UK FISHERIES MINISTERS AND STAKEHOLDERS MEETING AUTUMN NEGOTIATIONS 2014

Due to be held at the end of next month in Belfast - this year's stakeholders' meeting which will specifically look at fishing opportunities ahead in 2015. This is a chance for key players in the industry to take part in a broad discussion ahead of the TAC negotiations at the end of the year.

The meeting will be held in the Pavilion, Stormont Estate, Belfast and commence at 10.00 am and is likely to close around 13.30 pm with lunch being provided at 12.30 pm. The meeting will focus on international fisheries negotiations. In particular, it will seek to discuss priorities for this year’s autumn negotiations leading to the setting of TACS and quotas for 2015. 


AGENDA (DRAFT)

10.00 – 10.30 Tea and coffee

10.30 – 10.40 Welcome and introductions

10.40 – 12.15 Priorities for fishing opportunities 2015

12.15 – 12.30 Any other business

12.30 – 13.30 Lunch

Skippers prove a match for scientists on fish stock levels

Fishermen are just as good as scientists at predicting the level of commercial fish stocks, according to startling new research.

A comparison of skippers’ knowledge and catch/effort data with scientifically collected data found that they reached similar conclusions about the distribution and abundance of stocks in the North Sea.

Fishermen in Scotland have long argued they have a good understanding of the level and whereabouts of different stocks – yet quotas are set entirely according to scientific surveys.

Now the fishermen have proof in the form of a paper published by Dr Paul Macdonald, a scientist at the NAFC Marine Centre in Scalloway, Shetland, with colleagues in the journal Marine Policy.

The study examines data for the increasingly commercially valuable species megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) in an area stretching from the edge of the continental shelf north-west of Shetland to the north-east coast of Scotland.

The megrim population has increased in size and range in recent years and has been caught in shallower waters than normal (50-200m instead of the usual 250-400m).

The study concludes that “fishers’ perceptions of changes in distribution and abundance of megrim in the northern North Sea are consistent with [scientific] survey data”.

Dr Macdonald and his colleagues urge fisheries regulators to make use of the skippers’ knowledge when determining quota levels for relevant species.

Current quotas for many species of fish are perceived to be low relative to the amount of fish available, resulting in high levels of discarding.

The scientists state: “The results of this study indicate that there is considerable potential for the use of fishers’ knowledge and data in the assessment and management process in the demersal fishery in the northern North Sea.”

Leslie Tait, chairman of the Shetland Fishermen’s Association, said: “This research shows very clearly that fishermen have an intuitive understanding of the levels of fish stocks and where they are at any given time.

“While it relates specifically to megrim, I’m sure the same could be said of most species caught in the North Sea.

“I hope our regulators in Brussels, London and Edinburgh take note of this paper and recognise that fishermen can play a vital role in managing the industry, specifically by feeding data in to the process of setting quotas.”

For further information please contact Paul Riddell of Platform Shetland on 07739 750543, 01595 697296 or paul.riddell@platformshetland.co.uk

Monday's fishy medley mix

Just one of the big trawlers to land on Monday's market...

along with a good selection of prime fish from the dayboats who worked the tide over the weekend...

there's still plenty of ray on the grounds...

along with lemon sole...

monk tails...

and Dovers...

being whisked away in the early hours...

Ocean Fish's growing fleet of sardine boats has now been joined by the Mayflower...

the unmistakable sight of those big bluff bows of the ports biggest crabbers...

dwarfed only by the hugeness of the sapphire II...

out at sea the Cornishman and the Billy Rowney are conjoined by a tow line...

arriving in the Bay at around 3.30 am this morning...

and eventually heading for the harbour at gone 8am...

making it a long day after starting the tow at around 1.30 pm yesterday over 40 miles SW of the Scillies...

early Wherry Town Plaza action on four wheel and a board.

Dover soles for a family supper - nice one Scotty:-)

Take four soles...

and prepare the fish - skinning Dover soles is easy when you do it the right way...

start at the tail end with a small cut across...

and those kitchen scissors make light work of trimming away all those tiny bones that run around the edge of most flat fish ...

giving you four clean whole fish on the bone, always tastier than fillets and much easier to manage on the stove...

mix a simple marinade of olive oil. garlic, fresh marjoram, salt and red chili to taste...

to complete yet another superb recipe from Rick Stein's new re-worked Fish & Shellfish book...

a few roasted peppers...

added to the mix...

make the perfect marinade.

Newlyn welcomes the Mayflower, not full of Pilgrims just yet.

Battery rockers ready to roll...

almost completed the rendering on the Nelwyn path...

the Bay is still full of feed fish...

heading for the gaos...

and the market...

steady as she goes...

the morning's work...

up and away...

ready for Monday's market...

time for ice...

the Mayflower is the latest boat to join the fleet...

a highly specialised fishing vessel...

the Mayflower...

is based on a Buccaneer 46 foot hull...

rigged especially for sardine fishing with sea water tanks to hold the fish in the very best condition...

she has a bulbous bow and bow thruster to make her highly maneuverable ...

when handling the giant ring net which she will take on board tomorrow at high water...

using her net handler...

she can carry well over 20 tonnes of pelagic fish...

in her GRP hull...

sporting the latest in net handling gear like this triplex style winch...

all quiet this morning...

as the lifeboat sits in her marina berth...

the familiar style of Breton art...

in a 1950s home setting.