Tag Archives: UK Fishermen
UK fishermen ‘at the very bottom of the heap’
A paper published in the scientific journal Marine Policy, with a wide group of authors, some attached to anti-fishing NGOs, shows starkly how bad a deal UK fishermen have in Europe. The UK EEZ is a key fishing ground for fleets from the EU and Norway, which are provided with huge amounts of government support to fish in British and, to a lesser extent, Irish waters. Ireland is the only country remaining within the EU that is a net ‘subsidy sink’, with vessels fishing what would be the Irish EEZ – were Ireland independent – receiving more financial support to fish there than the Irish fleet itself receives. But the figures for Ireland are dwarfed by those for the UK, which, the study says, is an ‘outlier’ worldwide. There is otherwise a pattern of richer nations – in particular China, Spain, Korea, Japan and the USA – being given support to extract fish from much poorer developing countries. The paper doesn’t attempt to explain quite why the UK is such an outlier. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 10:29
Angry, Breton fishermen on strike!
It would seem that it is not only Uk fishermen that are troubled by the position they find themselves in with regard to quotas, increasingly demanding NGOs, fuel costs and a general increase in what seem unworkable rules and regulations being forced upon them In Brittany, which is home to some of the largest ports in France fishermen – including company boats – are taking action today and effectively going on strike by staying in port. If such action were to be contemplated here in Cornwall say, it would be good to think the company boats would also mirror their Breton cousins and stay in port. Video, >click to read< 09:05
UK fishermen feeling ‘widespread shock and betrayal’ at Boris Johnson’s ‘broken promises’
Brexit fury has erupted after UK fishermen raged they have been left with a “widespread feeling of shock and betrayal” while claiming Boris Johnson broke “promises” made to the industry. The former Prime Minister promises the country’s fishermen they would be protected in the event of any post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union, which was signed at the end of 2020. The agreement states there would be a five-year transition period during which little would change that would see EU boats continue to gain access to UK waters until 2026. >click to read< 08:12
EU running riot in British waters as UK fishermen ‘betrayed’ over broken Brexit promises
UK fishermen have lashed out at the Government and accused it of “betrayal” over broken Brexit promises, with European vessels still allowed to run riot in British waters. Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his Conservative Party Government had promised fishermen they would be fully protected in the event of any trade deal with the European Union. This was signed at the eleventh hour on December 30, 2020, with fishing rights, which had been a major bone of contention in often bitter negotiations between the two sides, one of the last issues to be resolved. >click to read<
Where do you even begin to respond to the answer given this question in Parliament?
This is not, “taking back control”. The level of understanding displayed in this response is telling. Just how seriously is the threat of these hugely powerful and game-changing fishing vessels being taken by the MMO and the Government on behalf of off and inshore UK fishermen? Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, whether his Department is aware of the fishing method of fly shooting in UK waters, whether his Department has made an assessment of the environmental impacts of fly shooting; and if his Department will make an assessment of the compatibility of fly shooting with the Government’s ambition to protect 30 percent of UK waters by 2030. >click to read< 22;30
A Raw Deal for UK Fishermen – Out of the potential winners and losers of Brexit, no one actually wins
Exporters and inshore fishers in particular are bearing the brunt whilst also leaving the biggest UK fish market looking like a ghost town. Brexit was sold to the public by politicians and parts of the fishing industry as a‘sea of opportunity’; a message that captured the media narrative. There were promises of thousands of tonnes of additional quota, exclusive access to the 6 – 12nm territorial seas, and the taking back control of the 12 – 200nm limit while excluding EU vessels unless they fished on UK terms. Beyond that, fishers were told trade would not be impacted and the EU market they so heavily rely on would still be available on the same terms. As recent events have shown, this hasn’t happened and the government’s broken commitments are exposed. >click to read< 11:47
Coronavirus: Eat More Fish! Shoppers urged to support UK fishermen as export markets dry up
With the export markets to Europe and China ruined, restaurants and chippies closed, hospitality shut down and many supermarkets not staffing their fish counters, skippers have decided to keep their vessels tied up. But some are still going out to fish, and more of what they catch is available online or being sold door-to-door.,,, “Groups of fishermen around the UK are setting up websites so they can sell locally landed fish straight to local fishmongers or to households and we’re seeing an increase in the use of fish vans which makes it easier for people to buy seafood too. photos, >click to read< 09:42
With the right team, we CAN get a good fisheries deal
John Ashworth writes an important take on how the renegotiated Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration cover fisheries. John is a hero of the Eurosceptic cause, and a critical figure in the campaign to win back British waters. Indeed, I well remember my first meeting in Parliament working for Sir Richard Body, because it was when Save Britain’s Fish campaigners came to discuss whether or not he should take back the whip. So it is with considerable reluctance that I write this. On this occasion, I think he may be wrong. >click to read< 13:56
UK fishermen furious at quota madness demand hard Brexit: ‘France don’t give away wine!’
Simon Collins, executive officer of the Shetland Fishermen’s Association, said those he represents are “not impressed” by the Government’s handling of Brexit and any further delay to the UK’s exit from the bloc would not be welcomed on the islands. Mr Collins said Shetlanders are sick and tired of watching foreign boats sail into their waters and leave loaded with fish due to “unfair quotas” set by European officials. “The UK sits in the most productive seas in the EU but we don’t reap the benefits. >click to read< 11:34
UK fishermen take to the water demanding speedy Brexit
NEWCASTLE: Starting off from North Shields, a small town in northeast England that has been a fishermen’s haven since 1225, a dozen ships sailed up the River Tyne to Newcastle on Friday demanding Brexit by March 29. Around 50 fishermen were on board the boats, which were festooned with banners reading “Save Britain’s Fish” and “You’ve Betrayed Us Again” – a day after MPs in Westminster voted in favour of delaying Brexit. The demonstration was to urge the country’s leaders to “ensure we leave on the 29th of March,” the currently scheduled date of departure, according to organisers. It came the day before former UKIP leader Nigel Farage starts out on his March to Leave, from nearby Sunderland to London. >click to read<17:08
Scallop War – French fishermen vow to ‘use the heavy artillery’ in next Channel clash with English scallop rivals
French fishermen now appear to be planning to step up their attacks on British vessels as they branded out trawlers “roast beef”. One, Pierre Sophie, raged the “war” is not over and vowed to keep attacking UK fisherman in the English Channel. In one rant, he said: “Will (sic) come back with more boats! We’ll have to get the heavy artillery out!!!” He also shared footage of the violent clash on Tuesday with the caption: “Bunch of b*****ds”. Another fisherman, , Steph LF, boasted about the attack, saying how “the little French frog… ate some f***ing British roast beef”. >click to read<11:34
The TRUTH about the multi-million pound fishing firms monopolising UK seas
As UKIP leader Nigel Farage leads a flotilla of UK fishermen up the Thames to protest unfair fishing quota allocation, it has been revealed that the fleet’s flagship trawler was caught up in the UK’s largest ever fraud involving illegal catches of fish: ‘the black fish’ scandal of 2009. The Christina S vessel is now partly owned by one of the richest fishing barons in the country, Andrew Marr, who was named in our recent investigation into the monopolisation of UK fishing rights. >click to read< 12:01
UK Fishermen enjoy ‘black gold rush’ as demand for cuttlefish hits all time high
Fishermen from across the UK are flocking to the South West to land the inky mollusc – which is related to the squid – in record numbers. They are taking advantage of the lack of quotas with 100 tonnes being landed by just five or six boats. Last week a record £700,000 worth of cuttlefish was put through the tills at Brixham fish market in Devon with prices at an all-time high of £5 a kilo. And struggling British fishermen say they could be an unexpected saviour of the local economy. Skippers have descended on waters around Brixham from as far away as Scotland and Northern Ireland to take advantage. Many boats are being double crewed and only resting in port for the bare minimum of time to maximise the amount of they are able to catch. click here to read the story 09:16
Fisherman upbeat after EU vote opens door for leaving institution
Leave-supporting fishermen have spoken of their delight and positivity after Britons voted to leave the EU. Gary Smith is skipper of the whitefish trawler Devotion. From a fishing point of view he said it was the right decision and is positive about the industry. “The common fisheries policy has been terrible for fishing, forcing British men to dump fish while huge foreign vessels plunder the stocks,” he said. He admitted UK fishermen were not entirely blameless, having largely taken the law into their own hands with black landings (the landing of over quota fish) in the 1990s and early 2000s, as well as the mass dumping of good fish back to the sea. “But with a governing body so far removed from reality I feel we had no option, these immoral and illegal acts were done totally unwillingly for survival. “I believe now more than ever before we need to unite as one voice, everyone agrees that fisheries science is at best a two-year-late guess. That is simply not good enough. Read the rest here 15:28
Where are the fishermen/fishers/fisherfolk in all this?
With the working title, “Discard ban can benefit fish and fishers, but sustainability must come first” here are the opening lines of an article written by Bryce Stewart – and you wonder why fishermen get a tad upset when they read this kind of thing! Read more here 22:29
UK Fishermen – Storm Surges and Wind Farms – Economic Disaster
The government fund will allow people who make their living from the sea to receive up to £5,000 to replace lost or damaged fishing gear including crab and lobster pots. It comes as the Fishermen’s Mission also launched a nationwide appeal for emergency funds to aid people in coastal communities who have been unable to land any catches, as a result of the severe storms. Cromer crab fisherman John Lee, chairman of the North Norfolk Fisheries Local Action Group, said the major issues facing fishermen were offshore wind farms and the possibility of creating a Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) off the north Norfolk coast. Read more here 07:40
UK Fishermen Offer Maine Counterparts Offshore Wind Advice
Some commercial fishermen from Great Britain are offering their Maine counterparts advice on protecting their interests, as the state’s first offshore wind development moves forward. Maine Aqua Ventus needs to secure a nearly $47 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy before it can begin construction on a 12-megawatt, two-turbine development off Monhegan Island. At a meeting in Rockland, the UK fishermen said the industry here needs to have a seat at the table with developers as the Maine project moves forward. Read and listen@mpbn Shut this shit down. 18:41 They don’t want it.
