Tag Archives: United Kingdom
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
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency to carry out unannounced inspections of fishing vessels across the UK.
The agency said that inspections are being carried out as part of ongoing work to improve fishing vessel safety in an industry recognized to be one of the most dangerous in the world. Since November 2020 there have been eight deaths in the industry including one in Shetland when a fisherman fell overboard from a local trawler in February. Between 2011and 2020 the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) reported 60 fatalities from UK fishing vessels. >click to read< 21:50
Lobster wars: Norfolk fisherman says too many people cashing in, lobsters being overfished
A Norfolk fisherman with more than 40 years of experience has raised fears that the region’s shores are being overfished of lobsters. David Chambers said bad weather had recently affected lobster supplies. But Mr Chambers also blamed too many people coming into the industry and crowding the waters with their pots on the decline in lobster supplies and the hike in prices. It comes as the seabed from Weybourne to Happisburgh, off the Norfolk coast, was designated a Marine Conservation Zone in 2016.”There are an awful lot of pots and I know some people with big boats who are giving up because there’s too much gear out there, the younger fishermen have no respect, it’s just crazy. >click to read< 11:39
A fundraiser is established for a memorial to remember fishermen who died off Newhaven coast
The family of a fisherman who tragically died when his ship sank off the coast of Newhaven are raising funds for a new memorial to remember those lost at sea. Robert Morley and Adam Harper lost their lives after their boat, the F/V Joanna C, sank in November last year. Captain Dave Bickerstaff was pulled from the water by lifeboat crews, after he was found holding on to a lifebuoy almost four hours after the tragedy. Now, months after Robert Morley was laid to rest, his family are fundraising for a memorial to placed in the harbour to remember those who have lost their lives at sea. photos, >click to read< Memorial for our lost fisherman – Thanks to everyone for donating and sharing, we are receiving amazing support this is obviously close to our hearts as it is to Adams and Darren’s families , this memorial will also stand as a tribute to all fishermen and women a memorial for Newhaven is long overdue, >click to read, and please donate if you can< 07:49
Fisherman rescued after falling overboard in the early hours of Sunday morning
Hartlepool RNLI lifeboats were launched at 02:43 by Humber Coastguard following a report that the man had gone overboard from a 10m fishing vessel. However by the time the rescue service reached the incident the stricken man had been recovered from the water by the fishing boat’s skipper and was back onboard their vessel. A crew member from the RNLI team was placed aboard the boat to assess the casualty. >click to read< 07:33
Fishing industry ‘sold down river’ by Brexit
When I read that those fish and chip shops supplied by our trawler fleet some years ago are now being supplied by Norwegian trawlers, I have to ask myself…how in heaven’s name did we allow this to happen? And when I read in the same article that good quality fish, caught by our own fisherman, were left rotting on the quayside, almost mirroring fish caught by British fishermen having to be thrown back although dead, but perfectly fit to enter our food chain, I considered both a criminal act, and if they weren’t they should have been. >click to read< 11:55
Granville mayor defends accused French fisherman caught trawling through a protected area
The skipper of a French boat which was caught trawling through a protected bream spawning ground off the north coast has been defended by the mayor of Granville. Gilles Ménard diverted the blame onto Jersey’s government for preventing the captain of the Alizé 3 from accessing its ‘usual fishing areas’.,,, During the incident, which took place on Tuesday morning, Jersey fishermen spotted the trawler moving through the protected zone, and fisheries officers, alongside a number of local boats, went out to intercept the vessel. >click to read< 16:38
EU accused of ‘land grab’ by fishermen as they increase use of ‘destructive’ fly-shooting boats in UK waters
The EU has been accused of a “land grab” by fishing groups as it has drastically increased the amount of “fly-shooting” boats in UK waters. Fly-shooting is a controversial fishing method in which multiple nets are used to encircle and capture entire shoals of fish, and heavy ropes drag across the ocean floor, displacing whatever is underneath. There were originally just a handful of fly-shooters in our waters, but now there are 75 high-powered boats using the method all across UK waters to scoop up bass and mullet. >click to read< 20:51
‘Some will call it a day’, warns East Neuk prawn fisherman as Coronavirus and Brexit impact bites
It was presented as a “sea of opportunity” that would lead to post-Brexit Britain becoming an independent coastal state and a chance to “take back control” of our fishing waters. But when eighth generation East Neuk fisherman Graham Gourlay reflects on the combined double whammy of Coronavirus and Brexit on his industry, he says that “without a doubt” some prawn fishermen will sell-up unless market conditions dramatically improve soon.,, In depth article, photos, >click to read<08:46
Amble man awarded silver medal in recognition of his service to the RNLI over half a century
Rodney Burge joined Amble lifeboat in 1969 after leaving the Royal Navy and he is still involved today as its press and media officer. “The award was totally unexpected,” said the 76-year-old,,, Born and brought up in Amble, he joined the Royal Navy as a teenager where he served as a submariner. He bought a trawler boat after leaving the services and enjoyed a long fishing career until retirement. >click to read< 16:11
Brexit Betrayal: In Newlyn, anger at red tape and the falling price of fish.
Michael Bosustow been awake for about 30 hours and needs to prepare for another couple of days at sea. But he can still summon the energy to condemn the Conservative party for striking a deal with the EU that he, like many in this tight-knit fishing town, regards as a betrayal.,,, Further down the quay, Brackan Pearce, 28, is restocking his trawler. He travelled up the Thames as part of a flotilla of fishing boats demanding control of British waters during the referendum campaign in 2016. Now he feels betrayed. “They lied to us. They’ve used us to get Brexit. Without the boats going up the Thames, Brexit would never have happened,” he says from the deck of his boat. >click to read< 08:46
The ‘disastrous’ Brexit deal: Fishermen lament Brexit betrayal and ageing crews
This year was meant to mark the rebirth of British fishing. After years of decline under the Common Fisheries Policy, fishermen overwhelmingly backed Brexit as a means of regaining control of the waters and rebuilding the country’s fleets. It was a tantalising glimpse of a new dawn, but instead the deal struck between the Government and the EU,,, The combination of red tape and a lack of opportunities at sea means many young people are now turning their back on the industry. Ruinous as it has been, many fishermen say they were struggling to attract young people due to domestic red tape long before the Brexit negotiations neared their conclusion. >click to read< 10:41
UK Fisheries call for tariffs on Norway, Greenland and Iceland to compensate for access loss of their waters
Despite two years of campaigning to save the UK’s distant-waters fishing industry, UK Fisheries Ltd’s state-of-the-art vessel Kirkella (pictured), a cod and haddock freezer trawler and part of the UK’s distant waters fishing fleet, is once again tied up in Hull. UK Fisheries still have no access to the Norwegian coastal waters where our crews should be working right now. >click to read< 07:13
Big fines for boat operators illegally fishing off Yorkshire coast
Magistrates heard boats from Oban in Scotland and Torquay in Devon repeatedly broke rules designed to protect the scallop fishery off the coast near Robin Hood’s Bay during a four-month period in 2019. John MacAlister, owner of the Star of Annan OB 50, and master of the vessel Alec Murray both appeared at Scarborough Magistrates’ Court having admitted the offences at a previous hearing. The court heard how the offences included operating in a closed season, using scallop dredges, failing to operate a fully-functioning vessel identification system as well as landing undersized scallops. >click to read< 17:56
Frustration as F/V Pesorsa Dos returns to local fishing grounds
Local fishermen are up in arms after the German registered gill-netter F/V Pesorsa Dos reappeared in the waters to the west of Shetland. Last year, the Spanish owned vessel was in the centre of a huge controversy after the crew of the Alison Kay (LK57) posted a video that appeared to show the gill netter trying to foul the local trawler’s propeller. Following Brexit and the “hugely disappointing” trade deal, the UK has become an independent coastal state, but EU vessels continue to have full access to UK waters until 2026. >click to read< 18:26
Meeting produces no solution for fishermen’s Brexit related fishing issues
Environment Minister John Young said following the discussions that he and his fellow ministers would continue to work with the industry, with another meeting due to take place before Easter.,, ‘The meeting welcomed the open and constructive discussions between ministers, officials and the local fisheries industry, and while a comprehensive solution was not reached, ‘It was a complete waste of time and a tick-box exercise to allow them to say they are engaging with industry. There was mention of financial support in three phases but it was read out “this is phase one, two, three. OK – let’s move on” and that was it,’ >click to read< 08:30
Fishing into the Future
Fishing into the Future (FITF), an independent UK charity led by people working in the fishing industry, has formed a partnership with the Fishmongers’ Company. The partnership includes a substantial grant to implement a three-year work programme that builds on their innovative learning and leadership initiative. Fishing into the Future’s Chairman, Dave Stevens, owner and skipper of the demersal trawler, Crystal Sea SS 118, remarks on the importance of charity’s work and the benefit the support from The Fishmongers’ Company will bring, >click to read< 12:36
Brexit trade deal leaves Welsh fishermen ‘devastated’
New rules to replace the EU Common Fisheries Policy mean 76 French and Belgian trawlers can fish within six miles of the Welsh coast until 2026. It means many Welsh fishermen may struggle to survive, the Welsh Fishermen’s Association said. The UK government said it protected fishermen’s rights. But those working in Wales said they were already struggling with export red tape. Barry Thomas, who voted for Brexit, said Prime Minister Boris Johnson “bottled” the deal “at the last minute”, after promising to keep foreign trawlers outside the UK’s 12-mile limit. >click to read< 08:40
Roy ‘Admiral’ Waller tributes as king of Hull trawler skippers dies aged 90, went to sea at age15
Tributes have been paid to Roy Waller, one of the giants of Hull’s post-war fishing industry, who has died following a short illness aged 90. He was a trawler skipper for 40 years, eventually retiring in 1995. During his career at sea, he twice won the prestigious Silver Cod Trophy awarded annually by the British Trawler Federation to the skipper, crew and vessel landing the greatest quantity of fish within the year. He became a skipper at the age of 25, having started out as a deckie learner. He was one of the youngest ever skippers. “In the 1970s, he was even given the nickname of ‘The Admiral’ because that’s how everyone saw him. He was hugely respected in the industry.” >click to read< 07:22
Troll leaves family of missing fisherman ‘disgusted’ after claiming to have shot at boat
A troll phoned the family of a missing fisherman to claim he had “shot” the boat he was aboard. Carl McGrath, Steve Minard and Ross Ballantine disappeared after heading out to sea from Conwy on Wednesday, with major searches for the men and the boat they were on so far drawing a blank. Mr McGrath’s sister Lauren Hynes, and her partner Jake Cox, had posted their phone numbers online so anybody with information could quickly get in touch. In the post, which he asked people to share, he said he was phoned on Sunday evening by a “young lad” stating he had information regarding the boat. >click to read< 07:47
Trawler firm says one-off trip is ‘sticking plaster’ as UK-Norway deal is needed
On Wednesday, Kirkella left Hull for a trip to the icy waters around the island of Svalbard which the vessel’s owner, UK Fisheries, has described as a “sticking plaster”. UK Fisheries says its licence means the number of fish it can catch will only allow this one trip. But this is about 10% of what it would have been allowed under the pre-Brexit regime. UK Fisheries chief executive Jane Sandell said: “We’re glad to be going out fishing at last, but this is only a sticking plaster. “Kirkella will be out for a few weeks but then, unless something changes very soon, we’ll have no more work for our crews for the foreseeable future.” >click to read< 11:38
New Whitby lobster boat launches on choppy post-Brexit waters
“Our Henry” is owned by business partners Terry Pearson and Luke Russell. Mr Pearson is the merchant for the local shellfishing fleet, while Mr Russell will skipper the catamaran, the first new boat to join the Whitby fleet for a decade, along with two other crew and a trainee. Delivered a couple of weeks ago the potter has been undergoing sea trials, but should make its first fishing trip later this week. “Then with Covid, the build was delayed, and it has only just arrived when we are in the middle of the winter fishery, “Then of course there has been Brexit,,, >click to read< 16:31
Made In Macduff
Adam Tait and his sons Adam and Jonathan went back to Macduff Shipyards for a new F/V Jacqueline Anne, replacing a trawler delivered by the same yard in 2013, with the new trawler built to the yard’s latest design. Built to fish around Scotland but mainly on North Sea grounds, Jacqueline Anne has been built using the same hull from as F/V Crystal Sea, which Macduff delivered in early 2020 to the Stevens family in Newlyn. The 24.50 metre LAO, 7.60 metre breadth design is an evolution of the yard’s older 24 metre design, with modifications made to reduce hull resistance and improve fuel efficiency. photos, >click to read< 15:48
Scottish seafood left to rot with exports tangled in Brexit bureaucracy, exports could grind to a halt
The Scottish Seafood Association said exports to the EU are being hindered by “red tape” delays in Scotland and France. It claims as many as 25 trucks were backlogged for clearance due to IT problems in Boulogne on Tuesday. Jimmy Buchan, chief executive of the Scottish Seafood Association, said: “Trucks laden with fresh seafood are being held up in central Scotland due to problems with customs barcodes and lack of veterinary service capacity. >click to read< 12:25
Boris Johnson’s Brexit Deal Under Fire From British Fishermen, More
Boris Johnson’s Brexit negotiations are being heavily criticised by UK fishermen who are faced with the possibility of going out of business, thanks to the terms of the Brexit fishing deal,,, >click to read<
Fishermen brand Brexit trade deal a ‘betrayal’ – new year may not bring the hoped for Brexit bounty for Scottish fishermen as industry leaders 
express their misgivings. >click to read<
EU crumbles as Irish fishermen turn on allies. ‘Macron got what HE wanted!’ – Irish fishermen have turned on their European allies over their English Channel access and quota allowances, arguing France got what they demanded in the post-Brexit trade deal with the UK. >click to read< 17:00
In nearly 50 years as a fisherman Arnold Locker has seen it all – ‘crews will be worse off in 2021 than before they left the EU’
The outcome of the Brexit trade deal has left him and many others bitterly disappointed. Mr Locker, chairman of Locker Trawlers in Whitby, and former chairman of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, believes Environment Secretary George Eustice should resign. He says this time the betrayal of fishing communities is worse, because politicians like Mr Eustice, Michael Gove and Prime Minister Boris Johnson “knew exactly what they were doing when they devastated coastal communities.”>click to read< 11:43
Brexit: What does the trade deal mean for fisheries? All the Fish related bits in the Brexit deal to read at your leisure: Articles 1-19
Contrary to many dire predictions, we finally have a Brexit trade deal, and with it an agreement on how the UK and EU will manage shared fisheries into the future. The fishing industry has experienced an unusually high profile since the Brexit referendum, but this reached dizzy heights over the last few months of 2020, as disagreements over fishing quotas and access were said to be the final barrier to a wider agreement. So now that the deal has been landed, how does the catch measure up? >click to read< All the Fish related bits in the Brexit deal to read at your leisure: Articles 1-19. – Article FISH.1: Sovereign rights of coastal States exercised by the Parties. The Parties affirm that sovereign rights of coastal States exercised by the Parties for the purpose of exploring, exploiting,,, >click to read< 08:40
Arbroath RNLI: The lifeboat heroes who give up their Christmas to save lives
Sam Clow will tuck into his Christmas dinner alongside his young family with his pager beside his festive fayre. Arbroath RNLI full-time coxswain/mechanic and his volunteer crew will drop everything at a moment’s notice if the pager goes off. Giving up their time to help save lives at sea is a tradition which runs through all 238 RNLI stations, whether it be mums and sons, or dads and daughters. Sam said the drill is the same for the crew all year round. “We remain on call 24/7 over Christmas and that’s the reality of the job,” he said. >click to read< 14:46
If Brexit is to mean anything we must end fraud of EU fishing boats registering as British
Last week, with surprisingly little fanfare given the years of high-profile politicking over our territorial waters, the Fisheries Bill was written into UK Law. The long awaited Bill slipped quietly into legislation,,, The fact that the fishing industry was the first industry to be sold out by Labour and Conservative governments as we entered the European Economic Community means, I firmly believe, it must be the first industry to be returned to the status demanded by full sovereignty. I watched hours of debate, as the Bill passed through the commons onto the House of Lords, in which more attention was given to marine conservation and sustainability than to how this bill will affect the United Kingdom’s fishing industry and coastal communities. >click to read< 15:25
Lights will shine around the world for lost Brixham fishermen
The mothers of the two fishermen lost at sea have both welcomed calls for a plaque to be erected to their sons on the beautiful Man and Boy statue on Brixham harbour. And fishing communities around the world will be shining lights in a mass event on December 5 in memory of Adam Harper and Robert Morley, lost when the Joanna C capsized. A plan to turn out all the lights in a two minute silence was called off after Adam’s mother revealed that her son was afraid of the dark and asked people to shine a light instead in his honour. On Saturday December 5 at 6.14pm – to mirror the time of Saturday morning’s 6.14am distress call – people in Brixham are being asked to shine lights into the air in tribute. >click to read< 09:23
