A rare sight indeed - must be a blue moon!

 

There's as many boats on the New Quay...

as there are sardines in the Bay - none! All the fleet are at sea!

APPG New Expert Panel: Call for Applications

 

The APPG on Fisheries’ Expert Panel comprises a cross-section of the fisheries sector and related areas, including representatives from the under-12m fleet, the over-12m fleet, the supply chain, environmental and welfare NGOs, and government/policy.

Our Expert Panel was established in 2022, and its membership is renewed every two years to ensure a turnover of different areas of expertise, perspectives, and backgrounds. We are now putting out a call for applications for new members to join from January 2025 until January 2027.

The responsibilities of Expert Panel members are to:

● Provide expert input into the key strategic priorities of the APPG on Fisheries.

● Give feedback on the proposed annual cycle of events to ensure that they cover the key issues and debates within the sector.

● Make suggestions for speakers and partner events to ensure the APPG on Fisheries continues to reflect the broad diversity of interests within the sector.

● Contribute to any Inquiries or Reports prepared and published by the APPG.

● Introduce questions or topics for Parliamentary Members to consider raising within Parliament.

For further details, the Terms of Reference can be found below.

We welcome applications to sit on the Panel. To express your interest, please send the Secretariat no more than 150 words on your (or your organisation's) background, why you are interested, and what you would bring to the Panel.

Please send your application, or any queries you may have, to secretariat@fisheriesappg.org by 20 December, 2024

The EU and UK agree on fishing opportunities for 2025 worth €1.4 billion for EU fishers

 

On 6 December, the EU and the United Kingdom reached an agreement on fishing opportunities for 2025 for more than 88 total allowable catches (TACs) in the North-East Atlantic. The agreement will contribute to the sustainable management of fish stocks jointly managed by the EU and the UK, as well as provide stability and predictability for fleets and operators from both parties.

This deal secures fishing opportunities for the EU fleet for about 428,000 tonnes, estimated to be worth almost €1.4 billion based on historic EU wholesale prices, adjusted for inflation. This agreement is important as the negotiated stocks represent most of the EU’s stocks of interest in non-EU countries of the North-East Atlantic.

These are the fifth annual consultations on fishing opportunities between the EU and UK agreed under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). They establish total allowable catch limits (TACs) for shared stocks in 2025, and reciprocal access to waters for albacore tuna fishing.

The EU based its negotiating position on the EU common fisheries policy (CFP), including sea-basin related multiannual plans. The EU and the UK conducted these negotiations guided by the best available scientific advice on the status of fish stocks. Socio-economic considerations were also taken into account to avoid choke situations that would lead to a premature closure of certain fisheries.

Besides the key role played by Member States in supporting the conclusion of this agreement, negotiations highlighted the importance of the Specialised Committee on Fisheries (SCF), which facilitated cooperation and contributed to the positive outcome.

The agreement also establishes a clear set of priorities for future SCF work, including cooperation on joint technical measures to protect vulnerable stocks across sea basins.

Next steps The agreed catch limits will be incorporated into the Fishing Opportunities Regulation for 2025, which will be agreed at political level during the Council of EU fisheries Ministers on 9 and 10 December.

The parties will hold in-year consultations during 2025 for three other jointly managed stocks, for which the ICES scientific advice does not align with the calendar year: sandeel (North Sea, all banks), sprat (North Sea and the English Channel) and Norway pout.

The document is the **2025 Written Record of Fisheries Consultations** between the United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU), summarizing agreements under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA). Key points include:

1. **Total Allowable Catches (TACs)**: Annual quotas for shared fish stocks were set, with specific conditions for adjustments based on scientific advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).

2. **Sustainability Goals**: Efforts were made to align quotas with long-term sustainability, balancing socio-economic factors with biological recovery, especially for depleted or vulnerable stocks.

3. **Bycatch TACs**: Small quotas were allocated for stocks with zero-catch advice to manage mixed fisheries without creating "choke species."

4. **Deep-Sea and Special Stocks**: Special attention was given to deep-sea stocks, with measures for species like roundnose grenadier, red seabream, and spurdog to ensure sustainable management and stock recovery.

5. **Quota Transfers and Flexibility**: Mechanisms for inter-annual quota transfers were established, allowing carryover or borrowing of quotas under certain limits to improve flexibility.

6. **Technical Measures and Research**: Technical and spatial management measures were discussed for depleted stocks, along with initiatives for collaborative research to improve scientific advice and stock assessments.

7. **Non-Quota Stocks**: Monitoring and data-sharing on non-quota species landings were emphasized, with commitments to manage these species sustainably.

8. **Electronic Data Exchange**: Continued development of electronic systems for data sharing was prioritized to enhance fisheries management and control.

The document contains detailed agreements on quotas, management conditions, and measures for numerous species. Here's a summary for key species groups: --

Species	Area/Region	TAC (Tonnes)	Key Details
Monkfish/Anglerfish	North Sea (4, 2a)	19,622	Up to 30% may be fished in 6a north of 58°30’.
	West of Scotland (6, 5b, 12, 14)	11,104	Up to 20% flexibility in areas 2a and 4.
	Celtic Sea (7)	47,559	Flexibility for fishing in 8a, 8b.
Hake	North Sea (4, 2a)	2,021	Up to 6% flexibility in certain zones.
	Western (6, 7, 5b, 12, 14)	32,479	Flexibility of up to 100% in 4 and 2a.
Lemon Sole & Witch	North Sea (4, 2a)	2,227 (combined)	Specific tonnages allocated for lemon sole and witch in adjacent areas.
Dover Sole	North Sea (4)	Managed	TACs managed under shared arrangements, details not provided.
	Celtic Sea & Irish Sea	Managed	Sustainability-focused recovery plans.
Pollack	Area 6 and 7	766 (bycatch)	Preventing closures in mixed fisheries; forecasted 20% spawning stock biomass increase by 2026.
Cod	Irish Sea (7a)	165 (bycatch)	No directed fisheries permitted.
	West of Scotland (6a)	1,114	Managed under trilateral consultations (UK-EU-Norway).
	Celtic Sea (7b-k, 8, 9, 10)	644 (bycatch)	Zero-catch advice; small TAC for bycatches.
	Rockall (6b, 5b west, 12, 14)	74 (bycatch)	No directed fisheries permitted.
Haddock	Irish Sea (7a)	1,893	-
	Rockall (6b, 12, 14)	10,195	-
	Celtic Sea (7b-k)	6,353	-
Herring	Irish Sea (7a)	5,223	-
	West of Scotland (6b, 6aN)	1,745	Restrictions on targeting in specific zones for spawning protection.
	Western Channel and Bristol Channel	357	-
	Celtic Sea (7g-k)	869	Allocations for sentinel fishery to gather data.
Spurdog	Western (6, 7, 8)	13,998	Maximum size limit of 100 cm retained for conservation.
Ling	North Sea (4)	2,266	Up to 20% flexibility for fishing in specific zones.
	Western (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)	10,907	-
Horse Mackerel	Western (4a, 6, 7, 8)	65,221	Up to 80% quota utilization allowed in area 8c.
	Southern North Sea/Eastern Channel	970 (bycatch)	No directed fishery permitted.
Nephrops	Functional Units	Managed	Aggregate TACs; tailored management for depleted areas.
Deep-Sea Stocks	Various (e.g., Roundnose Grenadier)	Managed	Focused on conservation and stock recovery.

Read the full details here:

 

The Waterhaul team

A company that recovers discarded fishing gear from the ocean and recycles it into new products has been named overall winner at the Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Sustainability Awards (CSA).

Waterhaul also won the circular economy category in the awards ceremony held at the National Maritime Museum on Friday.

The Newquay-based firm was praised for tackling the problem of ghost gear - lost, abandoned or discarded fishing gear - by recovering it from the coastline and turning it into durable and sustainable products such as sunglasses.

Now in its 22nd year, the awards hosted by Cornwall Council celebrate organisations and individuals across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly for their contribution towards sustainability, environmental growth, circular economy and carbon neutrality.

Cllr Martyn Alvey, Cornwall Council cabinet member for environment and climate change and one of the awards judges, said:

“The Cornwall & Isles of Scilly Sustainability Awards showcases our region’s wealth of innovative organisations which are helping nature recover, lessening our impact on the planet and fuelling our green economy and skills.

Harry Dennis, founder of Waterhaul, said:

“We’re over the moon to be recognised with a Cornwall Sustainability Award. There is such a high bar in the county with Cornish organisations really leading the way nationally with sustainability, so we’re really honoured to have our work highlighted amongst this incredible group of organisations and businesses – many of which we’re collaborating with.

"It’s really a testament to the incredible hard work and dedication from all of the Waterhaul team who’ve pushed hard this year to really progress our mission and scale up our recovery and recycling of fishing gear whilst integrating our values of circularity and positive impact into all of our activities."

Monday's morning market in Newlyn, boats head out to sea.

Newlyn Harbour Christmas lights up and running...

as dawn breaks over the harbour, Nazarene heading for the gaps to check on her pots after the latest storm...

the weekend saw several hake netters land good shots of hake...

and reports that, no matter where the boats fish, spurdogs are everywhere - and, as a result of a ban on landing dogs for over 20 years, most of the existing markets that could have catered for big landings, have dried up, hence today they make as much money as they did back in the late1990s...

fine undulate ray from the big beamer...

more hake from the Stelissa...

and the Britannia V...

other quality fish included black bream...

lemons and turbot...

and some superb tub gurnard...

monk heads going for bait...

while there are still signs of squid being landed...

along with good plaice...

and even bigger squid...

while only a handful of mackerel were landed from a few hardy soles who face challenging conditions over the weekend...

with the weather abating, the fleet should sail today...

having made landings to the market and waiting vivier lorries...

first away this morning is the Silver Dawn...

closely followed by the Stelissa.

 

Storm Darragh forces French trawlers to shelter in Falmouth Bay

As Storm Darragh approached, a handful of French trawlers working in the Western Approaches...

 

headed for the lee of the land...

and began dodging as wind speeds hovered around 50-60mph, the...

wave height at the Sevenstones Lightship averaged just over 20ft... 

some, kept very handy to the shore...

,

by Sunday morning, with the wind still gusting to 40 knots, the hake netter Ocean Pride left Newlyn at 6am for the fishing grounds south of the Scillys.

In with a bang! The lights go on in Newlyn.

Hundreds turned out for the big switch on...

 and to see Santa arrive by the Penlee lifeboat...

and to cheer on the fireworks.