The Future of Our Inshore Fisheries
The Future of Our Inshore Fisheries Conference will be held in London on 8th/9th October. Your views are important.
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The Seafood Innovation Fund
A new £10 million fund designed to stimulate innovation in the seafood sector to help meet the challenges ahead has been launched. The Seafood Innovation Fund is now open for applications.
North Sea Cod - Disappointment
Disappointment is almost inadequate as a term to describe the news that once again the iconic North Sea cod stock is in trouble. After a decade and a half in which the stock has been slowly but steadily increasing, the biomass is again in steep decline.
Brussels Takes Stock of Landing Obligation
A seminar in Brussels, organised recently by the European Commission, was held to take stock of the EU landing obligation, which came fully into force for demersal species on 1st January 2019. Around 100 participants presented their views on how the landing obligation was being implemented, what problems remained and what lessons were being learned.
Landing Obligation Forum
A series of meetings between regulators and the fishing industry, to discuss the implementation issues arising from the landing obligation, have now been formalised as the "Landing Obligation Forum." Another name for the forum could be an "in-year implementation/solutions group."
The Future of Inshore Fishing
The political profile of the fishing industry stands at its highest point since the Cod Wars in the 1970s. This heightened political and public profile provides an opportunity to put our inshore fisheries on the pathway to a sustainable and profitable future. Too often the issues confronting our inshore fisheries have been mired in disinformation and placed in the “too difficult” box.
Fixed Quota Allocations and Sustainable Fishing
The NFFO’s members span all sizes of vessel and so must be scrupulously fair when it comes to the controversial issue of quota distribution, which has been raised as the Fisheries Bill passes through Parliament. This detailed paper argues that despite some flaws, Fixed Quota Allocations have played a central role in putting fishing in the UK on a sustainable basis. It also makes the point that the challenges currently facing the small-scale inshore fleets have little to do with the FQA system itself and cautions against abandoning a tried and tested approach.
Third Tranche of Marine Conservation Zones
An evidence-based approach and good location choice continues to be critical to the success of marine conservation, as the government announces the designation of a further 41 Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in English waters.
Landing Obligation: Six Months in
It’s early days for the landing obligation, given the magnitude of the changes involved. Ongoing patience and application will be required to address the many outstanding issues, as the new policy is fully integrated into the fisheries management system. The signs are, however, that the fishing industry is responding to the new incentive; improvements in selectivity and avoidance behaviours are widespread.
Wilful Ignorance
We liked this antidote by Sustainable Fisheries UB to George Monbiot’s “wilful ignorance” published recently in the Guardian.
Features
Electronic Monitoring: Aiding a Culture of Cooperation or Surveillance?
As the Government is poised to extend the use of vessel monitoring systems (VMS) across the inshore fleet in England, recent experience with electronic monitoring systems (EMS) illustrate two very different trajectories for fisheries management.
Battle over Maximum Sustainable Yield
The dangers of one-dimensional fisheries management.
Fishing Centre Stage
The Withdrawal Agreement and Political Statement on the UK’s future relationship with the EU has put fishing in the spotlight. The NFFO looks at what is at stake.