Dropping prices are putting the UK catching sector under pressure amid the coronavirus pandemic, industry figures have warned. Year-on-year prices have dropped by more than a third at auctions still operating across the UK, according to industry body the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations.
Exported species, such as monkfish and hake, are particularly affected, industry sources have suggested. British fishing boats export most of their catch to Europe and Asia, where markets have been most affected by lockdowns to control the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
The situation had led some fishermen to voluntarily tie up their vessels to avoid landing catches that could crash prices further, the NFFO added.
Leading figures in the British fishing industry have asked the fish and chip industry to give British hake a try on their menu. The NFFO cites hake as the ‘most sustainable UK fishery’.
Larry Hartwell, ex skipper has said “Despite the logistics issues many small inshore boats are continuing to fish - many by selling fish directly to customers or wet fish shops etc.
Many fish and chip shops in Cornwall now have hake on their menus - which has helped move hake from an export only market to a growing UK outlet. One of my buyer now sells 80% of the hake he buys on Newlyn and Brixham into the UK - ten years ago he exported the 80% to Spain - so things are changing. Chefs like Nathan Outlaw and Tom Aikens regularly push hake when they appear on TV cooking shows like Great British menu, Masterchef or Saturday Kitchen.”
Exported species, such as monkfish and hake, are particularly affected, industry sources have suggested. British fishing boats export most of their catch to Europe and Asia, where markets have been most affected by lockdowns to control the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.
The situation had led some fishermen to voluntarily tie up their vessels to avoid landing catches that could crash prices further, the NFFO added.
Leading figures in the British fishing industry have asked the fish and chip industry to give British hake a try on their menu. The NFFO cites hake as the ‘most sustainable UK fishery’.
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| 15 Cornish hake boats are MSC Certified and land to both Newlyn and Brixham fish markets. |
Larry Hartwell, ex skipper has said “Despite the logistics issues many small inshore boats are continuing to fish - many by selling fish directly to customers or wet fish shops etc.
Many fish and chip shops in Cornwall now have hake on their menus - which has helped move hake from an export only market to a growing UK outlet. One of my buyer now sells 80% of the hake he buys on Newlyn and Brixham into the UK - ten years ago he exported the 80% to Spain - so things are changing. Chefs like Nathan Outlaw and Tom Aikens regularly push hake when they appear on TV cooking shows like Great British menu, Masterchef or Saturday Kitchen.”