New Fisheries Bill announced.

The new Fisheries Bill introduced creates powers to ensure profitable future for UK fishing industry with a fairer share of fishing opportunities.

Legislation creating the powers for the UK to operate as an independent coastal state and manage its fish stocks sustainably outside the European Union is being introduced into Parliament today, 29 January 2020.

The introduction of the Fisheries Bill delivers a legal guarantee the UK will leave the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) at the end of the Transition Period, in December 2020 – allowing the UK to control who may fish in our waters, and on what terms, for the first time since 1973.

The Bill ends current automatic rights for EU vessels to fish in British waters. In future, access to fish in UK waters will be a matter for the UK to negotiate and we will decide on the rules that foreign vessels must follow.

As well as powers to implement new deals negotiated with the EU and other coastal states, set quotas, fishing opportunities and days at sea, the Bill includes new measures for Devolved Governments and a single set of UK-wide fisheries objectives to ensure that fish stocks, and the marine environment, are better protected.

Changes to funding rules enabling the UK government to provide financial support for the breadth of what is currently funded by the EU’s European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, such as training and port improvements, are also included in the legislation.

Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said:

This new Fisheries Bill takes back control of our waters, enabling the UK to create a sustainable, profitable fishing industry for our coastal communities, whilst securing the long term health of British fisheries.

Leaving the EU’s failed Common Fisheries Policy is one of the most important benefits of Brexit. It means we can create a fairer system which will allow marine habitats to thrive, with new powers to support our fishing sector and conserve our wonderful Blue Belt at home and abroad.

Fisheries Minister George Eustice said:

The Fisheries Bill gives us the powers to implement our own independent fisheries policy, improve our marine habitats and make decisions based on the health of our fish stocks not vested interests.

For many people in coastal communities, taking back control and leaving the Common Fisheries Policy is at the heart of getting Brexit done, and this Bill delivers for the environment, fishermen and the Union.

New provisions in the Bill mean the UK will take into account climate change impacts on its fisheries, with a new objective to move us towards ‘climate-smart fishing’ in UK waters. Last year we became the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end our contribution to global warming by 2050 and the Fisheries Bill will complement this.

A new legal requirement for all fish stocks to be fished at sustainable levels is also at the heart of the Bill – delivering on the government’s manifesto commitment to ensure there will be sustainability plans for each fish stock.

The Bill includes powers to ensure fisheries management decisions are taken strategically, for the benefit of the whole marine environment. Fisheries management plans will be will be tailored to the UK’s ‘mixed fisheries’, which have lots of fish stocks swimming together and where certain fishing practices can have a significant impact on the marine environment.

The plans will also recognise that many of our fish stocks are ‘shared stocks’ as they will swim in both the UK’s and other coastal states’ waters. For these stocks, negotiation with other coastal states is crucial as sustainable catches cannot be achieved through UK action alone.

The Bill also boosts the government’s flagship Blue Belt programme by ensuring the Marine Management Organisation has the powers it needs to provide advice and assistance on sustainable fisheries, marine planning, licensing and conservation overseas.


The Bill will also ensure:

• EU vessels’ automatic access right to fish in UK waters is removed
• Foreign boats will be required to be licensed to fish in UK waters and will have to follow the UK’s rules
• Fisheries are managed in a sustainable way – balancing social, economic, and employment benefits while preventing the over exploitation of fish stocks
• The UK fisheries administrations will seek to ensure increased benefits from fish caught by UK boats
• Sensitive marine species, such as dolphins, are protected and the bycatch of unwanted fish reduced
• The UK fisheries administrations will continue to collect robust scientific data on fish stocks and shares it to manage shared stocks sustainably
• UK boats can continue to access any part of UK waters, as they do now regardless, whether they are registered in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

UK fishing industry - a maritime operator's perspective.

Until recently Peter Aylott was running the UK's largest trawler fleet based in Newlyn, Cornwall. He has since moved on but felt compelled to write about  his hopes for the future of the industry to which he became closely attached:

"After the oil downturn in 2016/2017 I was recruited to run an historic fishing company in Cornwall. I was uncertain of what I would find operationally as the business had been ailing for some time and the fleet was old. Poor vessel serviceability squeezed the cashflow and a decision was made to sell a majority equity share of the business to the largest Cornish fish wholesaler. As I leave the sector, I thought it would be useful to highlight 5 observations from my experience of operating the largest beam trawler fleet in the United Kingdom."



1. Crew sustainability.

2. Employment of fishermen.

3. ILO 188 (Working in fishing convention) implementation.

4. Safety management.

5. The fishing vessel operating safety envelope.

There are many more including a review of vessel regulatory demarcations of 24m and 30m registered lengths and the need for immersion suits that can be worn whilst working on deck on a day to day basis in cold weather.

The main observation is that crew sustainability in a remote fishing community is, I believe, the biggest challenge to the industry. This is not unique to fishing, but given the relatively small and diminishing fleet size which will grow less and less skippers, I think this issue will come to pass faster than other marine industries.

I take a view that employment arrangements need to come into the 21st century – a view I suspect not shared by all fishermen. Any comment on the fishing industry does need to focus on safety. The industry has a poor record here and whilst I believe ILO 188 has been a positive experience, there is a great deal of work to do now to ensure that the new standards do deliver the desired outcome. I remain and will always be in awe of the seamanship skills and resilience of fishermen – they are unique in our maritime industry and deserve even more assistance with training and welfare. A great deal of excellent support does exist through charities, the UK Government and the industry itself, especially in physical health and well-being. Going forward I hope that resources can be made available to really improve safety training and mental health.


1. Crew sustainability.

In a very similar vein to the offshore industry the average age of fishermen is increasing. This experience level is a positive message, but the number of new entrants to the industry and their development is falling behind the fleet requirement. Entry to the industry is a relatively low barrier with financial support for training, but conversion to skipper level qualifications remains the biggest hurdle. Standards have risen and candidates are struggling to pass examinations. Whilst sometimes this is symptomatic of a shortfall in preparation, I believe the gap between what is required of a skipper at sea today and what they have to know to pass the examination is becoming larger. Many might argue that this is progress, but whereas I am unaware of offshore support vessels not sailing due to shortage of crew, this factor has prevented fishing vessels from sailing. Whilst operational efficiency and vessel development naturally lead to a lower manning requirement, this factor will lag behind the current and future shortage of qualified and experienced crew.

2. Employment of fishermen.

From my time in the RN in the Fishing Protection Squadron I was aware of the self-employed share fisherman status. An historic arrangement recognised by HMRC that links the traditional hunter-gatherer mentality to compensation. Whilst it suits the current fishermen and their distrust of paying tax, MAIB are, in my opinion, right to raise their concern about the balance of risk and reward. I would prefer to see a bonus-based employment scheme adopted by other fishing fleets, which rewards the skill required and the bounty of a significant catch, but provides more steady income when the weather is poor or a vessel is out of operation. It would help in improving mental health and would also enable fishermen to access employment benefits such as mortgages, health provision and life insurance more readily.

3. ILO 188.

ILO 188 has now been implemented in the UK and it is a step in the right direction for providing more consistent working conditions for fishermen at sea. Having been through the implementation of MLC 2006 in the marine offshore industry in 2012, I was very familiar with the issues, concepts and MCA strategy. Like most international conventions, one size does not fit all comfortably, and there are a number of areas that will need to be adapted going forward. My experience of this process has been positive with the fleet organisation and safety management in a better place now and there was strong support from the MCA throughout.

4. Safety.

Whereas most shipping companies complying with MLC 2006 found that it enshrined what they were already dong, there is no question that ILO 188 Safety Management System (SMS) has been a new concept for most fishing fleets. It is going to take time for the practical output of safety to improve without investment in training and I think this is an area that the sector could learn a great deal from the deep-water shipping fleet. Here the introduction of the International Ship Management (ISM) code took some time to generate traction, but the advent of training at all levels has generated a doctrine that is followed and practiced by all.

5. Fishermen seamanship skills.

Much is made of fishermen’s natural can-do attitude and there is a view that their priority for safety is inconsistent, but I remain in awe of their day to day seamanship skills and resilience. Operating 30 metre beam trawlers in the South West approaches in poor weather requires extensive skills and sound judgement based on a rare depth of experience. My view is that they encounter seamanship challenges far more routinely than their other maritime operators and whilst they do make mistakes, their activities naturally lean far more towards the edge of the safety envelope. I always asked myself if that envelope was too large, but the reality is that regulations are usually set after accidents occur and not by experts before – human nature perhaps and economics. In the 21st century we need to bring that envelope in to provide a margin of operational safety that significantly reduces the accident level. This will only come with training."

Boats for sale:

First up is Dave Sales boat from Bridport. A Cygnus Marine GM19, the Shelly Marie, once a Newlyn boat and a good boat, a Beta Marine B28 (predecessor to the latest B30). 

It has a Seawinch slave hauler, full CatA license - also, with shellfish entitlement and a H and L bass entitlement. You can get Dave on 01308 422755

Second boat is South West Handline Association guru, Dave Muirhead's punt Bill Eric, a legendary Plymouth Pilot 18 with a Yanmar engine and a Spencer Carter slave hauler. More pics to follow. Email me for Dave's contact and more details.

SOLD! Seems Dave Muirhead has sold his boat already!

Just in time for Brexit and the end of EU funding - UK government launches the Seafood Innovation Fund.

What is the UK Seafood Innovation Fund?

The £10 million UK Seafood Innovation Fund will support the UK’s fishing, aquaculture and seafood industries to deliver cutting-edge technology and innovation. By supporting ambitious projects with a long-term view, the fund aims to kick-start a step-change in the productivity and sustainability of UK seafood into the future.

Running for three years, this programme administered by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), will share regular calls for applications, offering interested collaborators the chance to bid for up to £50,000 for feasibility studies, or up to £250,000 for full R&D projects.

The programme will support projects that aim to deliver longer-term, cutting-edge innovation across the seafood sector and supply chain. It will also support projects that will take innovative ideas from early-stage research to commercial viability.

From experts in the seafood space – cutting-edge businesses within the fishing, aquaculture and seafood processing sectors – to innovative thinkers in tech, engineering, data science and app development, let’s innovate together.

Who can apply?

The UK Seafood Innovation Fund will run open competitions, and welcomes applications from both inside and outside of the seafood sector. Your idea, technology or product must benefit the sustainability and/or productivity of the UK seafood industry.

The fund is open to all organisations within the EU who have an innovative idea meeting the objectives of the fund. EU organisations can apply as a project lead, or can be part of an application as a subcontractor. Collaborative projects including both seafood sector experts and technology businesses are encouraged.

For more information on whether you are eligible to apply for the UK Seafood Innovation Fund, please read ‘Am I Eligible?’ on our FAQs page.

What is disruptive innovation and technology?

The UK Seafood Innovation Fund is particularly keen to hear from applicants bringing novel innovation and technology to disrupt the seafood sector. These ‘disruptive innovations’ should bring techniques, skills and processes that can improve on current practices and bring significant benefit to the sector.

Disruptive innovations may have the potential to be scaled up and could be applicable to any part of the seafood supply chain – from boat or farm to plate.

If you have an idea and want to check if it is in scope for the UK Seafood Innovation Fund, please feel free to contact us.



Examples of disruptive innovation may include, but are not limited to:


AQUACULTURE
Innovations in feed, biotechnology, health, robotics, logistics, storage.

WILD CATCH FISHERIES
Innovations in gear, bycatch reduction, improving catch recordings, logistics, storage, transport.

PROCESSING
Innovations in robotics, logistics, traceability, packaging, storage.

DISTRIBUTION
Innovations in logistics, traceability, packaging, supermarket storage, selling point tools.

HARVESTING
Innovations in fishing gear around target catch, bycatch avoidance and selectivity, monitoring and reporting of harvesting activity.

FINAL CLIENT
New, intuitive tools for making decisions on purchase or consumption.

CROSS-CHANNEL TECHNOLOGIES
Innovations in traceability, Blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), deep learning, satellite technologies, big data and marketing tools.

SAFETY AND WELFARE
Innovations leading to better working conditions for fishers and fish-farmers, or that lead to higher welfare for animals within the supply chain.

CLIMATE CHANGE
In the context of the UK Government declaring a ‘climate emergency’, innovations are required that reduce carbon impacts of aquaculture and fishing, accelerate or enhance best practice in this area, and effectively raise awareness of low-carbon options already available.

Everyhting you need to know and where to get more advice r information can be found on the brand new Seafood Innovation Fund website.

Newlyn is loaded with fish on Monday morning.

The first fridge is full of fish as far as you can see this morning...

with a big landings of hake from the Silver Dawn...

and the Stelissa...

their trips included a few dozen boxes of spurdogs which they are licensed to land under an agreement set up in close collaboration with the CFPO, Cefas and the MMO together with the Shark Trust...

after a busy bout of bidding Falfish's buyer Ed manages to find time to share a moment with young Craig Tonkin...

there are still hundreds of boxes to be sold including big landings of megrim soles...

and monk tails from the two beam trawlers tat landed over the weekend...

the Sapphire II...

and the St Georges...

whose trip included these immaculate red mullet...

and that most un-fish like fish, the Dover sole...

both trips filled number two grader chill room...

while the handline fridge was stacked out with mackerel...

and the odd bass, these two courtesy of handline man Barry on the Boy Brax...

two inshore trawlers, the New Venture...

and the Harvest Reaper both fished over the weekend despite the big, jumping spring tide in the making which can make towing a trawl in areas requiring accurate navigation in avoiding wrecks and other hitches on the bottom significantly more difficult when you only have 10m of boat and a few hundred horsepower  at your command...

not an issue for the likes of the Sapphire II which, like many of the port's trawlers lands small gurnards for pot bait...

more recently the boats have taken to landing monk heads for the same reason, what is less clear is why the guys on board are not removing the monkfish cheeks which many restaurants would pay good money for...

the porters have their work cut out tis morning getting fish back to be proessed as soon as possible...

with that many netters in the port you know that it is now spring tide time...

the Sapphire II's first job after landing is to take on board fuel...

visiting Dutch beam trawler, Jochem...

like many in their fleet is equipped with twin net drums for trawling at certain times of the year.

NEW SCIENTIFIC PAPER SHOWS SEAFOOD CONSUMPTION CRITICAL FOR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

SCIENTIFIC REVIEW SHOWS CHILDREN CAN GAIN AN AVERAGE OF 7.7 FULL IQ POINTS

A new paper published by a group of 13 leading dietary fats scientists highlights the tremendous health benefits from consuming seafood for infant and adolescent brain development. Among the key findings of the systematic review is an average 7.7 IQ point gain in children whose mothers ate seafood during pregnancy compared to mothers who did not eat seafood.

“Relationships between seafood consumption during pregnancy and childhood and neurocognitive development: two systematic reviews” (PLEFA) uncovered 44 scientific studies since 2000 that collectively show the importance of consuming seafood by moms to support the brain development of their babies as well as the need for children to consume more fish and shellfish.

The 13 scientists formed a technical expert collaborative to address two questions posed by the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC), and utilized the USDA’s Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review to evaluate the science following the DGAC prescribed review process.

Highlights from the paper, which evaluates studies on 102,944 mother-offspring pairs and 25,031 children, includes:

• Twenty-four studies reported that seafood consumption among mothers was associated with beneficial outcomes to neurocognition on some or all of the tests administered to their children. The beneficial outcomes appeared on tests administered as early as three days of age and as late as 17 years in age.

• In the studies that reported beneficial associations with IQ, children gain an average of 7.7 full IQ points when their moms ate seafood during pregnancy compared to moms that did not eat seafood. The size of benefits for IQ ranged from 5.6 to 9.5 points.

• In addition to IQ, measures of neurocognitive outcomes included verbal, visual and motor skill development, scholastic achievement, and four specifically looked at hyperactivity and ADHD diagnoses. One finding showed that children of mothers not eating oily seafood had nearly three times greater risks of hyperactivity.

• Benefits to neurocognitive development began at the lowest amounts of seafood consumed in pregnancy (one serving or about 4 oz per week) and some studies looked at greater than 100 oz. per week. No adverse effects of seafood consumption were found for neurocognition in any of the 44 publications.

• Seafood contains nutrients including zinc, iron, choline, folate, iodine, selenium, vitamins A, D, B6, and B12, and omega-3 fatty acids that may contribute as a whole package to these important outcomes. The systematic review focused on studies that examined seafood consumption rather than studies that focused on individual nutrients.

• “The risk is not eating enough seafood — the benefits are substantial for the development of baby brains, eyes and overall nervous system,” said J. Thomas Brenna, PhD, an author of the paper and a member of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee.

These findings are consistent with a technical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics earlier this year that emphasized the importance of fish and called attention to the fact that U.S. children are not eating enough seafood. Additionally, Health Canada, the European Food Safety Authority, and World Health Organization have all stated the importance of seafood for brain development.

An additional paper, “An abundance of seafood consumption studies presents new opportunities to evaluate effects on neurocognitive development,” published in PLEFA provides more background on the systematic review paper.

The authors of the papers include: Capt. Joseph Hibbeln, MD; Philip Spiller, JD; J. Thomas Brenna, PhD; Jean Golding, PhD; Bruce Holub, PhD; William Harris, PhD; Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RDN; Bill Lands, PhD; Sonja Connor, MS, RDN, LD; Gary Myers, MD; J.J. Strain, PhD; Michael A Crawford, PhD; Susan Carlson, PhD; Gretchen Vannice, RDN; Robert McNamara, PhD; Michael Tlusty, PhD; and Norman Salem Jr., PhD. None of the scientists were paid to conduct this review, all were voluntary, and do not have a conflict of interest.

Full story from the Seafood Nutrition Partnership.

APPG on Fisheries Newsletter

Welcome to the APPG on Fisheries newsletter. Through regular updates, we aim to keep you informed of policy developments, Parliamentary announcements and sector headlines. We also provide round-ups of current Committee inquiries and fisheries-focused monitoring of the Parliamentary record, Hansard. Contents Use the links below to rapidly navigate around the newsletter. Parliament News | Fisheries News | Hansard Monitoring Upcoming Event Our next event will cover the socioeconomics of fishing communities, examining the causes behind social and economic challenges and how these could be addressed. As always, a diverse audience is welcomed. Find out more or contact us at secretariat@fisheriesappg.org Parliament News APPG Meets with Norwegian Parliamentarians Many APPG Members and recently engaged Parliamentarians gathered on Monday in Westminster Hall's Grand Committee Room to meet Norway's visiting Standing Committee on Business and Industry Affairs, who lent a unique insight into fishing policy as an independent coastal state. Public Consultation on Marine Planning Opens Last week, the Marine Management Organisation launched a public consultation on marine planning in England. The consultation will remain open until 6 April, and you are encouraged to share your thoughts on the draft marine plans. Lords Debate on Landing Obligation Yesterday, the House of Lords chamber debated two reports on the efficacy of the Landing Obligation, published by the House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee last year. You can watch the debate on the parliamentlive.tv website. Track the Progress of the Fisheries Bill It is likely that the recent introduction of a new government will mean that the Fisheries Bill will undergo significant changes before exiting Parliament. Look out for the APPG reporting on any changes in due course. Read our digest of the current Bill on the APPG blog. Fisheries News A round-up of the latest UK-relevant fishing news from a variety of sources. International Marine Climate Change Centre Launched by Cefas The new centre aims to foster scientific collaboration in order to further understanding of climate change’s impacts on marine and coastal environments. Concerns over Potential Brexit Trade-Off of Fishing Rights For Market Access It has been postulated that negotiations could involve allow EU vessels to access UK waters, in return for the UK's access to the EU’s financial markets. New Array of Awards to Celebrate Country's Top Fishmongers The Master Fishmonger Standard is releasing a new suite of awards to recognise commitments to sustainability and engagement with fishing communities. UK Government Calls for International Engagement on Marine Protection Environment Minister Rebecca Pow has called for governments around the world to support the 30by30 initiative, which aims to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. Effective Fisheries Management is Working, According to Global Analysis A new study suggests that nearly half of fish stocks worldwide are scientifically monitored, and that on average these stocks are increasing in abundance. New Protections for England's Rare and Vulnerable Seabirds Environment Minister Rebecca Pow announced the legislation, which will involve regulators working with local fishing communities to manage protected areas. Hansard Monitoring Hansard is the official record of debates, votes and ministerial statements in Parliament. Our newsletters gather together any debates or questions concerning fisheries that have recently taken place. Debate on direct payments to farmers, including reference to the Fisheries Bill Debate on growth strategy, including mention of growth in the fisheries sector Question on support for businesses in Scotland, including fishing trade bodies Debate on the Lowestoft tidal flood barrier, including impact on the fishing industry Debate on post-Brexit tariffs for Northern Ireland, including mention of fishing Question on measures to increase salmon stocks in England Ministerial statement on the December Agriculture and Fisheries Council Debate on potential trade-offs in Brexit negotiations, including fishing rights Debate on a green industrial revolution, including the East Anglian fishing industry Debate on the EU Withdrawal Agreement, including potential concessions on fishing Question on the Landing Obligation for under-10m vessels Question on insufficient catch data for under-10m vessels Debate on the EU Withdrawal Agreement, including the Common Fisheries Policy Question on the European Court of Justice, including fishing laws Question on fishing and marine policy after Brexit Question on promotion of the under-10m fleet after Brexit Debate on separation issues, including fishing trade for Northern Ireland Question on employment of foreign crews in the Scottish fishing sector Question on support for the Scottish fishing industry

For more information, contact the APPG on Fisheries Secretariat Katrina Ryan, Sara Mynott and Jacob Ashton secretariat@fisheriesappg.org