$50,000 prize money to find video solution to ID species of fish caught.

Goals of competition:

1. Count fishes and mark frames with current fish number 2. Detect type of each fish 3. Find length of each fish

There was around 1000000 frames for train and test videos to process. To solve this problem we use set of Neural networks: UNET for object localization and ResNet50, DenseNet121, Inception v3 for object classification. Also XGBoost and some heuristic algorithms were used to find sequence of fishes in video.

Problem description: https://www.drivendata.org/competitio...

Sustainable fishing means tracking every fish caught. New tools using automated video processing and artificial intelligence can help responsible fisheries comply with regulations, save time, and lower the safety risk and cost from an auditor on board.

"The winners were so accurate in counting and identifying fish they proved that automated review is now. Not in five years. Now all of the video-review companies are investing in machine learning."
— Christopher McGuire of The Nature Conservancy

Why?

Keeping fish populations at healthy levels is critical to sustainable fishing practices, but also puts added requirements on boats to demonstrate they’re meeting the standards. Electronic monitoring systems, like video cameras, could offer an affordable way for fishermen to show their work and keep consumers and fisheries managers confident in the sustainability of their seafood.

The Solution

Data scientists from around the world competed to bring advances in computer vision to count, measure, and identify the species of fish from on-board footage. This challenge was the first to use actual fishing video to develop machine learning tools that can classify multiple parameters, such as size and species.

The Results

The winning algorithm alone achieved above 90% identification accuracy across 5 of 7 species, and 99% accuracy for three species. Meanwhile, predicted counts were within just 1 fish – on an average of 44 fish per video – 83% of the time, and the average error in length was under 2%. One of the top competitors even created a video showing the use of his algorithm in action!

Further explanation of the winner's work here:

With more fisheries adopting video monitoring, the results of this competition have real-world impacts for ocean conservation groups, companies, and fishing communities.

11th Lorient Fishing Film Festival March 2019.

11th edition of the Pêcheurs du Monde Film Festival from March 24 to 31, 2019.

The Pêcheurs du Monde Film Festival is coming soon for its 11th edition (March 24th to 31st, 2019). 

More films, more stops, exhibitions, a drawing concert, a show by Achille Grimaud. A rich and varied program at colours of the Fishermen of the World! But this maritime adventure can not be successful without a committed and voluntary crew. Also, we appeal to all the good wills wishing to accompany us in this adventure.

Watch the full-length movie - Men of Storms

Film programme and venues:

OFFICIAL SELECTION ON THE EDGE OF THE FILEYEUR OCEANESChristophe Hoyet- France- 2018 Sunday 31 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION HAENYO, THE WOMEN OF THE SEA
Eloïc Gimenez- France- 2018 Sunday 31 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION KRAMPOUEZH
Julie Brun, Camille Estieu and Jiamon Peng- France- 2018 Sunday 31 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION FISHING AND PROCESSING OF LAKE CHAPALA FISH
Carmen Pedroza-Gutiérrez- Mexico- 2018 Sunday 31 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION FISH AND ME
Philippe Houssin and Elisabeth Tempier- France- 2017 Sunday 31 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION MANEN
Thomas Anglade, Maxime Announ, Lucie Dessertine, Estelle St. Louis- France- 2018 Sunday 31 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION MEMORIES OF MERLU
College Anita Conti Sunday 31 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION BERRE THE ECOLOGICAL
CHALLENGE Laurent Lustaud- France- 2017 Thursday 28 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION HAPPY RAIN: RAINFUL RAIN IN BANGLADESH
Isabelle Antunès- France- 2016 Thursday 28 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION THREATS IN SEAS FROM THE NORTH
Jacques Loeuille- France / Belgium- 2018 Thursday 28 16h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION FISHING ROAD
Hervé Drezen- France- 2018 Thursday 28 16h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION IN OCKHI'S WAKE: DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AT SEA
Shibani Chaudhury- India-2018 Saturday 30 10am LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION THE PERSEVERANCE
Gabin Tellenne- France-2018 Saturday 30 8:30 p.m. LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION Winners of the Women In Seafood
GIRLS WHO FISH IN PETTY HARBOR
2018 Video Contest Friday 29 16h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION Winners of the Women In Seafood
MUJERES DEL MAR DEL CORTES
2018 Video Contest Friday 29 16h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION Winners of the Women In Seafood
PUNTADA INVISIBLE
Video Contest Henry Robusto- 2018 Friday 29 16h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION Winners of the Women In Seafood Video Contest
THE INVISIBLE HAND
Shrayansh and Shrinkhla Pandey- 2018 Friday 29 16h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION FROM LOCAL TO GLOBAL, how are the fishermen artisans
Christophe Hoyet- France- 2018 organized ? Friday 29 9:30 LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

OFFICIAL SELECTION THE GIRL OF THE DETROIT
Yannick Charles- France- 2018 Friday 29 9:30 LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

CITY-VISIT THE COUNTRY WITH THE FEET OF CLAY
Nicolas Ploumpidis- France- 2018 Monday 25 18h Larmor-Plage

CITY-VISIT SWISS COAST
Andrea Pellerani- The Netherlands- 2018 Monday 25 18h Larmor-Plage

CITY-VISIT GOLD FISH, AFRICAN FISH, 1 year after
Thomas Grand and Moussa Diop- Senegal- 2018 Monday 25 18h Pontivy

CITY-VISIT I WATCHED THE WHITE DOGS OF THE DAWN
Els Dietvorst- Belgium- 2018 Monday 25 20h Lanester

CITY-VISIT ON THE EDGE OF THE FILEYEUR OCEANES
Christophe Hoyet- France- 2018 Tuesday 26 20h Riantec

CITY-VISIT ON THE EDGE OF THE FILEYEUR OCEANES
Christophe Hoyet- France- 2018 Tuesday 26 20h Ploemeur

CITY-VISIT PHOQUE HUNTERS
Nicolas Lévesque- Canada- 2018 Tuesday 26 20h Riantec

CITY-VISIT THE ODYSSEE OF THE FORCATS OF THE SEA
Frédéric Bunnquell- France- 2018 Tuesday 26 20h Ploemeur

CITY-VISIT GOLD FISH, AFRICAN FISH, 1 year after
Thomas Grand and Moussa Diop- Senegal- 2018 Tuesday 26 20h Vannes

CITY-VISIT PADDAYI
Abhaya Simha- India- 2017 Wednesday 27 20h Cineville of Lorient

LONG-FILM COMPETITION BLUEFISH
Mert Gokalp- Turkey- 2017 Sunday 31 10am LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

LONG-FILM COMPETITION THE MULET AND THE WAVE
Carlos Eduardo Portella Nunes- Brazil- 2013/2015 Sunday 31 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

LONG-FILM COMPETITION MAREYEURS
Matteo Raffaelli- Senegal- 2017 Thursday 28 8:30 p.m. LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

LONG-FILM COMPETITION STRANGE FISH
Giulia Bertoluzzi- Italy- 2018 Saturday 30 10am LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

LONG-FILM COMPETITION INSULAR
Stéphane Goël - Switzerland-2018 Saturday 30 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

LONG-FILM COMPETITION OLD MARINE BOY
Mo-young Ji - Korea - 2018- 84 ' Saturday 30 16h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

LONG-FILM COMPETITION OCEANS 2, THE VOICE OF THE INVISIBLE
Mathilde Jounot- France- 2018 Saturday 30 8:30 p.m. LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

LONG-FILM COMPETITION MEN OF THE STORMS
Frédéric Bunnquell- France- 2018 Friday 29 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

LONG-FILM COMPETITION TERRA FRANCA
Leonor Teles- Portugal- 2018 Friday 29 16h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

LONG-FILM COMPETITION VOICES OF TH SEA Kim Hopkins, 2018 Friday 29 8:30 p.m. LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

SHORT FILMS COMPETITION SYNTI, SYNTI (skinned island)
Marion Jhöaner- France-2018 Sunday 31 10am LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

SHORT FILMS COMPETITION THE WAVE TO THE SOUL
Sébastien Daycard-Heid and Bertrand Dévé- France- 2018 Thursday 28 8:30 p.m. LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

SHORT FILMS COMPETITION BLACK LINE
Mark Olexa and Francesca Scalisi- Switzerland- 2017 Saturday 30 16h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

SHORT FILMS COMPETITION ALL GOOD LELLA?
Rabeb Mbarki- Tunisia / Italy- 2018 Friday 29 14h LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

SHORT FILMS COMPETITION FISHING HER
Javier Camilo Aranguren Montanez- Colombia- 2018 Friday 29 8:30 p.m. LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

SHORT FILMS COMPETITION DIOGUE, A FISHING ISLAND THREATENED
Thomas Grand and Moussa Diop- Senegal- 2016 Friday 29 9:30 LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

SHORT FILMS COMPETITION ROUTE MER
Pierre Bouquet- Belgium- 2017 Friday 29 9:30 LORIENT, ROOM RICOEUR

Website link here:

Stricken French trawler La Fanette update

The towing of the 24 m trawler La Fanette is a long-term operation. The boat ended up in trouble Tuesday night, off Cornwall.

Vesseltarcker provides this AIS track of La Fanette under tow from the tug Penzer

The towing of the trawler La Fanette, a 24m from the Porcher armament, in the Côtes-d'Armor, is a complicated operation, because of the difficult weather conditions at the moment.

The fishing vessel found itself in propeller damage Tuesday around 22 h. The hoisting of the six crewmen was a spectacular operation. Then, another trawler of the same armament, Farfadet, managed to catch one of the warps at the rear, and tow La Fanette in reverse. Rescue operations have been co-ordinated from the beginning by the Falmouth-Solent Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) in close contact with the Cross Corsen.

VesselTracker traffic density filter shows just how busy the shipping lanes are in the approaches to the channel.

Busy shipping lane:

The situation was very uncomfortable: La Fanette, still towed from the rear, at a very low speed, in the middle of the Ouessant rail. We know that it is one of the busiest maritime areas in the world. The batteries of La Fanette began to weaken. Which meant soon more lights, and more AIS signal, to locate the ship. All this in the middle of container ships and freighters in single file ...

Yesterday afternoon, the Caiman Navy helicopter managed to drop a GPS tag on the trawler. Last night, the maritime prefect of the Atlantic asked the shipowner to take all measures to secure the convoy.

Acrobatic situation:

Brest tug Penzer was mobilised by the insurance of the shipowner, arrived on the area this Friday morning. Around 8:00, he managed, finally, to transfer someone on board, who could pass a trailer on the front of La Fanette. So far, the trawler was towed from behind. The situation has become a little less acrobatic, even if the weather is still not very lenient.

The trawler is being towed to Brest. His arrival time is not known at the moment.

This was yesterday's update from the French equivalent of the MCA.

On Tuesday, March 12, 2019, at 22:30, the Regional Operational Monitoring and Rescue Center (CROSS) of Corsen is alerted by the trawler La Fanette that his propeller is engaged to 10 Nq (18 km) in the North-West of the Cape of Cornwall (United Kingdom).

The trawler L'Estran is diverted to try to tow La Fanette . After an unsuccessful attempt, the trawler L'Estran is forced to return to port after engaging his own propeller.

The operation is coordinated by the Falmouth Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) supported by the center of Solent with very regular overnight exchanges between the ship La Fanette and CROSS Corsen. Given the deterioration in weather and the risk of the vessel sinking, the Falmouth MRCC decided to evacuate by helicopter the six trawler crew members. They are safely deposited in Newquay on March 13, 2019 at 06:30.

At 16:00, after being diverted, the trawler Farfadet arrives on the area to take the La Fanette in tow and drive to Saint-Brieuc, its base port.

On March 14, at 01:45, the tug TMS Kermor, mobilized by the shipowner, joined the disaster area to secure the towing. In the day of March 14, twice, the trailer breaks. Due to the deteriorated weather conditions in the area, it is not currently possible to transfer personnel to the La Fanette vessel to pass a trailer from the front.

The La Fanette is then located 37 nautical miles (approximately 68 km) northwest of Ouessant, near the entrance of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). Immediately, an urgent notice to mariners ( AVURNAV ) is issued by the Maritime Prefecture of the Atlantic to report the drift of the trawler.

At 16H07, the Caiman Navy helicopter is mobilized, at the request of CROSS Corsen, to drop a GPS beacon on La Fanette to prevent a possible extinction of its light signals and its AIS transmitter. The Farfadet and TMS Kermor vessels stay close to the La Fanette trawler .

At 8:10 pm, the maritime prefect of the Atlantic asked the shipowner to take all measures to secure the convoy before 15 March 2019 at 13:00. The tug of Brest Penzer, mobilized by the insurance of the owner, should be tomorrow morning on the area to tow the trawler La Fanette located 33 nautical miles (61 km) north of Ouessant.


Translated by Google.

#FishyFriday from France - Brexit: French fishermen worry about exit without agreement

It doesn't take much to loosely translate what these Breton fishermen are telling the reporter!

Two weeks before Brexit, London and Brussels have not yet reached an agreement. In Brittany, fishermen are worried about their future. Without agreement, the British waters will indeed be inaccessible from March 29, 2019 at midnight. 

In all, 120 ships are involved. A hard Brexit may impact the entire industry. This subject was broadcast in the 13h newscast of 14/03/2019 presented by Jean-Pierre Pernaut on TF1.


Other similar reports from fishing regions along the Channel:

Brexit. In Boulogne-sur-Mer, fishermen in turmoil dread "a catastrophe

Tired, under clouds of greedy seagulls, Boulonnais trawlers return to the port, loaded with soles, mullet or cod. But "strongly dependent" rich British waters and "in the fog" three weeks of Brexit, many fear "a disaster."

"In case of Brexit hard and without agreement, the sea will be brutally divided in two: English fishermen on one side, all Europeans on the other!" Stephane Pinto, a representative of these net fishermen of Boulogne-sur-Mer ( Pas-de-Calais ), reflects the general feeling: three weeks Brexit the fishermen Boulogne feel "in a fog " and many fear a "disaster" .

From the top of the wind-swept wharf, Stéphane Pinto points to the north-west the wide and invisible maritime border located at about twenty kilometres. "From here, you sail less than an hour and you are already in the English zone. We've been fishing 60% of our fish for generations! For trawlers, it's worse, it's 80%, "he says, feverish.

"I can put the key under the door"

In the European Union, the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) allows all European vessels access to the fishing grounds of other Member States, provided that they comply with catch quotas. But with Brexit, the British government intends to recover its maritime sovereignty and the control of its waters, particularly large and full of fish.

A few meters below, at the foot of a wet ladder, five sailors arrive from the Nereids. "I spend half of the year on the English side. If I lose that, I can put the key under the door, " blows the boss, Jeremy Devogel.

In waxed trousers and suspenders, his employees unload their cargo on the pontoon: "100 to 400 kg daily" , depending on the season.

But "there is less and less fish. For four years, it's in free fall , " says Michael Baillet, drawn on the red bow of Providence.

"With electric fishing and all Belgian, Dutch and even Danish boats fishing 24 hours a day, the resource is running out. Imagine if we all have to tighten in an area twice as small ... What will we find in our waters?" , He loose, bitter.

"We will walk on our feet and it may go into a naval battle! " Warns Stéphane Pinto," first between French and foreigners, and even between different trades "Because gillnetters, fish farmers, trawlers or industrial deep-sea fishers, who do not use the same techniques, will be embarrassed "and there will be some breakage" .

"We are not compatible," confirms Christophe Marcq, captain of Don Lubi II, hands screwed on the rudder.

From his wooden cabin, he refers to the stern filled with thousands of square meters of white nets, knotted ropes and anchors: "30 000 euros of equipment, sometimes deposited all night at sea for miles, unattended".

Foreign trawlers, "three times bigger than us, tow their gear all night. If they know there is fish, they will cross our zone, even if it breaks everything , "he says.

"Every minute counts"

If, until now, the fleets had "found compromises and common ground" , the overpopulation "will break the balance and relaunch tensions," feared the captain.

Mareyage, transport, processing of seafood, packaging: for the industrial area of ​​Capécure and its dozens of warehouses, on the other side of the port, a hard Brexit would also be "very problematic" , assures Stéphane Pinto.

Employing "more than 5,000 people," and "processing nearly 400,000 tonnes of goods per year, the fish industry depends here half of the fish passing through England," says Frederic Cuvillier, PS Mayor of Boulogne-sur-Mer Sea. Without a commercial agreement, professionals will have to "deal with customs duties, veterinary and sanitary border checks" on "fresh products for which every minute counts," he adds.

And if the Europeans still hope to negotiate access to fishing areas in a global trade agreement, British Prime Minister Theresa May, pressed by public opinion and supporters of the Leave on this "highly sensitive" issue , will not let go . She "could even use this subject to demonstrate to the English its inflexible side , " fears the former minister of Francois Hollande.

So, between the stalls of the fish market, uncertainty reigns. "We do not know what will fall on us, but we will continue to fight," promises Stephane Pinto, refusing to "see sinking passionate fishermen . "



Brexit. Norman fishermen fear disaster

"The rejection of the UK deal is bad news for fishermen."

Half of the fishing landed in Normandy comes from the English coast. The rejection of the agreement negotiated with the European Union by the British Parliament on Tuesday January 15th makes fear the worst to the profession.

The massive rejection of the British MPs of the agreement negotiated by Theresa May with the European Union anguishes the Norman fishermen. Half of the landings made by the 588 vessels in the region come from English waters. "For fishing, this decision of Brexit without agreement adds an additional concern to the already existing problems. It's going to make things even more complicated, especially for offshore vessels, "said Dimitri Rogoff, chair of the Normandy Regional Fisheries Committee.

Without agreement, the 1,500 fishermen from Normandy will lose half of the Channel. "It would be a disaster! " Confides Dimitri Rogoff. But a glimmer of hope remains. "The anglers across the Channel would have the same problems to come on our side. " And the area interests them: the naval battle last summer around the scallop shells is still in everyone's mind ...

For Dimitri Rogoff, "nothing is fixed or recorded yet for fishing. It is a small subject compared to the others but which can condition other negotiations ", he likes to recall.

The invasion of the Britons?

The Norman sees another pressure coming from Brittany that one. "The Bretons want permission to come to work in the East Channel. We are already saturated in number of fishermen." Do the Normans have to fear an invasion of their waters by the Bretons? "This is not the subject," says Olivier Le Nézet, the chairman of the Brittany Fisheries Committee. The main species caught in Normandy is the shell. It is not an economically profitable fishery for boats of 25 or 30 m. We are not going to replace the English with the Bretons. "

The 800 Breton fishermen also make 50% of their turnover in British waters. Without agreement, "with the Hauts-de-France and Normandy, at least 500 ships will return home," said Olivier Nezet. Forced to retreat to French waters, these deep-sea vessels will not benefit from fishing rights, that is to say rights to fish species under quota. They may therefore have to disarm. Their return would play a destabilizing role for the fleets already fishing off the French coast.


The chairman of the regional fisheries committee wants to believe that the sector can still escape the cataclysm. "If there is a new British government, nothing will prevent it from holding a second referendum, which will give another result."

Penlee and Sennen lifeboats called out to assist French trawler La Fanette adrift off Lands End.

Major rescue as fishing boat gets stranded in storm coastguard helicopter airlifts crew to safety.

Penlee and Sennen lifeboats both returned to Newlyn this morning - the weather being to rough at Sennen to allow the lifeboat to be retrieved.

Video courtesy of MCA/SAR crew from Newquay.

Six crew from a fishing vessel in distress have been airlifted from their disabled vessel off Lands End in atrocious weather conditions over night.The six crew on board were airlifted from the fishing vessel by Newquay Coastguard Rescue Helicopter.

Speaking after this morning's incredible rescue, Captain Sharky Finn from Newquay Coastguard helicopter said: 'This is definitely one of the most challenging jobs we’ve seen at Newquay. We were flying into a Force 8 gale with 20ft high waves swirling beneath us and we could clearly see the fishing vessel disappearing beneath the swell as we approached.

'We had the support of RNLI Sennen Cove on scene who had tried to establish a tow line but were unable to do so because of the severe weather conditions.

'We tried a variety of different winching positions as the fishing vessel pitched and rolled violently underneath us before lowering a hi-line and then our winchman to the bow. The only way we could do this was turn the helicopter 90 degrees out of winds which meant we were effectively flying sideways. Needless to say, it was very challenging deck; it stretched the capabilities of both the crew and the aircraft. However, despite this pressure we were able to take our time and safely recovered all six crewmates and our winchman to the aircraft before returning to the Newquay base. We’re grateful for the support of the Newquay Coastguard Rescue Team and the Newlyn Seaman’s Mission who met us when we returned.'

The trawler had been fishing north of the Scillys when her main engine failed...

she drifted SSE after the crew had dropped her trawl on the seabed to anchor her some 8 miles west of  Pendeen...

both Sennen and Penlee lifeboats were paged around 3am this morning to assist after the crew were airlifted off by helicopter...

the trawler is now being monitored by the MCA and coastguard as she drifts, abandoned, slowly south in heavy seas...

another French trawle, Alf stopped by briefly on her way steaming northwards.


The MCA reported the story early this morning:

HM Coastguard was alerted at around 10pm on Tuesday night to the 24 metre French registered fishing vessel, La Fanette which had suffered engine failure. Another fishing vessel went to assist and HM Coastguard requested the launch of Sennen Cove RNLI lifeboat. Despite atrocious weather, Sennen Cove Lifeboat launched but due to 5-6 metre waves on scene and storm force winds, it was impossible for either the fishing vessel or the lifeboat to establish a tow with La Fanette. Penlee RNLI all weather lifeboat also attended.

The six crew on board were airlifted from the fishing vessel by Newquay Coastguard Rescue Helicopter.

Penlee lifeboat Crew - Coxswain Patch Harvey, Mechanic Tony Rendle, David Pascoe, Ben Keogh, Andrew Wood, Jack Shannon, and Dan Sell.

"Six crew from a fishing vessel in distress have been airlifted from their disabled vessel off Lands End in atrocious weather conditions over night.

"HM Coastguard was alerted at around 10pm on Tuesday night to the 24m French registered fishing vessel, La Fanette, which had suffered engine failure.

"Another fishing vessel went to assist and HM Coastguard requested the launch of Sennen Cove RNLI lifeboat.

This video was shot aboard the vessel some 5 years ago. She was built in 2012 by Socarenam for Armament Quirat Porcher-Lemaitre

The Fanette is now under tow from a sistership Faradet...

and expected to rendevous with the French tug Kermor around midnight tonight.

What? No fish?!

Wednesday's mid-week market in Newlyn sees the buyers gather around a couple of dozen boxes of fish from the netter Ocean Pride...

mindful of the fact that tomorrow and Friday will see the market devoid of landings...

with nothing to go down in the buyers' book...

and the minimum of work for the auctioneers...

as they sell the last of the boxes..

of black bream...

and ling

picked up by the buyers...

and taken for delivery...

while the fleet are all tied up...

the crew of the Penlee lifeboat will be heading off after their pagers went of at just gone 3am this morning - called to assist the French trawler, La Fanette which had broken down and her crew taken off by SAR helicopter from Newquay ten miles off Lands End.

Comparative table: Export processes for fisheries products & Brexit options.

On the back of the government's defeat in the House tonight the prospect of no deal looms - there are indications that the consequences of such move may have huge implications for trade.

All forms of Brexit raise new barriers to trade for UK exporters. The table below summarises the differences between the options facing Brexit UK for the
export of fisheries. Note: additional controls apply for the export of live shellfish and different rules apply to the direct landing of fishery produce in EU ports.

Other aspects of trade are also subject to significant change as a result of Brexit, including insurance cover, haulage, labelling and packaging. These raise
barriers over and above those set out below.

In summary:

• Current trading relations with the EU will change significantly. Frictionless trade within the EU is not possible for businesses located outside member states of the European Union.

• In terms of future trade options, the only certainty that approval of the Withdrawal Agreement by the UK Parliament will bring is that the option of frictionless trade (EU membership) in the future will be off the table.

• The avoidance of border infrastructure along the Irish Border can be avoided only if Northern Ireland remains within a customs union with the EU and aligns with Single Market rules for goods and services that are traded with Ireland. At the UK's request, to avoid a customs border in the Irish Sea if no new trade agreement has been reached between the EU and the UK, the backstop in the Withdrawal Agreement provides that a single customs territory will be established comprising the EU customs territory and the UK customs territory. However, fishery and aquaculture productsare expressly carved out of the customs territory unless there is an agreement on access to waters & fishing opportunities.

Sarah Adkins MA (Oxon) MA MCIWM CEnv Solicitor.