MMO - Call for issues with supporting evidence north east, north west, south east and south west marine plan areas

Today the @MMO are launching a ‘Call for Issues with Supporting Evidence’ for the north east, north west, south east and south west marine plan areas.

The MMO says, "Identifying and understanding the opportunities and challenges for the marine plan areas is critical to developing meaningful and tailored marine plans. Local, specialist and industry knowledge is at the heart of this, and your contribution is essential."

"We would like to hear from you about what the opportunities, challenges, and needs of the marine plan areas are over the next 20 years, and what supporting evidence is available."

The call opens today (Thursday 30 June) and closes on Friday 5 August.

We have started to understand some of the issues for each marine plan area which are described in the issues information sheets here. Please read these before responding to the call.

Complete the form with your comments and ideas here: 

Scotland's fishing industry welcomes decision to leave the EU.

Despite the promises made by those advocating the Brexit, British fishermen have been warned their catch quotas will not be greater and economic issues may increase after the UK leaves the European Union.

These warnings were made by fisheries chiefs and campaigners, who also claimed that the new arrangements negotiated after the Brexit “will not be more generous,” The Guardian reported.

“Promises have been made and expectations raised during the referendum campaign and it is now time to examine if and how they can be delivered,” said the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations.

“We can certainly seek to renegotiate quota shares, as well as access arrangements, but it is realistic to expect that there will be a price. Who will pay that price is a critical question,” the entity stated.

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the European commission told the Guardian: “It is far too early to speculate on this question [of what will happen to fisheries]. That will be addressed in due course, once negotiations with the UK begin on its withdrawal agreement as well as on the agreement concerning its future relationship with the EU. For the time being, nothing changes.”

There are only about 11,000 people directly employed in fishing in the UK, and nearly half of them in Scotland.

The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation chief executive Bertie Armstrong, pointed out the referendum result offered both opportunities and challenges and that it was vital to have clarity from the UK and Scottish governments on their future intentions for fishing.

“After many years we at last have the ability to recover proper, sustainable and rational stewardship through our own Exclusive Economic Zone for fisheries, just like Norway, Iceland and the Faroes,” Armstrong stressed.

The fishery leader is convinced that for Scotland’s economically important fishing industry the new opportunities presented by the referendum result are overwhelmingly for the better and that with leadership exercised at last from the right place, the ills of the past of overfishing and incoherent regulation could be banished.

“We are witnessing another form of ‘Project Fear’ when instead we should be working on the details of how we, at long last, make the best out of the new leadership opportunities presented,” Armstrong claimed.

For his part, economist Griffin Carpenter warned there will be years of renegotiations, and given the small size of fishing compared to other industries, there is little chance it will be seen as a priority,

Other green campaigners called for ministers to draw up a plan for sustainable fishing following the UK’s departure from the EU.

Trevor Hutchings of WWF-UK said: “The government must deliver a coherent plan for maintaining and conserving the marine environment as a whole. This must recognise that fish stocks do not respect national boundaries. Effective management will rely on international cooperation.”

Will McCallum, head of oceans at Greenpeace UK, pointed out that the Westminster government, rather than Brussels, was in charge of allocating the EU-agreed fishing quota, and had chosen for years to give most of it to a handful of large corporations rather than to the smaller fishermen who have most to lose.

He said: “Leaving the EU has often been held up as a magic pill for the UK’s fishing industry. But now we’ve voted to leave, it is far from plain sailing. One thing is clear: the UK government cannot settle back into its old habit of privileging a handful of large companies to the detriment of the UK’s small-scale fishermen. It wasn’t the EU that gave almost two-thirds of the entire fishing quota of England and Wales to just three companies - it was the British government.”

Full story courtesy of the Guardian.

Mizzly mid-week morning market

Just the one prawn trawler still in the harbour this morning...

with the scaffolding still surrounding the foremsts of the Twilight III it could be a few days yet before she is back to sea...

another night stopover for the workboat...

the driving seat of what fishermen sometimes refer to...

 as a gin palace has made Newlyn for the evening...

while neap tides and fine'ish weather mean that all the trawlers and all but a couple of the netters are at sea leaving just a token beam trawler trip...

give Gary something to measure and record this morning...

like these cracking haddock...

juicy John Dory...

despite the below average temperature the market boxes are heavily iced...

so that top quality turbot get to the market in tip-top condition...

and these lively lobsters stay that way...

still no sign of the missing Through the Gaps white coat!

even the gulls think it's a dismal start to the day...

nice little sail boat for sale...

all in a good cause, put the night of Saturday the 23rd of July in your diary and make it a successful fundraising night for the Fishermen's Mission hosted by the Padstow social Club, for some of the cheapest drinks in the port...

although a step ladder is one of 'three things you will never find on a fishing boat' a ladder does come in useful for tidal harbours...

one new trawl all set for the red boat in the background.

French Brexit concerns

The vote by the UK to leave the European Union has raised concerns in France, and fishermen’s federation CNPMEM has watched the situation on the other side of the Channel carefully.

Speaking at its meeting last week, CNPMEM president Gérard Romiti told Secretary of State for Transport, the Sea and Fisheries Alain Vidalies that the choice the UK has made could have serious consequences, commenting that it has to be remembered that the crisis the French fishing sector suffered in the 1990s began with a devaluation of the pound. 

According to a CNPMEM statement, in spite of Alain Vidalies’ assurances, French fishermen are concerned that the UK could adopt a less amicable stance, and Gérard Romiti has called on the French authorities to make early contact with their British counterparts to ensure that French landings in UK ports and French access to shared fishing grounds remain unaffected. The regions of Normandy and Brittany depend on access to UK waters for around 50% of their fishing activities, and there is concern that a renationalisation of waters could take place, without consultation with other states. 

The meeting agreed with the Secretary of State that access to the European market is linked to quota distribution, and French fishermen’s leaders expressed a strong interest in being involved with future developments leading to a UK withdrawal form the EU.

Story courtesy of Fisker Forum - download your free copy of Hook & Net here:

First week of a new era.

For many, the outlook is now sunny...

after the country voted to leave...

so while some things are just temporary...

it's time to prepare for the day when boats like the Dutch beam trawler, Reubens, will soon become a foreign visitor and may well be subject once again to a visit from the customs men whenever she stops over in Newlyn...

while many hope that the exit form the shackles of the EU and CFP will be quicker than a beam trawler refit.

Brexit - Two things can be said with certainty:

From any perspective, it is clear that the outcome of the EU referendum marks a seismic change for the fishing industry. What that change actually will mean in practice is less easy to predict. On all fronts, including fishing politics, we are entering uncharted territory and turbulent waters, with challenges and perhaps also opportunities.

Brexit - Two things can be said with certainty:

1. At this stage, there are more questions than answers 

2. In this new world, fishermen will need a strong, cohesive, national organisation to defend their interests during the upcoming transition

It is not difficult to understand the strong anti-EU sentiments within the UK fishing industry. The European Commission has too often behaved with arrogance, and the EU Parliament with ignorance, to escape their share of the blame. To understand this, you need to go no further that the Commission’s proposed EU ban on small-scale drift nets – to solve an enforcement problem in Italy but which if adopted would have extinguished many sustainable, viable small-scale fisheries in the UK. This is but one example which just illustrates the roots of the frustration that has built over many years.

Promises have been made and expectations raised during the referendum campaign and it is now time to examine if and how they can be delivered. Unfortunately perhaps, the UK’s geopolitical position means that it is not politically or legally possible just to ring-fence most of our fish resources in the way for example that Iceland can. The reality is that most of our stocks are shared with other countries to some degree or other.

We can certainly seek to renegotiate quota shares as well as access arrangement but it is realistic to expect that there will be a price of some sort. Who will pay that price is a critical question?

Some of the key questions in an immediate post-referendum context are:

1. What will the new bilateral (or trilateral) arrangements be for managing shared stocks? Will the fishing industry be part of the UK negotiating team?

2. What assurance will there be that fishing priorities will not be traded away against non-fishing priorities?

3. Will there be new access arrangements in UK waters? Will all foreign vessels be excluded from UK waters? If not, what conditions will apply if they are allowed in?

4. What reciprocal access arrangements will there be for our vessels to fish in the waters of other member states? What conditions will apply?

5. What quota-share arrangements will apply? Will it be possible to negotiate better UK quota shares?

6. What market access arrangements will exist: to the EU single market and for external fish products in the UK? What tariffs will apply?

7. What status will domestic quota management arrangements have post-Brexit? Will there be a grab for quota held by non-UK nationals? EU law will no longer apply but what will English law say?

8. What will the general economic climate be post-Brexit and how will that impact on fishing? Where will the new equilibrium be?

9. What will the political context be, not least where power is currently devolved? Will there be a second referendum in Scotland?

10. Who will be doing the negotiating on behalf of the UK? DEFRA has reduced its team dramatically in recent months.

11. What say will the fishing industry have in shaping the new arrangements?

12. How will the transition to the new arrangements be managed?

Our Fisheries Minister, in campaigning for Leave, made a number of commitments including on the UK’s quota shares and access arrangements. With the referendum outcome, there will now be heavy pressure on him to demonstrate that there was more to those promises than pre-referendum sweet talk.

The one key lesson that we have all learnt from the CFP is that fisheries management is too important to be left to the technocrats. There are no technocratic solutions. Fisheries stakeholders and principally fishermen and their organisations must be at the heart of the design and implementation of management arrangements. It is important that the politicians bear this in mind.

Whatever lies ahead, it will be vital for the industry to speak with one clear loud voice. History, not least the history of the CFP, demonstrates that divisions equal weakness. It is for that reason that the NFFO Executive, when it meets on 12th July, will be taking stock of the Referendum outcome and framing our policy accordingly.

Today's position statement from the NFFO.

Fishing organisations' reaction to the referendum vote.

Leaders of the West's fishing industry say they will be looking for Leave campaigners to keep their promises in the wake of the historic referendum result. Paul Trebilcock, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation (CFPO), said there were challenging times ahead but it was time to look towards the future. "The dice has been thrown and now we have got to see what the future holds," he said.

On the eve of the referendum, fishermen in Newlyn staged a mini blockade in support of Brexit. Mr Trebilcock said many - probably the majority - of fishermen were in favour of leaving the EU and ditching hated fishing quotas and policies. "There are fishermen who think they can just go and fill their boats," he said. "But we are still in the common fishing policy for the moment and it will be some years before anything happens."

Mr Trebilcock said fishermen would be looking to the Government, and in particular to fisheries minister and Cornish MP George Eustice, to deliver on promises made in the run up the vote.

"I think expectations have been raised by the Leave campaign that there will be more quota, more control over our waters and no threat to import and export. "The promises that the likes of George Eustice has made have to be delivered.

"We will be holding Defra and the Government to account." Mr Trebilcock said the fishing industry was resilient and would get on with the job in hand. "There is a lot of uncertainty and there will be plenty of challenges in the future. "We have to roll up our sleeves and get on with it now."

Read more: Plymouth Herald - Follow us: @heraldnewslive

Out of Europe!

The boys have got what many of them wanted - Britain's overnight exit from the EU - let's hope the fisheries minister keeps his word and 'takes back control' - #easywordstosay...

the first boats to land on this historic day...

made for a busy market...

complete with a rare yellow monkfish...

almost luminious...

Newlyn's fish being exported from this morning's market will immediately be affected by the overnight drop in the £ on the currency market...

ITV local news were there to catch the auction action...

big fishing with the big beam trawler St Georges...

big cod...

and big red mullet...

good ray...

and John Dory fishing with the Imogen II...

and  a few mackerel on the ground...

the calm before the storm for the industry perhaps.

EU Referendum - Fish for Leave flotilla in Mount's Bay.

Click on the image to see a slideshow.

Over 30 boats from Newlyn and as far afield as Scotland formed a flotilla on the eve of the EU Referendum to make their feelings felt as they steamed from Newlyn to Mousehole and back to Penzance harbour.

Live video from the @FishingforLeave Flotilla

Follow the fleet as the FishingforLeave flotilla leaves the harbour in Newlyn around 6pm and sails to Mousehole and then across Mount's Bay to St Michael's Mount then returns close along the shore from Marazion, past Long Rock to Penzance harbour before steaming back to Newlyn.

#fishingforleave Tweets

Fishing for Leave Flotilla

Fishing for Leave Flotilla

Fishing for Leave Flotilla

Fishing for Leave Flotilla

Fishing for Leave Flotilla

Fishing for Leave Flotilla

Pushed to the limit?

The blue line is the 12-mile limit.

On the eve of the referendum, the UK registered Newlyn netter Ajax fishing for hake finds herself less than 30 miles south of Cork in the Republic of Ireland. What would be the outcome of negotiations between the UK - should it vote leave - and the Republic of Ireland be over access to sovereign waters?

Both states are, at present, members of the EU. As such, Cornish fishing vessels have unfettered access to within 12 and in some places 6 miles of the Irish coast - Irish vessels up to 12 miles from the coast of Cornwall. 

Access for the United Kingdom to Irish coastal waters up to 6 mile limit. 

Hung out to dry

Cormorants can often be spotted with their wings fully extended as if to dry them in the morning breeze...

just the one beam trawler and handful of inshore trawlers...

 landed to the market this morning...

giving Mr Stevens ample opportunity to extol the virtues of the finest Cornish fish...

like these lemons...

and John Dory form the Innisfallen...

more lemons...

and yet more lemons form the Shiralee and Boy Lee...

name the fish with a big mouth, not a lot rhymes with it though ;-) ...

a sprinkling of mackerel gave themselves up for change last night...

looks like the boats are readying themselves for the forthcoming Cornish sardine season ...

up on the slip for the final stages of her massive refit, with her deep draft the Twilight can only get on and off the slip over the bigger spring tides - there would be insufficient water to allow her to get in position over the slip cradle safely at other states of the tide...

a case of good timing I guess if you are going to break down anywhere...

it is that time of year again - the big wheel and fair by the Jubilee Pool means it must be Golowan Festival this week!...

on a calm and very misty morning... 

when a mysterious island appeared in the Bay...

almost as a mirror image of the Mount...

for a chance to see the creative work of Penwith College and Penwith School of Art students - check out the Babble of Life show in the car park, Penzance Harbour.