NFFO Exec Meets to Decide Policy

The Executive Committee of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations met recently in York to agree NFFO policy across a wide range of issues.

The Executive:

• Affirmed its commitment to strong engagement with DEFRA, advisory councils and European institutions to ensure a pragmatic, rational and proportionate implementation of the EU landings obligation
• Determined to strongly resist the blanket ban on drift nets proposed by the European Commission
• Received a report on international negotiations on mackerel and Atlanto-Scandian herring 
• Noted developments in the European Parliament and the relaunch of Brussels based fisheries trade association Europeche 
• Endorsed the Federation’s efforts to redress the imbalanced and sensationalist coverage of fishing issues in the media Noted the warm approval of the NFFO Chairman’s report by one of the founders of modern fisheries science 
• Agreed to make representations with regard to the Scottish moratorium on quota transfers out of Scotland 
• Received an update on the Federation’s work in the regional advisory councils 
• Welcomed signs that the flawed and now discredited policy of limiting time at sea appeared to be drawing to an end 
• Made preparations for the Autumn quota negotiations 
• Received a report on the latest meeting with the Marine Management Organisation 
• Highlighted shortcomings in the issue of licence variations 
• Reviewed the Federation’s work in the realm of safety and training 
• Took a position on revisions to the Seafish Responsible Fishing Scheme Discussed plans for a major meeting in the autumn on shellfish policy 
• Discussed the Federation’s ongoing engagement with fisheries scientists 
• Reviewed the Federation’s work on marine protected areas Considered the latest developments in offshore renewables 
• Prepared the NFFO response to Defra’s consultation on IFCAs 
• Discussed the implications of fish stocks with zero TACs The next meeting of the NFFO Executive will be held on 5th August.

Next meeting 5th of August 2014

A SIGNIFICANT section of Scotland's whitefish fleet may not survive the introduction of the discard ban #crudelegislation

This excellent article from Mike Park. The article could just as easily have come from the fishing organisations down here in Cornwall where a good section of the fleet will be affected in the same way!


A SIGNIFICANT section of Scotland's whitefish fleet may not survive the introduction of the discard ban, the leader of the country's biggest fishing association has warned.

While welcoming reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), Mike Park, chief executive of the Scottish White Fish Producers Association (SWFPA), said successful implementation of the landings obligation in January 2016 would be an "enormous challenge" for government and industry.

"Maintaining an economically viable fleet will be hugely difficult – if not impossible – if the discard ban comes in without other major changes to the management regime," he said.

"A move in emphasis away from landings to catches provides real potential for fishing businesses to prosper. "But it is imperative that the issues in the way are identified early and tackled to ensure a future for the industry around our shores."

In the SWFPA's official response to the European Commission consultation on technical measures in the reformed CFP, Mr Park identifies the key issues as:

• Choke species – types of fish that are abundant but have low quotas which in a mixed fishery are quickly exhausted, preventing further fishing for the main target species
 • A command and control approach from the European Commission on technical measures which contradicts the move to regional management in the reformed CFP
 • Failure of the derogations in the reformed CFP to provide a "soft landing" for the discard ban to give time for it to be implemented satisfactorily.

In the response, Mr Park says: "The cod fishery to the west of Scotland is one area where a total allowable catch (TAC) aligned to maximum sustainable yield (MSY) would deliver around one fifth of the tonnage required to maintain and fully prosecute the target fishery of monkfish.

"There are many other fisheries where insistence that MSY is maintained for by-catch will lead to an early loss of economic viability. "It is beyond reason therefore to expect simultaneous delivery of economic viability, MSY harvesting and the landings obligation."

Mr Park calls on the Commission to abandon its prescriptive approach to regulating the mechanics of fishing. "Paternalism and top down management have no place in output-focused management. It would be supremely duplicitous to hand the reins of responsibility to fishers, then to prescribe how they should make the best fit; it is very much at odds with a move to regional management."

He says the SWFPA agrees with the North Sea Advisory Council, which has said that "in terms of presenting technical measures, it is time for the Commission, Council of Ministers and European Parliament to leave the stage". He adds: "What should be avoided is any prescriptiveness with regard to net characteristics, reference gears or set limits on species mix." Mr Park also calls for the abandonment of limits on days at sea and the one net rule.

The SWFPA represents 200 boats and 1,200 fishermen operating across a wide range of gear types, target species and management areas.

- courtesy of FishNewsEU:

ROV technology

Digital camera technology has improved hugely in the last five years. Sensors now have huge dynamic ranges which means they can cope with extremes of light and dark, hue and tonal range within a single image. Satellite technology now allows for the transmission of huge digital data files at reasonable cost. The end result means that researchers who invest in such technology can pass on their work to a much wider audience - in this instance the research crew manning the ROVs Hercules and Argos aboard JG Ballard's RV Nautilus can not only allow us to see their day-to-day research work but also allow vieweres to engage with them and ask them questions live via the dialogue box below the video feed.

Just imagine if such technology was available for investigating the sinking of fishing vessels that have founded?

The beam trawler Margaretha Maria was lost during a trip from Newlyn in November 1997.  The following year the salvage vessel Tesrchelling was hired by the legal team representing the families of the skipper and crew. Although the ROV from the Tesrchelling was able to video the entire wreck the images sent back to the boat were nothing like the quality available now nor did the ROV have the degree of movement and ability that the equipment on the Nautilus has today. Even so for the day the images sent back to the surface enabled a comprehensive assessment of the vessel on the sea bed at the time.

ROVs can operate where no diver would be safe to do so and as a result can be deployed in conditions that would potentially preclude and kind of incident survey.

Two publications cover the incident in detail:

This from the Wolfson Unit who were commissioned to investigate stability inherent in different beam trawler arrangements.

The official MAIB investigation into the accident which saw the lives of four fishermen lost.

Day Two of Food, Fisheries and Tourism: New Opportunities for Sustainable Development #tourfish

Tuesday - Conference Day Two - St Mary in the Castle

08:00 - 09:30	Registration - (For those delegates that are attending Day Two only)
09:30	Introduction to Day Two
09:35	Fish, Food and Festivals: Responsible tourism and fishing-led community regeneration - led by  Sidmouth Trawlers, Hastings Fishermen's Protection Society and University of Brighton Join us as we share lessons learnt about the hard won successes of two very different fishing communities using their heritage and contemporary fishing fleet identity to act as a catalyst for community led regeneration. Common to both of these remarkable stories is the use of the cultural traditions tied into their landscape and livelihoods by the fishers and the communities around them to forge a unique responsible tourism offer around fish, food and festivals. Learn about their different routes to industry empowerment and activism and the creative ways in which their stories, knowledge and skills are being re-connected and so re-valued by a new generation of visitors and residents. We want to showcase to you how through adopting approaches proudly grounded in the fishing community the link between an emerging responsible tourism market and community led regeneration can help to protect the livelihoods, unique place based identity, social cohesion, sense of purpose and traditions of our coastal communities. The session will involve an introduction to each case study by a panel of community stakeholders and will be followed by what we know will be a lively and insightful Q&A session where we will invite you to be part of the audience wide discussion around how these models might apply to your industry and contribute to your community. This session is particularly valuable for: Fishers, farmers and agri-food producers to learn about how responsible tourism can be part of your community strategy to secure your livelihood. Tourism and marketing professionals will learn about how they might work with community led regeneration projects to develop the emerging responsible tourism market and so achieve sustainable economic renewal. NGOs and civil society groups will have valuable experience of achieving societal change through bottom up local community models that share many of the principles of this approach to community led regeneration and responsible tourism, thus creating the opportunity for mutual exchange of lessons learnt. Social and economic policy practitioners can see first hand how fisheries inspired responsible tourism can be a catalyst for social and economic regeneration.
10:35	Morning Break
11:00	Education, fish and food: Raising awareness of food, sustainability and responsible tourism - led by University of Brighton, Hastings Fishermen's Protection Society, Flanders House of Food and Nausicaa Experience first-hand innovative models of fisher/farmer/agri-food industry led alternative education provision with examples from England, Belgium and France. These models of education can deliver valuable learner experiences underpinned by the sharing of fisher/farmer/industry knowledge and their participation in enabling an understanding of sustainable food industry practices and values. They highlight a commitment to demonstrating how fishing and farming contribute to the unique identity of where you live and visit and trigger questions about how learners can be part of building a more sustainable future: through their informed consumer and business choices around locally sourced seasonal food through sharing the knowledge they acquire in these lessons on sustainable foods through seeking to gain employment in the industry  The session will involve an introduction to these models and why they were developed. You will experience this exciting alternative education provision, and learn about the crucial role this type of education can play in securing a viable economic future for sustainable fishing and agri-foods. Finally, we will invite you to be part of the audience wide discussion around how these models might apply to your industry and contribute to your locality. This session is particularly valuable for: Fishers, farmers and agri-food producers to learn about how alternative education provision can help support their future livelihood. Education practitioners will have much to contribute to this debate as they reflect upon how this model engages students in a meaningful way around the themes of sustainability and how this can be part of the resources available for area-based curriculum. Tourism and marketing practitioners will learn how these models can contribute to the emerging knowledge based responsible tourism market and how education feeds into associated regional branding.  NGOs and civil society groups will have valuable experience of achieving societal change through bottom up local community models that share many of the principles of this education provision, thus creating the opportunity for mutual exchange of lessons learnt.  Social policy practitioners can see first hand how alternative education provision is a catalyst for sustainability in relation to the food chain, with ideas shared around: food security, ecosystem conservation, intra-inter generational cultural exchange and economic renewal.
12:00	Lunch Break
13:00	Keynote Speech: Sustainable Food - Making the Connection from Spade to Spoon Clare Devereux, Policy Director of Food Matters
13:30	From Catch to Plate & Plough to Plate: Sustainable seafood and local land products for today and tomorrow - led by Nausicaa and Taste South East  Today, 77% of fish stocks are fully exploited, overexploited or exhausted. The growing demand for fish, linked both to increases in world population and an ever growing interest by consumers in the nutritional and dietetic qualities of fish, places considerable pressure on this resource. But how can we make a difference? Associations, aquariums and institutes are working to increasingly raise the awareness of their consumers and to encourage them, through concrete daily actions, to become responsible consumers of seafood products, at home and away. The mobilising of economic players, from fishermen to distributors, has become essential. However, this can only become effective and sustainable if consumers themselves also become active players through their unique and determining purchasing power, at the end of the supply chain, via selective and educated consumerism. In this final session you can learn more about two exciting and successful "Catch to Plate" initiatives in the Interreg 2 Seas zone, as well as other responsible tourism initiatives featuring local food and seafood. We will also be joined by a restaurant chef who will tell us about the barriers to and opportunities of sourcing local food.  Local Catch: A web-based information hub to educate consumers and chefs about local species, where to find local fishermen, fishmongers and wholesalers who catch and sell locally caught seafood. The platform also gives information about seasonality, minimum size of the fish and its rating on the UK's sustainable fish list. It shows consumers and chefs how to cook and prepare local species and provides recipe ideas. This is a growing network developed by the industry. Find out how we use Local Catch to the benefit of the industry, encourage responsible tourism, and develop new supply chains as well as our plans for the future.  Mr.Goodfish which is a programme initiated by the World Ocean Network and developed by Nausicaa in France.  Its aim is to inform and educate general public, and  tourists about sustainable seafood consumption by enabling  them to choose responsibly thereby preserving the sea’s resources for the future generations. Positive recommendations are published quarterly, in the form of a list, made available on the internet and communicated to all contributing members, including fishmongers and restauranteurs.            How can you get involved? With this session, you will learn how to make more responsible choices and find key advice to choose and promote sustainable seafood for today and tomorrow. Testimonies of chefs using and selling locally produced food and locally caught seafood, will show you what is possible to do in the real life to be a more sustainable business.          The strategic target of this session comprises of all the component parts of the sector: Fishermen, farmers and local producers Wholesalers, processors, restaurant-owners and distributor NGOs and other associations Teachers  Politicians Public authorities The media Consumers and potential consumers of produce from the sea and land
14:30	Concluding Session
15:00	End of Conference

#tourfish Food, Fisheries and Tourism: New Opportunities for Sustainable Development

So you want to be a skipper?

Message form the current skipper, Peter Buckland: - 

Skipper & crew wanted for ring netter/netter with chance of bigger vessel in near future well proven vessel I'm stepping up to be 46 this year so I'm looking for skipper to take the helm sharing good if your interested pm me for more details

The resolute is a bases on a Gary Mitchell designed Buccaneer 33 hull from Cornwall..

capable of carrying well over 10 tonnes of sardine...

she is equipped with seawater tanks to keep the catch in top condition

seen here landing sardines in Newlyn where she is currently based.

Good news for mackerel - though the amount being caught in Mount's Bay would suggest nobody has told them yet!

Following the latest survey on improved mackerel stocks from the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES), Seafish has issued the following statement for industry and consumers:

Bill Lart, Sustainability Data Advisor at Seafish: "This is a welcome piece of good news on stock levels and fisheries management and it is testament to the good work and collaboration of fishermen, scientists and the wider industry. The information we now have on mackerel stocks, such as catch figures and spawning biomass, has improved massively since 2000 and we are seeing the results of what commitment and investment to research can achieve with this latest recommendation of allowing the catch to double in 2014.
"There is still some way to go until an international TAC has been agreed and the ongoing management plan for the mackerel fishery must ensure that any major increase in catch levels ensures the stock remains sustainable for future generations to enjoy.

"However, we are delighted to see the work of the North East Atlantic fisheries recognised and shows that UK is at the forefront of sustainability."

The news has also been welcomed as a boost to the health of the nation.

Karen Galloway, Head of Marketing at Seafish: "Mackerel is great value and it's so versatile, lending itself to salads, sandwich fillings and pates, but it's often overlooked by consumers. In fact, it's one of the most substantial sources of Omega 3 which is particularly important for cardio-vascular health and foetal development. The high Vitamin D content also makes it a good choice for boosting Vitamin D levels, especially in young children.

"Recent studies and our own research suggest that UK consumers are still not eating the recommended amount of oily fish each week, despite its proven health benefits. Today's news that we will be able to enjoy even more mackerel on our menus is a fantastic opportunity to champion mackerel as a sustainable, affordable and healthy staple in the British diet.

"The Fish is the Dish website is filled with heaps of great mackerel recipes and handy cooking tips to ensure there is a range of great ways to enjoy it."