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Friday, 19 June 2020

Gucci launches a new sustainable 'Off The Grid' collection - what has that to do with fishing?

Alessandro Michele’s first collection from Gucci Circular Lines stars veteran actor Jane Fonda, musicians Lil Nas X and King Princess in the campaign 'Off The Grid' by Garima Gupta.


Fantasy, inclusivity and gender-neutrality are just some of the tenets that inform creative director Alessandro Michele’s vision for Gucci. Now, for the first time ever, the Italian luxury house is launching an all-sustainable collection, Gucci Off The Grid using only recycled, organic, and sustainably sourced materials. A large part of the collection is designed using Econyl—a regenerated nylon made from abandoned fishing nets and gear left salvaged from the oceans—which the brand first began to use in 2016. 

The debut collection comprises ready to wear outerwear, pants, tote bags, backpacks, mini bags, footwear and other accessories. The rest of the line-up is crafted from other conscious materials such as metal-free tanned leather, recycled polyester thread and linings, recycled brass and gold, and solvent-free adhesives. Beyond the implementation of sustainable raw materials, the brand has also incorporated low-impact alternatives to sourcing, manufacturing and distribution to reduce carbon emissions, as part of its annual carbon-neutral commitment.

For the full story, click here:

Thursday, 18 June 2020

Fisheries Bill amendments considered by the Lords. Some technical, but others that have wider importance - read on

From his Twitter feed: Richard Barnes, professor of Law at Hull and maitime expert focussed his attention on the amendments to the Fisheries Bill going before the Lords today:

"A list of amendments to the the Fisheries Bill will be considered by the Lords. Some technical, but others that have wider importance.... services.parliament.uk/Bills/2019-21/… 

First is to designate fish ‘a common resource owned by the United Kingdom on behalf of its citizens.’ This will frame future policy on how quota rights are held and distributed... and marks a stand against ‘accidental privatisation’. Although this did not constrain Iceland.. 

This is complemented by an innovative provision on distribution of fishing opportunities that actually contains allocation principles, and another that seeks to create allowances for new entrants.

Several amendments seek to elevate sustainability concerns, for example by giving primacy to sustainability objective, or requiring stocks to be managed beyond sustainable level, or to require pursuit of sustainability objective even if decisions not to follow JFS or plan made. 

Amendment of the bycatch objective would focus on outcomes rather than process, which could avoid perverse incentives.. And to take account of shared stock issues through cooperation with neighbouring states. Another clause aims to require Government’s to sustain UK fishing industry workforce. 

A national landings requirement would further shore up the economic base of the sector. Several provisions seek to tighten up the management plans, including specification of consultees. 

Although non-sector voices such as environmental groups or anglers might want a mention Effort to shore up monitoring and compliance through clear requirements to introduce remote electronic monitoring.. 

Overall some really valuable scrutiny and options to enhance the Bill. This risk is that some of these will be left out to ensure maximum flexibility in the framework."

Wednesday, 17 June 2020

Busy mid-week market in Newlyn.


Great to see the punt, PZ584 landing alongside the fish market...


skippered by local hero Cod who, despite having artificial legs still puts in many long hours at sea handling for his fish...


while aboard the beam trawler Resurgam her latest trip was landed...


four boxes at a time...


this morning's market included these prime haddock from the netter Ocean Pride...


plenty of quality flats from the beam trawler Trevssa IV...


and the usual mix of quality fish from Tom on the Harvest Reaper...


including top drawer fish like John Dory...


and flats like brill and turbot...


while the Stelissa piled in with hake


plenty of big turbot from the Ocean Pride...


and more MSC Certified hake from the Silver Dawn...


though this morning's dawn was far from silver...


more closely matching the hull colour of the mini-scalloper on the hard opposite the fish market.

Bringing together fishermen and experts in the seafood supply chain to champion innovation


Fisheries Innovation Scotland: “Bringing together fishermen and experts in the seafood supply chain to champion innovation”


Fathom podcast, in conversation with Kara Brydson from Fisheries Innovation Scotland and Paul Macdonald from the Scottish Fishermen’s Organisation, share some exciting industry-led innovations for the Scottish fishing fleet.




In the latest episode from the UK’s only commercial fishing podcast, the Fathom team welcomed Kara Brydson, the Executive Director of Fisheries Innovation Scotland (FIS) and Paul Macdonald from the Scottish Fishermen’s Organisation (SFO). Fathom took this episode ‘on the (virtual) road’ to learn more about fishing innovations in Scotland, and how an unprecedented collaboration by Scottish fishermen will trial bespoke technology and data sharing to help avoid unwanted catches of cod and whiting.


Kara Brydson describes FIS as an organisation that ‘brings together fishermen and other experts along the seafood supply chain, to champion innovation and try new things – to make Scottish fisheries more prosperous and sustainable.’ Speaking on Fathom, Kara Brydson explains that FIS projects must be practical and impactful, to add value to fishing businesses and with fisher expertise built in from the start - from ‘how to best use industry self-sampling to improve trust in fisheries science’, to ‘building capacity within fishing communities and investing in people’.


When asked by Fathom host Paul Trebilcock of the Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation (CFPO) what innovation means to FIS, Brydson said: ‘Innovation is not just about bits of kit. Innovation can be quite a scary word, and often people say ‘what do you mean?’ But really it’s about doing things better and thinking about things in different ways.’


Paul Macdonald from the SFO detailed an exciting joint project between FIS, fishing organisations and the University of Aberdeen, where fishermen on the west coast of Scotland are piloting a software system to share information on unwanted catches of cod and whiting in ‘real-time’. Macdonald says that the inclusion of skippers in the design and development process ‘[By holding] regular meetings with [them] to get their ideas on how [the mobile app] is developing, and to get their ideas on what things they would find useful’ has been a key part of the project development


Macdonald says that this collaborative process is helping to create an app built around what fishermen want so it has more potential to be ‘something that is of use and of value to the ones who will actually be using it.’ 


Trebilcock remarked upon the success of this project – praising FIS for its inclusion of the fishing industry in the development of this app – and sparking deeper conservation about the importance of true collaboration in successful fisheries science projects. Macdonald agreed: ‘We have certainly felt all along that you need to bring fishermen along with you. [The app] needs to be something that’s useful to fishermen, as well.


Trebilcock said FIS’ project perfectly highlights what the Fathom podcast is all about: ‘Shining a light on good practice and sharing it, so hopefully others will be able to use it…and make it applicable to their fishery, to their challenge.’ 


Fathom hosts Paul Trebilcock and Chris Ranford agreed that the west of Scotland pilot – an example of best practice innovation – could offer opportunities to fisheries beyond Scottish waters.


Listen to the episode in full here: https://cfpo.org.uk/the-fathom-podcast/

or subscribe by searching ‘Fathom fishing’ in your podcast provider app.

Tuesday, 16 June 2020

Brexit: EU preparing to row back on rights to fish in British waters



Brussels is preparing to back down over a Brexit fishing deal and acknowledge for the first time that European fleets do not have an automatic right to fish in British waters. In a concession to help to unlock negotiations, Michel Barnier is understood to accept that the UK will have to be treated as an independent coastal state and have annual negotiations with the bloc over fishing quotas from next year. The EU’s chief negotiator told European diplomats that the compromise would have to wait until other parts of the deal were closer to being finalised. 

British and European leaders authorised Mr Barnier and David Frost, the UK’s negotiator, to scope out the parameters of a compromise privately. 

Speaking after a video call with Ursula von der Leyen, the European commission president, Boris Johnson said that the time had come to put some “oomph” into the negotiations, adding that there was a very good chance of securing a trade deal by the end of the year. Both sides pledged to inject “new momentum” into talks. 

Significantly, in their joint statement both sides said that they had authorised their chief negotiators to find “an early understanding on the principles underlying any agreement”. Until now one of the sticking points has been fishing: the EU maintains that Britain must respect the right of EU member states’ fleets to access UK waters on the same terms as the present common fisheries agreement. Under those rules European boats operating in UK waters catch about five times the value of fish that British fishermen catch in EU waters. 

In a significant change in position Mr Barnier accepted the British principle of so-called zonal attachment. EU fishing fleets would have no automatic right to fish in the UK’s exclusive economic zone, which encompasses the sea around Britain stretching in places up to a distance of 200 miles from the coastline. 

Both sides would negotiate reciprocal access to each other’s waters every year, however, as the EU does with Norway. This would give the government leverage to increase the share of the total allowable catch that can be caught by the UK fishing fleet. Mr Barnier is understood to have hinted at the concession during a recent round of negotiations but has so far not tabled a concrete offer.
EU sources said that he was holding off to ensure that it was part of the wider trade deal to make it easier to sell to EU countries such as France and Holland that also have powerful fishing lobbies.

“To dilute the influence of France and the other coastal states, Barnier needs to have the whole trade deal, which stands or falls on fishing,” a senior EU diplomatic source said. A UK government source added: 

“There have been signals that this is an area where Mr Barnier wants to move, but as yet there are no firm proposals on the table.” Mr Johnson said yesterday that there was a very good chance of securing a trade deal “provided we really focus now and get on and do it”. He added: “I don’t think we’re actually that far apart, but what we need now is to see a bit of oomph in the negotiations.” 

After the joint statement from both sides Mr Barnier now has the authority to discuss areas of compromise with Mr Frost even if they are not strictly within the negotiating mandate set down by the EU 27 leaders. 

Fishing talks: who wants what and who is right?

How important is fishing to Britain?

It employs about 24,000 people and contributes about £1.4 billion to the economy, 0.12 per cent of GDP. The industry says this has declined since Britain joined the EU and the common fisheries policy.

Does the UK have a bad deal as an EU member?

Yes, because under the common fisheries policy the fishing quota for individual species of fish, which each member state receives, is based largely on how much they fished in the 1970s. Then the UK fleet spent much of its time around Iceland, which is not a member of the EU. This meant it received a smaller quota than other countries that fished in European waters. This means today the UK has a poor share of the total allowable catch. In 2015 the UK was able to catch only £114 million of fish in EU waters, whereas EU vessels were able to catch £484 million of fish in British waters. 

How does leaving the EU make it fairer?

At the end of the transition period Britain will be able to make use of its exclusive economic zone extending 200 miles out to sea. This means that other EU states will have no right to fish in these waters unless an agreement is reached. What does the EU want from Britain?
Broadly it wants the trade deal to be as close as possible to the status quo. The fishing industry is an emotive issue in other European countries; if French, Dutch and other EU nations were “locked out” of UK waters their industries would suffer. 

What does Britain want?

It wants to attach its 200-mile exclusive fishing zone to that of the EU in return for a bigger portion of the total catch. This is known as zonal attachment. These quotas would be negotiated annually. 

Who has the stronger argument?

Undeniably the UK, but given fishing is such a small proportion of the economy the EU hopes that the government will trade better access for concessions from the EU in other areas. Brussels expects the government to trade fishing for access for the City of London to the single market. European governments are prepared to trade single market access for fishing rights but believe Britain is asking for too much in return. 

Full story courtesy of Bruno Waterfield, Brussels | Oliver Wright, Policy Editor Tuesday June 16 2020, The Times

Fishing News Awards - 2020 live from last night!



The Fishing News Awards 2020 The Fishing News Awards 2020 shine a spotlight on the achievements, innovations, and successes of the commercial fishing industries of the UK and Ireland in 2019. 


Closer to home, local skipper and boat owner Sam Lambourn from Newlyn picked up this year's Lifetime Achievement Award cited in particular for his ability to build consensus and work in guiding the industry in a positive direction at both local and international level.

While at little further up the road across the border in Devon, Brixham Fish Market won the Fish Market of the Year Award after the installation of a pioneering on-line remote computer auction system.

For a full programme, click here In the light of the challenges faced by all in the industry, we felt that delaying the announcement of the winners of the awards that were originally scheduled to be named at the Presentation Evening on 14 May was the appropriate thing to do. We hope that this online announcement of the winners will offer an opportunity to celebrate their success, reflect on the industry’s achievements in 2019, and look forward to better times. 


We are delighted to announce that in place of the usual table donations to the Fishermen’s Mission at the awards evening, a Just Giving page has been created to allow those who wish to make a donation this year to do so. Click here to make a donation and support the work this charity does for fishermen and their families.

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Five selection boxes of prime-quality seafood to be won!

Unable to host the drinks reception as planned at the Fishing News Awards 2020 presentation evening, the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation is instead offering the chance to win five £50 boxes of seafood in an easy-to-enter competition.

At a time when everyone in the industry is working extremely hard to restore market stability and enhance the circular economy in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, freshly caught prime-quality seafood showcasing what demersal, pelagic and shellfish vessels, together with processors, have to offer, was an obvious choice for the prizes.

Halibut, haddock, lemon sole, langoustine, scallops, salmon, smoked haddock and mackerel, monkfish and whole-tail scampi are among the species that will be included in the bespoke presentation boxes to be supplied by Amity Fish.

Enter now,  by clicking here

Monday, 15 June 2020

Monday morning's fsh auction in Newlyn - mainly net fish.



Monday' mornings market was mainly net fish from the orange duo, Stelissa...


and Silver Dawn.  



The number of big beam trawlers in the main fleet has shrunk by two recently as the Filadelfia and Algrie were both recently towed to the scrapyard in Truro river.