What a load of pollack! - Industry alarmed by zero TAC proposal for area VII pollack

The Cornish FPO (CFPO) has expressed its deep concern over the recommendation for a zero total allowable catch (TAC) for pollack in area VII. The organization, which represents the fishing industry in Cornwall, has warned that such a measure would be "devastating" for many vessels in the region.

Chris Ranford, chief executive of the CFPO, said that a zero TAC would have a "massive impact" on the pollack fishery, which is a vital source of income for many fishermen in the South West. He warned that it would force many boats to switch to other species like hake, putting further pressure on those stocks instead as well as livelihoods.

The CFPO is urging the government to reconsider its position and adopt alternative management measures instead of a zero TAC. Mr Ranford said that fishermen are willing to play their part in conserving the pollack stock and are open to considering measures such as increasing the minimum size of pollack or introducing a seasonal closure.

The CFPO is also planning to engage with French and Irish fishermen to discuss their priorities for managing the pollack stock. Mr Ranford said that it is important to get some certainty for fishermen about what they will be able to catch next year.

The Maverick, skippered by Dave Smith fishes exclusively for pollack using hook and line...

once caught, his fish is instantly placed in slush ice in insulated tubs to ensure the fish is kept in the very best condition - one of many boats that have helped put pollack on the menu again.

 Line caught pollack with its tag certify its provenance.

Key points

• The CFPO is concerned about the recommendation for a zero TAC for pollack in area VII.

• A zero TAC would have a "devastating" impact on the pollack fishery in the South West.

• The CFPO is urging the government to reconsider its position and adopt alternative management measures.

• Fishermen are willing to play their part in conserving the pollack stock.

• The CFPO is planning to engage with French and Irish fishermen to discuss their priorities

Listen to the plight of south west fishermen as highlighted on Farming Today this morning with a report by Lucy Fisher from the Cornish port of Mevagissey - a thriving port bucking the trend with many new young local entrants taking up fishing as a career - a zero pollack quota would be devastating for them and others who rely on pollack.

How big would the impact be for the fish market in Newyn?

Below are pictures of the pollack landed on the market this Monday morning in Newlyn - only none of the boats actually targeted pollack..

the rest of the pollack shown here...

 were all caught along with many other species...

which highlights...

tyhe impact that a zero TAC would have on the amount...

and loss of income...

to the fleet as a whole...

all of whom catch pollack throughout their trips...

and the variety of fishing methods, from gill netting...

to beam trawling...

to hook and line...

to inshore trawling...

all of the fish seen above would have to be dumped - dead - back in the sea should the zero quota be implemented....

above is the quota allowance for CFPO boats in Area VII - currently at 12 tons in total for the month of December. The amount of pollack landed on this day alone in Newlyn amounted to several tons.

 

The story featured again on BBC Spotlight from Mevagissey.

A black Monday morning market in Newlyn.

It's a dark start for Jeremy and the Nazarene this Monday morning, with plenty of ground sea and a fresh breeze to greet him once he clears the gaps...

with a relatively fine weekend there was a good mix of fish including these decent sized monk tails...

but the John Dory king found his favourite fish hard to come by, no sun, no Dory it seems...

though he did manage a good sot of brill and other flats...

plaice came courtesy of the Cornishman...

while Mr Curtis obliged with some excellent turbot...

plenty of monk from the beamer but very much scampi sized...

the inshore guys are getting good hauls of mackerel, not all as good a run as these though...

more quality fish like these black bream...

and jigged squid...

were all dwarfed by not one small bluefin...

but two huge fish from the Ellie V...

and two more from the Prospector...

line caught bass...

and squid...

yet another Mediterranean octopus...

and unmarked squid...

togtehr with these fine weavers...

and big turbot...

topped off with plenty of ray wings.

 

It's December the 1st #FishyFriday in Newlyn.

All is dark as harbour staff make their way keenly towards the market counting down the days when they won't be washing boxes first thing every morning...

not much fish today says auctioneer Ryan...

what there was came from a handful of inshore boats that toughed out a poor day at sea for a few pollack...

bass...

ling...

red mullet...

and a handful of the omni-present dogs...

some good sized tub gurnard...

ray wings...

and mackerel...

there's a name form the past, at one time the port's only fly-seiner......

it's almost high water and the New Venture is waiting to dry out later in the day for work below the waterline...

nearly all of the netting fleet are still in waiting to take ice and start the final tide before the Christmas market closedown...

not that the big tides stop the crabbing fleet...

 from going to sea...

long before the sun puts in an appearance in the bay named after this large lump of rock...

always good to see youngsters joining the fleet, even if they have to fly halfway around the world to start work...

its a happy bunch aboard the good ship Ocean Pride...

berthed ahead of another crabber taking bait from the market...

to take ice...

no doubt the rest of the netting fleet will follow suit during the day....

after boats like the Kelly of Ladram and Ocean pride have taken ice.

 

Bluefin tuna commercial trial fishery 2023 - season extended.

The 2023 Bluefin tuna commercial trial fishery has been extended and will now end on the 31st of December. This is to allow more time for data to be collected.

Since 2021 the UK has secured a bluefin tuna fishing quota. Read the current rules applicable to bluefin tuna in UK waters.

Bluefin tuna fishing quota 2023 

For 2023 the UK has 65 tonnes of bluefin tuna quota, an increase on the quota in 2021 and 2022.

The UK will use 39 tonnes of this quota to trial a new small-scale commercial fishery, as endorsed in our International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) fishing plan for 2023. The trial will assist in the evaluation of the sustainability of a small scale commercial bluefin tuna fishery and the social and economic benefits this new fishery could potentially provide to UK fishers.

The UK can make up to 10 licence authorisations available, in accordance with ICCAT vessel catching capacity guidance in ICCAT recommendation 22-08. We have committed to this in our 2023 ICCAT fishing plan.

The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), on behalf of the UK fisheries authorities, will distribute the 39 tonnes of quota amongst successful licence authorisation holders to fish against. The fishery will be open from 1 August to 31 December 2023 subject to ICCAT registry. The quota will be managed by the MMO who reserve the right to re-distribute quota as required during the year. Licence authorisations will be non-transferable and valid for the 2023 fishing season only. Licence authorisations will not provide successful applicants with a track record for future quota considerations and provide no guarantee of access to bluefin tuna quota in future.

Criteria for licence authorisation

Commercial fishing licence holders who meet specific mandatory criteria can apply to take part in the trial. These criteria are aligned with the UK’s commitment to meeting the requirements set by ICCAT and contributing to the sustainable management of the stock internationally.

To apply for a bluefin tuna licence authorisation applicants must:

• have a commercial fishing licence and be registered in either England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland

• have a vessel under 15 metres in length

• use rod and reel fishing gears which only use lures - no live bait or chumming will be permitted

• agree to be contacted as part of a formal evaluation of the trial

Vessels from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland may apply to take part in the trial, but fishing for bluefin tuna will not be permitted in Welsh or Northern Irish waters in 2023.

MMO and Defra reserve the right to take account of previous infringements by applicants when assessing applications.

Recording and trading catches

All catches must be recorded using paper or electronic logbooks at sea and reported to the UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre (UKFMC) or UK single liaison office (UKSLO).

All fishing vessels involved in the trial must register on the ICCAT Electronic Bluefin Tuna Catch Document Programme (eBCD) online system and will be required to report their catches on that system.

All traders must be registered on the ICCAT eBCD online system to allow them to participate in the trade of bluefin tuna. Read guidance for bluefin tuna traders.

Defra must register all landing ports with ICCAT. According to ICCAT recommendation 22-08, landings of bluefin tuna can only be made into designated ports registered with ICCAT.

Expression of interest to take part in the trial Applications to take part in the trial closed on 14 July 2023. The expression of interest process is available on the National Archives.

Expressions of interest will be restricted to a single application per applicant. Applicants must decide whether to apply as part of a group application or as an individual application before submitting their expression of interest.

Read how to apply for a bluefin tuna licence authorisation.

Applicants must include a fishing and marketing plan to give further details on how they will optimise their bluefin tuna quota. These will be assessed on a fair and proportionate basis as part of the process to determine which applicants should be allocated a quota. We will assess which applicants are best placed to deliver an environmentally sustainable fishery with substantial economic and/or social benefits.

Applications will be reviewed by a panel chaired by Defra and attended by the MMO and representatives from the UK fisheries administrations. Applications will be ranked based on their score and licence authorisations awarded to the 10 highest scoring applicants. Equal scoring applicants will be selected randomly to fulfil the available licence authorisations.

The UK Single Issuing Authority (UKSIA) reserves the right to determine who receives a licence authorisation, and will notify successful applicants before the trial starts on 1 August 2023. Vessels will have to register with the ICCAT registry before successful applicants can commence fishing.

Some good news! Extension and concessions granted to help industry with medical certification.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has announced access to grandfather rights for fishing medicals is to be extended until spring 2024 for seasonal fishers.

It means that fishers who do not work over the winter will now have up until 30 April 2024 to get their medical certificate in place. This extension also applies for those seasonal fishers who have a pre-existing medical condition which still allows them to work and who want to apply for grandfather rights.

The MCA says fishers should still make their appointments as soon as possible but seasonal workers will not have to meet the deadline of 30 November.

However, all those who are working at any point across the winter will need to be in the system – i.e. have booked an appointment – by that deadline. The extension does not alter the coming into force date of medical certification which remains as the end of this month.

In addition, the MCA says it will also apply grandfather rights for those whose eyesight meets international standards even if it doesn’t meet the UK’s, which have been historically higher.

The MCA has also announced a new pilot project to consider certain insulin-treated solo fishers the opportunity to continue working if they sign up for the scheme. The scheme is open to solo fishers with a stable condition who use non-invasive blood glucose monitoring. The aim is to provide evidence for a future review of the medical standard in this regard.

It will be based on an ongoing study by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) which classes pilots who are insulin-treated to be fit to fly under certain conditions, subject to regular blood glucose monitoring.

Following representations from the industry about the cost of additional testing, the requirement for a fitness test for those with a BMI between 35 and 40 (and who have no other related medical conditions) has been removed.

Virginia McVea, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency said:

We want fishers to come home safely. They work in extremely dangerous conditions and our commitment to their safety remains absolute.

These requirements are the result of UK government agreement with international standards through the Work in Fishing Convention and we continue to do all we can to support the industry to comply.

Background

Fishers intending to work during the winter must have a medical certificate by the 30 November 2023 or at least be in the system by having an appointment by that date.

Fishers who do not work over the winter will not need a medical fitness certificate until they start working again and do not need an exemption in the meantime. Under this new guidance, they will still be able to benefit from grandfather rights until the end of April.

Grandfather rights apply to existing fishers with long term, stable or well controlled medical conditions which do not meet the current medical standards of MSN 1886. They allow the fisher to continue to carry out an occupation they have been engaged in safely prior to the introduction of the requirement for a medical fitness certificate, where they can do so without significant risk to their own or others’ health and safety.

Currently, grandfather rights are only applicable if a fisher applies before 30 November 2023. During the MCA medical roadshows in Northern Ireland and Scotland, it was noted that a lot of inshore fishing vessels stop fishing over the winter and that these fishers are unlikely to apply for a medical in November when they do not need one until March 2024 to work on board. This led to the decision to extend the deadline for these particular fishermen to 30 April 2024.

This is not an extension of the coming into force date for a medical fitness certificate; that will remain as 30 November 2023 and will apply to any fishers who will be working at that time. However, it will provide some breathing space for those who do not need a certificate until they start fishing again in the Spring but were afraid they would then miss out on the extra flexibility provided by eligibility for grandfather rights. It will also help to distribute the high number of fishers still requiring medical examinations in certain areas over a longer period, thereby taking pressure off local medical facilities. This should help to address complaints about difficulties in obtaining appointments.

The term ‘inshore’ fishing vessel in this context refers to those which work within the UK’s 200 nautical mile limit, and who are at sea for less than 72 hours at a time, and so can use an ML5 medical certificate instead of an ENG1.