MMO gives and needs information from fishermen.

Marine Planning ‘Out and About’ Diary - not arrived in Cornwall just yet.

News from the MMO: "We have been very busy since our last newsletter in November with our December workshops in Hull, Norwich and Peterborough, drop-in sessions in the reporting areas (London, Newcastle and Scarborough) and the release of the Draft Evidence and Emerging Issues Report. We have also had meetings with the Department of Energy and Climate Change which included representatives from the renewable and oil and gas sectors to discuss the report. We met with the Planning Advisory Service in late December to discuss the progress on the production of the plans and introduce the next steps of planning which focus on vision and objectives for the plan area. Our three liaison officers continue to engage with local stakeholders on a daily basis and have been liaising with the coastal partnerships, the inshore fisheries and conservation authorities, local planning authorities, fishing industry, local recreational users and the tourist industry. 


If you would like to arrange a meeting with us please email planning@marinemanagement.org.uk or call 0191 376 2790.

Click here to access the MMO's Fishing Focus page.

The MMO's comprehensive web site covers every aspect of fisheries management - the first port of call when trying to find out specific information about fishing effort, quotas and other fishing restrictions........

Data like Non-sector catch limits for the Under 10m boats is readily available. 

the latest Catch Limits are updated on an ongoing basis by area.........

with the MMO currently engaged in a consultation period with the fishing industry (and all other marine groups) in the South and Eastern regions, a visit to the Portal reveals a wealth of data visually available via their interactive chart - here showing the fishing effort (estimated based on VMR data) in the South West up to the Welsh coast and across to Ireland.


The MMO are not the only organisation that provides a wealth of electronic data available online, ICES provide the results of their work using the mapping technology of Google Earth view........

this page shows the EcoSystemDat map with the results of the Beam Trawl survey carried out in the North Sea and English Channel. 

Newsround newshound chases sardines!

BBC TV's Newsround presenter, Leah Gooding spent a day at sea aboard top sardine boat White Heather.  Well wrapped up against the elements she experienced at first hand the face of modern sustainable fishing....... 

plenty of gulls followed the boat laden with a mixed shot of sardine.......

and herring, destined for the Zoo at Newquay - keep your eyes posted for the story when it is broadcast later.

Wednesday morning - damp.

After yesterday's stunning early morning display of light in the Bay, low, heavy cloud almost obscures the fishing port of Newlyn........

inside a fought-hard trip of hake and white fish from the netter Ajax has found its way on to the market floor.......

with a solitary black bream up for grabs from the inshore boat, Lamorna........

inside the harbour, still dark and dismal with not a ray of sunshine breaking through just yet..........

while along Newlyn Green the grass is just that, eerily lit by the street lamps.

Danish visitor Plymouth bound.

Making her way back to Plymouth, the big Danish pelagic trawler Phoenix, a sure sign that there are plenty of pelagic fish like mackerel, pilchards, scad (horse mackerel) and herring swimming in the Western Approaches. Fishing effort these days is restricted owing to the continuing implementation of the 'mackerel box' and the total ban on purse seines thast can be seen identified in the chart courtesy of Cefas - see below.

Monday's market full of quality fish again.

Another landing of top quality haddock from the Imogen.......

while some of the beam trawlers have decided to chase the cuttles.......

now you see him, now you don't, now you do........

squid don't get much bigger than these beauties, nor in much better condition - stretching the length of a 60 kilo fish box these fish must be nearly two years old, squid have a very short life expectancy.....

more quality lemons from the inshore trawler Shiralee.......

visiting London registered tug, Kingston is taking a break in port till the weather passes......

unlike the Trec'her which was towed in with her trawl firmly wrapped around her propeller - now waiting for daylight and the divers to appear and sort her out. Hopefully she won't have damaged the shaft or gearbox which is what will concern the skipper most.

It seems West is best!

Green arrow marks the approximate position of the Ajax.

After working around the Kinsale rigs area, the Ajax has steamed south west searching for hake and is now well west of Land's End - about 180 miles to be precise, that's looking like it is SW of an area known as the 'Pistola' - on account of the bank resembling an old fashioned pistol.

Sunday and still fresh.

 High water and the dock side slip and road are awash in Penzance......

 where the Scillonian's bow almost touches the dry dock offices.......

 over-topping, as it is known to geographers......

 catch the latest exhibition at PZ Gallery.......

 with additional pieces........

 up-coming shows........

 and comfortable seating on offer.......

 the Dock Inn, the only pub in town with a cider garden.......

 make a date at the Union Hotel for a talk on subsea survey work entitled Marine Imaging from Neil Wood, teaching fellow at Camborne School of Mines.......

 not much chance of the Battery Rock swimmers taking to the water this morning.......

just about to enter the gaps.