First February Monday morning market.

"Looks like there's trouble ahead"...

high water on a big spring tide, and there's a few sardine boats away on the horizon looking for fish...

where the river meets the sea...

chemtrail fans will be freaking out this morning...

perfect condensing conditions up high it seems...

back on planet earth there's bass a-plenty...

and a solitary oyster, that would NEVER have made it ashore from the good ship Keriolet!......

the Billy Rowney was one of two beam trawl trips landed...

with a few red mullet...

 just the one black bream from the Imogen...

there's no stopping General Factotum, no sooner has he finished auctioning the morning's fish from the office than he is out on the market floor pulling fish, he'll be landing a boat next!..

spot those lovely spots on the plaice...

luscious lemons from the big boat, that dodged for over 24 hours during storm Herminia...

its a wrap...

plenty of reds from the big one...

plus Dovers...

tails...

and megrims...

ballan wrasse, not quite so colourful as the cuckoo variety...

sharpen the big knife!, first bluefin for the year...

from one of the sardine boats...

nice weekend's work from the Rachel & Paul...

and to finish off with a few half decent ling...

as the sun makes it presence felt...

brining a little light to proceedings...

all three crabbers are within inches the same length, an illustration of how hull design has changed over three generations of boats in the Rowse crabbing fleet...

bows just keep getting bigger...

and bigger...

and bigger...

there's work to be done on the Ripple after losing her fore mast in the storms...

there's still a few passing yachts on the pontoons...

Tom heads away for another day in the Bay, or is some some timely réperations in PZ dock?..

Micahel Edward, the latest crabber to join the fleet,.

 

Fishing port safety project launches.

PSS has launched a project aimed at improving safety for fishers using UK ports.

The project, supported by a grant from The Seafarers’ Charity, will give a voice to fishers using UK ports and also ensure that ports take their responsibility for the safety of fishers seriously.

Part of the new fishing port safety project will be to review existing Safety in Ports guidance to ensure they recognise the unique operations undertaken in fishing ports. PSS is founded on the principles of collaboration and will be working with fishing ports and fishers to encourage them to share common safety concerns, best practice and potential future developments.

PSS hopes that this project will help to ensure that ports do not dismiss safety concerns relating to fishing because of the known risks in the sector. Despite not being able to affect safety at sea for fishers, there is much ports can do. From enforcing safety protocols and PPE policies, to ensuring safe access and egress, this project will work with ports to improve safety.

PSS will be recruiting a part-time fishing port safety manager with experience of the fishing sector to support this project. To apply see the job description below and submit your CV and covering letter to info@portskillsandsafety.co.uk.

New MPAs Will Compensate for Damage from Offshore Wind – and Fishing is in the Firing Line Again.

A Ministerial Statement by Emma Hardy MP, Minister for Water and Flooding, has set out the Government’s plans to expand the UK’s MPA network, to make up for environmental damage caused by offshore wind farms.

Today’s Ministerial Statement from Defra certainly demonstrates the Labour government’s green credentials: they are enthusiastically recycling a policy snatched from the wreckage of their Conservative predecessors.

For years, we have been told that offshore wind farms are a clean energy panacea, generating electricity with none of the negative environmental effects of fossil fuels. While their benefits as a low carbon power source cannot be denied, the halo that so many have been so keen to place above them is becoming seriously tarnished. People have become increasingly aware of their short lifespan, disruptive construction processes and vulnerability to attack. Now it seems there is acknowledgement that they are damaging the environment too.

Time and again, the authorities have granted permission for offshore wind farms to be built on the basis of environmental impact assessment reports invariably stating that each proposed development will cause no significant harm. Now those same developments are apparently so damaging that a slew of new marine protected areas is necessary to make up for it. Knowing this, will we now pause in our headlong rush to industrialise Britain’s seas, until we understand how successive governments got it all so wrong?

Of course not. Nothing, it seems will reduce the government’s enthusiasm for allowing foreign energy giants to build power stations in our waters. Instead, we will allow them to carry on as before, damaging the marine environment in one location, while pretending that this can somehow all be made better by ‘protecting’ the sea somewhere else.

Clearly, this announcement is just the start of a process and a lot is left unsaid. We do not know how large these MPAs will be; where they will be located; or exactly how they will be managed. The fact that fishermen are mentioned so explicitly in the Ministerial Statement is a worrying sign of how obviously our industry is in the firing line, but also a positive indicator of the government’s willingness to engage with us. Indeed, it is quite refreshing to hear politicians acknowledging that the decisions they are taking will impact the fishing industry. There has been far too much empty rhetoric about ‘coexistence’ and ‘colocation’ in the past. Now it is admitted that these proposals have the potential to damage fishing businesses, perhaps we can start to have the honest conversations and do the difficult work necessary to minimise and mitigate the harm that most of us in the fishing industry have seen coming for years.

The Fisheries Act and the Joint Fisheries Statement are very clear in their commitment to treating environmental, social, economic and food supply concerns equally. We assume that the government will abide by the law and carefully balance these concerns in any decision that it makes about this new system of MPAs. We assume also that the commitment to base marine management measures on the best available science will also be upheld and these new MPAs will not be more examples of lines drawn on charts to satisfy the desire to control the sea and ban things, with no coherent conservation purpose served.

Fishermen depend on healthy seas. If compensating for the damage done by the power industry requires fisherman to be displaced, then it is only just for them to be compensated for this damage to their livelihoods. If not, then the old ‘polluter pays’ principle of environmental management will be turned on its head: the energy companies will continue to pollute, while fishermen pay for it.

There is a solution to this problem, of course. If fishermen are going to be pushed aside for yet more MPAs, it is possible to make room for them. The Johnson government’s disastrous Brexit deal gave away access to the UK’s territorial waters between 6 and 12 miles to the EU. Many of its fishing boats continue to work there, further constraining British fishermen. When the Trade and Cooperation Agreement that governs our relationship with Europe is revisited in 2026, our new government has the opportunity to finally do something different to its predecessor. It can stand up to the EU’s demands to continue the current unsustainable access arrangements; assert the UK’s autonomy as an independent coastal state, and retake all of our territorial waters for UK fishermen. They will be far better able to withstand this latest increase in spatial squeeze as a result.

Warm words about the importance of fishing and about food security are always welcome, but it is time that they were followed by action. This is the perfect opportunity for Labour to show that they are made of sterner stuff than their predecessors and, at least in this regard, to start managing the UK’s seas for the benefit of its own people.

Full story courtesy of the NffO website.

Bridging the Gaps: The UK Marine Strategy and Its Relevance to Commercial Fishing

Bridging the Gaps: The UK Marine Strategy and Its Relevance to Commercial Fishing

In recent years, the health of our oceans has become a critical concern not just for environmentalists, but for industries reliant on marine resources, especially commercial fishing. The recently released "Marine Strategy Part Three: 2025 UK Programme of Measures" provides significant insights into how the UK aims to balance ecological health with the economic necessity of fishing. Let’s delve into the highlights of the strategy that are particularly relevant to commercial fishing.

Key fishing-related issues covered in the "Marine Strategy Part Three: 2025 UK Programme of Measures":

• Fisheries Act 2020: Establishes a regulatory framework for sustainable management of commercial fish and shellfish to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES).

• Sustainable Fishing Practices: Emphasis on maintaining harvested species above biomass levels capable of producing maximum sustainable yield (MSY).

• Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs): Intended as evidence-based plans for managing both quota and non-quota stocks, such as shellfish like crab and lobster.

• Bycatch Mitigation: Introduction of the Clean Catch Bycatch Mitigation Hub to centralize information on reducing bycatch across various fishing gear types and species.

• International Cooperation: Negotiation of sustainable catch limits through annual consultations with the EU and other coastal states for shared fish stocks.

• Cross-Cutting Measures: Implementation of fisheries management measures in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) to enhance fish population recovery.

• Data Gaps and Research: Initiatives aimed at improving data collection and monitoring to better inform management practices and reduce uncertainty about fish populations.

• Long-Term Recovery of Stocks: Acknowledgement that it may take several years for fish stocks to respond to conservation measures and regulatory efforts.

• Impact of Commercial Fishing: Addressing the environmental impacts of fishing on marine ecosystems, aiming to minimize habitat degradation.

• Ecosystem-Based Management: Adoption of a holistic approach to fisheries management that considers the health of entire marine ecosystems, including interactions between different species and habitats.

A Framework for Sustainable Fisheries

At the core of the strategy lies the Fisheries Act 2020, which serves as the foundational legislation for managing fish stocks sustainably. This act emphasizes the need to maintain populations of harvested species above biomass levels capable of producing maximum sustainable yield (MSY). This means that fishing practices must not only meet current economic demands but also ensure the long-term viability of fish populations, thereby benefiting the commercial fishing sector in the future .

Integrated Environmental Management

The strategy takes an ecosystem-based management approach, which aims to mitigate the impacts of fishing activities on marine habitats. There are plans to introduce Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs), which will act as evidence-based action plans to ensure that fishing stocks are managed sustainably. These plans are critical for non-quota shellfish stocks like crab and lobster, ensuring that commercial interests align with biodiversity goals.

Cross-Cutting Measures

Several cross-cutting measures aim to address both the ecological and economic dimensions of fishing. For instance, the Clean Catch Bycatch Mitigation Hub has been established to provide resources for reducing bycatch across various fishing practices. This initiative not only helps protect sensitive marine species but also promotes more sustainable fishing practices that could lead to better long-term outcomes for commercial fisheries.

Collaboration and Data Collection

The strategy highlights the importance of collaboration among various stakeholders, including industry representatives, scientists, and environmental NGOs. A focused benthic impact working group is proposed to identify and implement measures that reduce the impact of fishing on seabed habitats. This collaborative approach is essential for addressing the gaps in data that currently hinder effective management of marine resources.

Addressing Challenges and Future Prospects

Despite the ambitious objectives set forth, the report acknowledges that it may take years for fish stocks to respond positively to these measures due to the nature of biological and climatic factors . However, the emphasis on international cooperation, particularly regarding shared stocks and Total Allowable Catches (TAC), is vital. The UK aims to negotiate sustainable catch limits with the EU and other coastal states to enhance the management of marine resources, which is crucial for commercial fishing operations that often span national boundaries.

Summary

The "Marine Strategy Part Three: 2025 UK Programme of Measures" represents a comprehensive approach to achieving sustainable commercial fishing while safeguarding marine ecosystems. By integrating clear regulatory frameworks, collaborative efforts among stakeholders, and a commitment to data-driven management, the strategy sets a promising precedent for the future of fishing in the UK. As commercial fishers and industry stakeholders, engaging with this strategy can help bridge the gaps between ecological sustainability and economic vitality, ensuring that our waters remain healthy for generations to come.

For further insights and to participate in shaping a sustainable future for marine resources, consult the full document and stay informed about upcoming initiatives.

Bay of Biscay: what we know about the temporary fishing ban to protect dolphins - Fishing closed for a month to 338 boats: "an injustice" for the Finistère fisheries committee.

Bay of Biscay: what we know about the temporary fishing ban to protect dolphins.

As in 2024, the State is banning fishing in the Bay of Biscay, starting this Wednesday, January 22, and until February 20. A measure taken to protect dolphins. The 300 boats concerned will be compensated, but the fishermen are demanding exemptions.

Ban on leaving the port for hundreds of boats moored along the Atlantic coast. From Wednesday, January 22, and until February 20, all fishing vessels over eight meters, including foreign ones, are banned from going into the waters of the Bay of Biscay to catch sole, sardines and other whiting.

The measure, already applied in 2024, is a first victory for environmental associations. They have been campaigning for years to limit fishing in this immense maritime area, which extends from the Spanish border to the Breton coast, in order to reduce the mortality of dolphins , in full breeding season.

9,000 dolphins die in nets Each year, according to scientists from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), between 4,000 and 9,000 dolphins are accidentally caught by ships , and die in fishing nets, on the seabed or wash up on the shore. This figure is increasing according to ICES, from 6,600 in 2020 to 9,000 in 2022. This number, although very low compared to the total population of dolphins in the North Atlantic (around 630,000), remains above the ceiling not to be exceeded, in order to preserve the species in the long term . The so-called "common" dolphin is a protected species.

To listen to Virginie Lagarde Broadcast on 01/22/2025 Fishing closed for a month to 338 boats: "an injustice" for the Finistère fisheries committee*

*see end of post

7 min By staying at the quayside for a month, the fishermen are complying with a decision of the Council of State . Seized in 2021 by three associations, France Nature Environnement, Sea Shepherd and Défense des milieux aquatiques, the highest French administrative court ordered the State in March 2023 to put in place "measures for the spatial and temporal closure of fishing " in the Bay of Biscay.

In October 2023 , the former Secretary of State for the Sea, Hervé Berville, published a decree implementing a month-long fishing ban in winter. However, it authorised vessels equipped with on-board cameras and acoustic repellents that keep dolphins away from boats to deviate from this rule and continue fishing. This decree was also denounced before the Council of State by the same three associations and by the League for the Protection of Birds. They won their case. The exemptions were canceled.

On December 30, 2024, the Council of State confirmed the ban on fishing in the Bay of Biscay, in view of the encouraging results of the first ban period, in January 2024. The mortality of small cetaceans, including dolphins, has drastically decreased by 76% , according to the CNRS Pelagis marine mammal and bird observatory, based in La Rochelle.

Fishermen's unions estimate that around 300 vessels will be prevented from going to sea during this month. In an attempt to reassure them, the Minister for Ecological Transition indicated that, as in 2024, an envelope of 20 million euros has been budgeted to compensate the fishermen affected, but also the downstream part of the sector, fish sellers, wholesalers and ports, which recover taxes on seafood brought back by the boats.

Agnès Pannier-Runacher promises that fishermen will be compensated "to the tune of 80 to 85% of their turnover" . The account is not there for the Union du Mareyage Français. This professional organisation has estimated the loss of turnover linked to the temporary ban on fishing at 60 million euros, three times more than the envelope promised by the government. "The auctions have lost between 50 and 60% of their sales volume" during the first period of the fishing ban , in the winter of 2024, warns the director of the organization of fishermen producers of Aquitaine. s 

The measure tested last year is being renewed from this Wednesday, January 22, to protect dolphins. 

The Finistère departmental fisheries committee denounces an injustice with consequences for the entire sector.

Virginie Lagarde, project manager at the Finistère Departmental Committee

Virginie Lagarde, project manager at the Finistère Departmental Committee in Audierne, a specialist in the subject of accidental catches , discusses the closure of the Bay of Biscay for four weeks to 338 fishing boats over eight metres.

A measure which would have allowed a significant reduction in the number of accidental dolphin captures last year: 1,450 compared to more than 6,000 on average between 2017 and 2023.

An argument contested by Virginie Lagarde: " The population of common dolphins has been stable for 20 years in the Bay of Biscay. In terms of catches, we see peaks from one year to the next. And last year, the drop in strandings was observed over three months, before and after the closure ."

A closure that will cause the fishermen to lose at least 20% of their turnover (since the State compensation is 80%) but which will also have consequences for the entire sector: " On fishmongers, despite an aid mechanism, but also for net manufacturers and shipyards ."

Rough translation of Virginie Lagarde Broadcast above:

Fishing is now closed for the entire Atlantic coast, from Finistère to the Basque Country.

Hello Virginie Lagarde, Hello, you are responsible for the Departmental Fisheries Committee of Finistère in Audierne. You are specialized in accidental captures since it is to protect cetaceans that this new space-time closure has been renewed. This had already happened. Last year, to be precise, it concerns vessels which use pelagic trawls, pelagic trawls or even gillnets. And you, in the Fisheries Committee, are denouncing an injustice, why is that?

So, well, I work at the Finistère Fisheries Committee. I cover the whole department. An injustice because we are all closed and the fleet which is important and the arguments for docking this fleet are not strong enough for us and are not valid enough.

The common dolphin population has been stable for 20 years in the Bay of Biscay. The first scientific feedback on the 2020-24 closure therefore raises a lot of questions and the closure slows down the development of the lasting solutions that we are in the process of developing and implementing. So, before discussing these longer-term solutions, why do you say that there is uncertainty about the scientific data? Because what the defenders of this closure say is that we still have an impact which is visible. There were just under 1500 common dolphins who died by capture last year, while the annual average was over 6000 between 2017 and 2023, so it seems to be working then?

What about that? There are peaks so we don't question the figures, we question their interpretation. Obviously there are peaks. Years ago we had many more strandings than others, but last year for example, typically it's a year, there were fewer strandings there are there are, there are the figures have been better on the so just

So I explained that indeed there are peaks, it varies from one year to another, but typically, for example, last year when there was this year of closure, we observed a drop strandings. But not only that. Over the month of closure the trend was downward 3 months ago or 3 months at risk eh, January, February, March and less than the strandings in January, February and in March and and and the closure was in February. Yes, but how was this trend absent? And then? How could we explain such a decline between 2017, 2023 and 2024? Because the decline is still impressive.

There are, there are, there are some things, we are, we are rather delighted. Especially for decline when there is fishing. So because in January and March there was fishing like in previous years, we have boats that are already equipped with scare systems. So we can also perhaps explain a change in behavior of dolphins. We don't know, we are, we are looking, we can't. I can't tell you, these are the scares since we are in the process, we are asking for a scientific protocol. This year it will be done scientifically with data collection, but there are things that change. And typically last year we cannot attribute this drastic drop. That to the closure and and one of the solutions in the medium term, it will perhaps also be the use of more reflective nets so that the dolphins, the landmarks from further away Salif sea? are working on it, there we are working on it the dolphins detect the high parade agreement and we don't know why they still get caught in it, so we are working on it.

There we were sending lots of samples of bodies from high to the scientists and precisely in train.And we are in the process of studying all that because the scientists are that in fact the dolphins arrive quickly and if they spot the net at 5m, sometimes they don't have time to slow down, in quotes, so the idea would be that they lose rather at 20 25 M.

So let's talk about economics since there obviously the Money is the sinews of war. Fishermen are compensated up to 80% this year. 20000000 euros have been released. Obviously. I imagine that for you this is not enough and that it will still create losses which will have impacts for fishermen and the entire industry. Sufficient? I don't know. In any case, when you talk about 80% of a turnover, that, that, in any case, you, you, you see clearly that we are not at 100% of the turnover, eh. The there are winners and losers and finally winners. I can't talk about winners but there are people who have fishing strategies. The strategies of companies are so different in fishing, there are some that emerge without being too impacted and there are those that emerge very impacted. So in everything and in any case we cannot. To be satisfied for a, for a fishing fleet, for a fishing activity, for a food activity of, of, of, of, of a useful closure and of 'compensation.

That's right. It's just something that's not satisfying, it's so telling. And then with consequences also for shouting them out for the fishmongers, even if there are also aid mechanisms. Compensation. Exactly. There is a small mechanism for fishmongers and fishmongers which has been put in place, but there is a whole part of the sector which is completely forgotten. Well, net manufacturers for example, who have one month of orders per month over the year, it's huge. Especially since February is the most important month for them. Things for the construction sites, the construction sites, that's it. They have to carry out their activity over 11 months, more over 12 months, it has impacts which are very significant and and just normally this closure, it is planned to be renewed again in 2026. Afterwards normally in 2027 it will be finished.

I imagine that you will perhaps campaign for this not to be the case next year. Yes and and we are, we are on the job. So as I told you, we have already equipped boats with, of, of, of, of, of the wild ones. Which have been tested with the scientists. What we want is to find lasting solutions, solutions which allow cohabitation, which allow no impact on the dolphin population which is not at a dramatic stage eh. The common dolphin population is at the level of the IECN, so it is of minor interest. So, we cannot impact a fleet that much. First of all, we need to have common sense and then we need to keep these fishermen working and we can't close a 338 boat without thinking about the supplies they bring. for, for us, for us Bretons, for us French people who eat fish.And we will obviously follow all of this in the coming weeks and certainly in the coming months since this debate is not going to be resolved. obviously stop. Thank you Virginie Lagarde. I remind you that you are responsible for the Departmental Fisheries Committee of Finistère. Have a nice day,

UK shoppers backing sustainable fish despite cost of living

 

Spending on certified sustainable seafood hit a record-breaking £1.5 billion in the UK and Ireland last year (2023/24), despite the ongoing impacts of the cost of living crisis. This growth in purchasing marks a 12% increase from the previous year, according to a new report published today.

The major milestone signifies the largest annual growth in spending on sustainable fish and seafood products and menu items carrying the Marine Stewardship Council’s (MSC) blue ecolabel since 2018. It has largely been driven by a leap in sales of sustainable tuna and spending on frozen, preserved and ready-meal products, according to the MSC UK & Ireland Market Report 2024.

The UK retail sector remains committed to sourcing and selling certified sustainable seafood and meeting the expectations of UK consumers. Nine of the 10 leading UK supermarkets sold 121,383 tonnes of MSC-certified seafood under their own brands last year—an 8% increase from the previous year and a new all-time high.

Shoppers spent £1.128 billion on MSC-certified fish and seafood under retailer own-brand products, a 13% rise from 2022/23 and the first time sales exceeded the £1 billion mark. Awareness of the blue ecolabel is now at 51% among UK consumers, up from 48% in 2022.

Despite significant retail achievements in the past year, untapped potential still remains in the foodservice sector, where just 3.55% of fish and seafood carried the MSC ecolabel last year.

Highlights from the MSC’s 2024 Market Report being released today include:

• Diverse Species Growth: A record 49 species carried the MSC ecolabel last year, with silver smelt appearing in UK stores for the first time thanks to product innovation from Birds Eye. 

• Frozen, Preserved, & Ready Meals: These categories alone contributed two-thirds of the increase in consumer spending on MSC-labelled products. 

• Tuna on the Rise: UK shoppers purchased over 23,500 tonnes of MSC-certified tuna, representing 38% of all tuna sold in supermarkets. Projections suggest this could exceed 40,000 tonnes in 2024/25. 

Research from the MSC* highlights shifting consumer attitudes toward ocean health. While only a third of UK seafood consumers believe the oceans can be saved from irreparable damage within 20 years (down from 50% in 2022), their commitment to sustainability when buying fish and seafood remains steadfast. In the UK, over half (55%) of seafood consumers say the blue MSC ecolabel makes them more likely to purchase a product, and 53% say that they are prepared to pay more for products that come from a certified sustainable fishery.

“With the UK public becoming increasingly concerned about the future of our oceans, the record-breaking £1.5 billion spent on MSC-labelled products last year reflects growing demand for sustainable options – and this is despite more pressure on people’s weekly food budgets,” said Seth McCurry, MSC UK & Ireland Senior Commercial Manager. “The UK retail sector continues to be a global leader in sustainable seafood, while pet food products and supplements highlight opportunities with real potential for future growth.”

Over the past year, many of the UK’s top supermarkets increased their MSC-labelled product ranges, with seven out of ten now featuring the blue MSC ecolabel on over 50% of their own-brand wild seafood offerings. Sainsbury’s led the way, winning the Supermarket of the Year 2024 - Gold Award at the 11th annual MSC UK Awards, held in Plymouth. With 187 MSC-labelled products and 79% of its wild seafood range certified—the return of its tuna range to 100% MSC certified marked major change in the sector.

Iceland, awarded Silver, grew its MSC-labelled products from 30 to 46, with 73% of its own-brand products now MSC certified. Lidl took home Bronze and third place, with 146 MSC-labelled products, up from 121 in 2023.

Sustainability Milestones in Fisheries

The report also celebrates notable achievements by MSC certified fisheries, including the recertification of the Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland bottom-grown mussel fisheries and the Falkland Islands toothfish fishery. Grants from MSC’s Ocean Stewardship Fund supported the sustainability journeys of several UK and Irish fisheries.

* MSC GlobeScan Seafood Consumer Survey 2024

Dodging in a 10m swell 35 miles north of Lands End.

 

The continuing poor weather has forced the biggest boat in the Newlyn fleet to take a break from fishing and dodge...

some 30 miles north of Lands End...

In the bottom left had corner of the screen, the echo sounder records a depth of between 70 and 80m, a 10m swell as each wave passes under the boat. Those Dover soles are going to be expensive come this weekend!