Tag Archives: Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association
New Chair and Vice-Chair of Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association
Alex Wiseman has retired as chair of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association (SPFA) after 15 years of dedicated service, with former vice-chair Richard Williamson elected as the new chair and Alexander (Ally) West becoming the new vice-chair. Tributes were paid to Alex Wiseman at a recent board meeting of the SPFA, who has led the Association with real commitment for a considerable period, ensuring that the voice of Scottish pelagic catching sector was heard at all levels of government. The new chair, Richard Williamson, who is the co-skipper of the Shetland vessel, Research, said: “Alex has been a superb chair and everyone in the Association would like to thank him for excellent work in looking after the interests of our sector for so many years. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 08:37
Anger as Faroe Islands renew fishery agreement with Russia
The Faroese granted Moscow the right to catch tens of thousands of tons of blue whiting in a special area shared with Britain despite the war in Ukraine. Ian Gatt, chief executive of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, said: “It is hugely disappointing, if not surprising, that Faroe has concluded a fisheries agreement for 2023 with Russia. The fishing industry spent months calling on the Government to pressure the island country – 200 miles north of Scotland – to maximise damage to Vladimir Putin’s war machine by banning his trawlers. >click to read< 09:12
Pelagic Partnership Takes Delivery of New Artemis
The latest pelagic vessel to join the Scottish fleet has been built for a partnership that began fishing with the 64-metre former Resolute, which became Artemis for its new owners back in 2020. The partnership of Interfish subsidiary Northbay Fishing Company and the Wiseman Fishing Company, headed by Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association (SPFA) chairman Alex Wiseman, have now taken delivery of the new Artemis, skippered 
by Adam Wiseman. The new vessel’s hull was built at the Karstensen Shipyard Poland and arrived in Skagen in February 2022 for outfitting. It sailed from the yard in Skagen in early September, headed straight for fishing grounds and started its fishing career on herring. Some fine photos, >click to read< 13:31
Scots fishers urge ministers to resist campaign for giant freezer trawler
The UK Government is being urged to ignore a “concerted campaign” to deprive Scottish fishers of quota in favour of a huge, foreign-owned freezer trawler operating out of a British port. Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association chief executive Ian Gatt and Shetland Fishermen’s Association executive officer Simon Collins said lobbying by the vessel’s owner, East Yorkshire-based UK Fisheries, to secure more fish “must be resisted”. Mr Gatt said: “This vessel operates out of Hull, but is owned primarily by Dutch and Icelandic interests, is largely operated by a non-UK crew and processes its catch on board. >click to read< 09:31
Brexit, an “ocean of possibilities”? British fishermen mixed
A heavy weather warning was announced this weekend in the North Sea. Rain and wind are already sweeping Peterhead and its pink granite dwellings. Located in the east of Scotland, the UK’s largest fishing port in terms of fish caught sees its boats returning for shelter. Except Peter Bruce, who will stay at sea until the last moment. ” We use so much gasoline to reach the whitefish fishing grounds that it is not financially worthwhile to come back for six to eight days.”,,, While Peter Bruce usually fills his holds with 50 tonnes of fish, he sometimes has to make do with 35 tonnes. Particularly since the 1is January. >click to read< 14:53
Scottish fishermen face cuts to mackerel quota
The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (Ices), an influential group of scientists whose advice helps to shape fisheries policy in the EU and elsewhere, has called for north-east Atlantic mackeral catches to be slashed by nearly 70%. Mackeral was worth £162 million, or 29% of the total catch by value for the Scottish fleet last year. Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association chief executive Ian Gatt said yesterday the proposed cut was a “huge concern” and he would be meeting European Commission officials today to discuss it. >click to read<08:04
Discard ban delayed
Fishing leaders are high about cod and haddock quotas being set to rise significantly. They are also relieved a plan to introduce a discard ban on cod in three weeks has been delayed by 12 months. However stalled negotiations over Faroe’s right to catch a large percentage of its mackerel quota in EU, especially Scottish and Shetland waters, has aggravated local fishermen. Shetland Fishermen’s Association executive officer Simon Collins said the current agreement is “hopelessly skewed” in favour of Shetland’s Scandinavian neighbours. Read the article here 18:27
