and the package of measures they will introduce, represent Scotland’s future as a world-class sustainable fishing nation. >click to read< 09:46
Fife fishing boat recovered as appeal continues to find culprit who sank it
A Fife fishing boat that was sank by a hooded stranger has been recovered. The operation to bring the Tina Louise back above water at Methil Harbour lasted all day on Wednesday. But the boat has now been removed, meaning owners Tina and Ross Coventry can claim insurance for the £50,000 worth of damage caused last month. “The boat is a complete write-off but we are hoping to sell some bits off from it,” Tina said. The couple, who run a shellfish delivery service, say the incident has put them out of business for months. Video, >click to read< 07:56
Macduff Ship Design are pleased to announce the completion of the new build fishing vessel, ‘ZENITH, BF 106’
The vessel was built by Macduff Shipyards for owner Mark Robertson, along with sons Paul and Adam. This fishing vessel replaces the owner’s previous two fishing vessels, ZEYPHR BF 601 (ex UBEROUS) built by the yard in 2005 and ZENITH BF 106 (ex DAYSTAR) built by the yard in 2008. The vessel is intended to fish out of Fraserburgh in the North East of Scotland, targeting primarily prawns in the North Sea region. ZENITH is the second vessel in a series of three sister ships, all of which are being built at the yards newly developed Buckie site. Photos, >click to read< 09:36
Small fishing boats in Scotland could be tracked under new plans
Small fishing vessels could be required to use tracking and monitoring systems under new proposals from the Scottish Government. A new consultation proposes that the devices be fitted to all commercial fishing vessels under 12 metres long. They are already required for vessels longer than this while fishing in waters around Europe. The Government also published the outcome of other fishing consultations, saying remote electronic monitoring – which is more sophisticated than vessel tracking – will become mandatory on large pelagic vessels and scallop dredgers. >click to read< 09:41
Documentary reveals exploitative working conditions on board gill netters
ISLES MP Alistair Carmichael is to lobby the UK Government and other relevant organisations to put pressure on Germany after yet more revelations about the fleet of foreign gill netters operating in Shetland waters. Working conditions described as “just one step removed from modern slavery” have been uncovered on board a number of Spanish-owned and German-registered gill netters catching monkfish. A 30-minute programme by German public broadcaster NDR documents how the Indonesian crews on board the Pesorsa Dos and Ortegal Tres are working 12-hour days, sometimes for a whole year with no day off, and being paid 800 euros (around £700) per month. Video, >click to read< 13:52
Ex-fisherman Derry brightens up Mey pier with boat artwork
A Canisbay man is using his artistic skills to enhance a north coast quayside – 44 years after he played a key role in an improvement scheme that was officially opened by a visiting rock star. Derry Ross (76) is adding new colour to a series of fishing boat designs that embellish the pier at picturesque Phillip’s Harbour, Mey, having been foreman when it was rebuilt in the late 1970s. He created the designs on the concrete wall as part of the original renovation project and now, with more time on his hands, the ex-fisherman is painstakingly painting between the outlines while also adding fresh details. Some show trawlers of the type he used to work on, based in Aberdeen, while others depict Danish-style boats. The upgraded harbour was officially opened in April 1979 by Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page. Photos, >click to read< 08:09
Fishing vessel Zenith completed by Macduff Shipyards
Macduff Shipyards has recently signed over its latest new build fishing vessel Zenith BF 106 to owner Mark Robertson and his sons Paul and Adam. The fishing boat replaces the owner’s previous two trawlers Zeyphr BF 601(ex-Uberous) built by the yard in 2005 and Zenith BF 106 (ex-Daystar) built by the yard in 2008. The vessel is intended to fish out of Fraserburgh targeting primarily prawns in the North Sea region. Zenith is the second vessel in a series of three sister ships, all of which are being built at the yards newly developed Buckie site. 13 photos, >click to read< 10:31
Hundreds of Scots fisherman face losing jobs as new rules brand them too fat to fish
UK Government regulations which are about to come into force will mean seafarers must have a medical certificate showing a body mass index (BMI) of under 35 – or risk being banned from their own trawlers. Crewmen fear they will not be able to go to sea because of the draconian requirements. Furious fishermen branded the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) rules “discrimination”. Bob Dunsire, 49, who has been skippering prawn boats out of Pittenweem, Fife, since he was a teenager, said he can barely believe what is being done to the industry. He said: “I know I don’t have a BMI under 35 and I’m furious at these new medical requirements. They could see me out of my job and put my entire crew out of work, too. Photos, >click to read< 08:00
Huge reward offered after masked man drills holes in fishing boat at Fife dock
Police are investigating reports a masked, hooded man scaled the perimeter fence and drilled holes in the hull of the vessel causing it to submerge, leaving owners, Tina and Ross Coventry, unable to run their shellfish delivery business which provides lobster and mackerel to a number a number of high-end restaurants across Fife and Edinburgh at the very height of the season. “It took less than four minutes to destroy our livelihoods,” said Ross. “We need to get the boat back on to dry land to see what the damage is and whether it is worth repairing. The hull can be fixed, but the engine has been in sea water for a whole week and the there is no hope of the electronics in it working. >click to read< 09:50
New Peterhead festival to champion north-east seafood
Europe’s top white-fish port will provide the backdrop for a new north-east food and drink festival this autumn. SeaFest Peterhead has been organised to champion the area’s valuable seafood sector. Organisers are already hailing the new addition to the Blue Toon’s social calendar as a “must see”. It is due to take place at the harbour on Saturday September 9 from 11am to 4pm. Billed as a “fin-tastic” extravaganza to “shell-ebrate” the bounty of the sea, it will showcase the rich fishing heritage of Peterhead and the wider north-east region. >click to read< 09:15
Local seafood restaurant ‘heartbroken’ after hooded figure caught destroying vital boat
A popular local seafood restaurant has been left heartbroken after their shellfish supplier’s boat was destroyed. On Friday, July 28, a hooded figure was caught on CCTV damaging a boat at Methil Dockyears that supplies lobster and shellfish to North Queensferry’s Wee Restaurant. The popular seafood eatery has said they are ‘beyond rage and despair’ after they heard the news that the boat, Tina Louise, was damaged and sunk at around 7am. The owners of the Tina Louise said: “In the early hours of Friday morning, this man climbed over the security fence at the Methil Boat Club, wearing a mask and with a battery-powered drill in hand. >click to read< 08:53
