Latest on the Landing Obligation rules for 2018 implementation.

Summary of 2018 proposals

North Western Waters (Areas VI and VII)

By-catches of sole, plaice and megrim are to be added to existing haddock by-catch as landing obligation (LO) species in the targeted Nephrops fishery west of Scotland (area VI).

Saithe will become a LO species in areas VI and VII, where the total landings per vessel of all species in 2015 and 2016 consist of more than 50% saithe.

The thresholds are to be lowered or eliminated in fisheries for the following targeted species:

● Hake caught with trawls and seines in VI, VII and Vb from 20% to 10%.
● Whiting in the directed fishery on gadoids (cod, haddock, whiting, saithe) in VIId and VIIb,c, e and VIIf-k from 20% to 10%.
● Nephrops from 20% to 5% in VI and Vb and from 20% to 10% in VII.
● No threshold for sole caught by trawls in VIId and for beam trawls in VIId,e and VIIb,c and VIIf-k.

All other thresholds that determine a targeted species in a fishery are maintained for 2018.

The landing obligation applies as follows:

■ VI and Vb
Cod, haddock, whiting, saithe in all trawl fisheries where catches of all these species combined in 2015 and 2016 were 5% or more, plus by-catches of sole, plaice and megrim.

Nephrops in all trawl and creel fisheries where catches in 2015 and 2016 were 5% or more of the total catch, plus by-catches of haddock, sole, plaice and megrim.

Saithe in trawl fisheries where catches in 2015 and 2016 were 50% of the total.

■ VI and VII

Hake: All trawl fisheries where catches of hake in 2015 and 2016 were 10% or more of the total catch and all hake catches with gill nets and long lines.

■ VII

Nephrops when catches using all gears in 2015 and 2016 were 10% or more of the total catch.

Saithe when saithe was 50% of the catch with trawls of 100mm or more mesh.

■ VIIa

Haddock, where combined landings of all gadoids (cod, haddock, whiting, saithe) were over 10% of the total catch in 2015-2016 in all trawl and seine net fisheries.

■ VIId

Sole in all beam trawl fisheries, trawl fisheries with meshes less than 100mm and all gill and trammel nets.

Whiting in all trawl and seine fisheries where all landings in 2015-2016 consisted of more than 10% of cod, haddock, whiting and saithe combined.

■ VIIe

Sole in all beam trawls and all gill/trammel nets.

■ VIId, e

Pollack in trammel and gill nets.

■ VIIb, c and f-k

Sole in all beam trawls and all gill/trammel nets.

■ VIIb, c, e and f-k

Whiting in all trawl and seine fisheries where combined catches of cod, haddock, saithe and whiting were more than 10% of total landings in 2015 and 2016.

Newlyn, work in progress...

The wooden and tyre fenders that line the quays are being replaced after many years sterling service - timber baulks from a tree called ironwood for these the old fenders ...

a bit like the current Government, the wheels appear to have come off the new freshwater hose trolley...

the replica sailing langoustier (crayfish) boat, Skellig leaves her berth - she took ten years to build as the funds needed rolled in...

as the inshore trawler Shiralee heads back to her berth...

the Skellig turns again...

now working from Newlyn again, the Chris Tacha heads back in through the gaps...

while some classic wooden boats both enter and leave...

fabulous lines of the Skellig...

there are plenty of stays keeping the mast aloft...

close-up of the tiller and striking counter stern.

Securipêche: a (French) website for fishermen

Normandy is one of the regions where the profession of fisherman is risky: in 2014, 1 out of 9 fishermen has been the victim of a maritime accident, compared to 1 in 11 at the national level. There is now a Securipêche website that explains all the safety measures to follow.

To mitigate the risks inherent in maritime professions, the IMP, with the help of the Normandy Region, today officially launched the Sécuripêche.fr project, presented during this security day.

The Sécuripêche project is an interactive and documentary website on safety at sea issues carried out in collaboration between the Loba law firm and the Lycée Maritime et Aquacole in Cherbourg.

The Region paid a grant of € 15,200 to the IMP and € 34,200 to Loba Conseil for the concretization of the Securipêche site.

For example, since 2012, Normandy has invested € 393,200 in security for the program of action of the Maritime Institute of Prevention, equipment in integrated buoyancy of the students of the Lycée Maritime de Cherbourg, The implementation of the dota B program (standardized medical case on board ships), the availability of coated caps and the creation of the Sécuripêche site.

To realize the orientations of the new regional policy in terms of fisheries and aquaculture, it has launched three thematic projects:

1. New impetus for fisheries
2. Exploitation of products
3. Innovative aquaculture

They are accompanied by two cross-cutting projects:

1. Articulation of policies in the Region / Departments,
2. Implementation of the EMFF. 

Here is the film that you can enjoy on the website: 

Clothilde Eudier, Vice-President in charge of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, presented the Securipêche project, monitored and piloted by the Maritime Prevention Institute (IMP), during a day organized by The Normandy Region, and dedicated to the safety of fishermen.

A fishy business: why the Tories are back in Scotland - video

The Guardian's trip north of the border provoked a wide range of responses as they worked their way up the east coast of Scotland - start 2 minutes in as the taxi driver whisks both reporters off to Peterhead - and a quick visit to the Caley Bar, run by a Norwegian - the story was aired on June 1st this year.

Trawling is tough - on the men and the gear.

The inshore trawler Millennium was forced to return to port and put ashore what is left of her trawl - the fishing circle and not much else...

with Tom providing some extra muscle to load the pallet...

the replica langoustier (crayfish) sailing boat Skellig from Douarnenez, she took 10 years to build just after she arrived from a passage from Douarnenez via the Scillys...

Penzance's new set of promenade flags went up today - though prancing horses are not such an entirely nautical theme as in previous years...

along in Newlyn the market landings board has a couple of beam trawlers and most of the inshore trawler fleet in order of sale...

Newlyn reeling from the news that Brixham landed £31,000,000 pounds worth of fish last year...

sculptor Shelley Anderson on the market this morning looking for perfect examples of fish to cast in bronze...

while there were two groups of visitors getting guided tours including the latest recruits to Jamie Oliver's Newquay 15 restaurant and cookery school..

getting a close look at some of the finest fish in the far west like this huge red mullet...

and a party of wet-fish counter staff from Morrisons being shown round by FalFish...

with some cracking examples of quality white fish like these John Dory...

a couple of big blues...

and a specimen red mullet and his cousin...

a few cuttles...

looks like the lobster made a new friend...

great to see the youngster's enthusiasm for getting the chance to see just where the fish they cook with come from and what is involved in putting fish on a plate...

there were a few boxes of line caught pollack...

and a shadowy figure or two hovering at the market doors...

tub gurnard are next on Shelley's list of fish to cast...

while these red bream will have to wait before being immortalised in metal...

just the one netter left in the port today...

many local anglers try each summer to catch these sensitive fish - the ever-elusive grey mullet...

a quiet night's sleep for the crew of the yacht off the Mount...

with not a ripple on the water of the Jubilee Pool which is now open to the public again...

showing off its Art Deco lines...

amid the stunning setting that is Mount's Bay in the morning light.

Newlyn gets back to a working week after the gales.

Bideford powerhouse, Olivia Belle heading out through the gaps early on Monday morning...

closely followed by the handline...

and Dreckly Fish's inshore potter Guiding Star with young Francis Harris at the helm...

beam trawlers often suffer from the bends...

while the quay hosts yet another trawl being put together...

after several days of appalling summer weather the fish were quick to come off the market...

from just the one beam trawler...

the AA who had all her fish in the fridge...

turbot sometimes suffer bruising to the skin when fished in poor weather...

though the monk...

and red mullet...

were all looking bright...

and bright-eyed like these John Dory...

last minute landing of monk tails...

and turbot...

both fridges holding fish from over the weekend...

kept buyers busy inside and out on the market floor...

the ever-present blackback gulls keeping an eye open for something to scavenge...

the remaining prawn trawlers should all sail this morning...

at Wherrytown, the new Lidl's superstore is well underway, reportedly it will be one of the biggest in the UK.