Latest SW Regional Fisheries Group meeting podcast - pollack on the agenda!

SW RFG Meeting 

Agenda for next week’s SW RFG meeting on Tuesday 4th February 

Agenda

• Welcome & Introductions Emily Theobald (Chair/MMO) 10 mins 
•  Pollack clarity Helen Stevens, Katie Plumridge & Andy Welberry (Defra) 35 mins 
•  Quota Q&A Katie James (MMO) 15 mins 
•  FISP Pollack Project Ed Baker (PFSA) & Simon Thomas (York Uni) 15 mins 
•  Cefas Pollack Study Ewen Bell (Cefas) 10 mins 
•  Crab & Lobster FMP update Sarah Bedingham (MMO) 10 mins 
•  IFCA byelaw Sam Davis (CIFCA) 10 mins 
•  AOB Emily Theobald (Chair/MMO) 5 mins

NFFO says, "It’s all a load of Pollacks!"

Pollack trials are currently running through Cefas and Plymouth University.

A recent meeting of the Southwest Regional Fishing Group highlighted how fisheries are still facing huge challenges with the lack of access to pollack, a mainstay of many fleet sectors.

There is still a lack of clarity on what a longer-term strategy looks like on how the stocks will recover and how commercial fisheries can remain viable when access to resources is being eroded at every turn. Last year saw a Zero TAC advice from ICES which resulted in a small bycatch allowance for the UK fleet. The aim of the advice was to allow the stock size to recover by 20%, an integral step on the road to full recovery. However, ICES advice for 2025 is still a Zero TAC with a reduced bycatch allowance compared to 2024, for example Area 7 has seen a 17% reduction in bycatch TAC for 2025. Therefore, it can be assumed that the Zero TAC advice is not working, despite the overwhelming impacts to the sectors that relied on pollack as the backbone of their business. We have to ask ourselves why this stringent measure, the most restrictive advice to come from ICES, is not working.

It was felt by all commercial fisheries in the meeting that the reason for this is the complete lack of control the recreational sector is under. ICES acknowledges that recreational removals of Pollack is likely to be a large component of the catch. This was supported by scientists (from the Pollack FISP project) presenting at the RFG as a reasonable assessment that reflects what their data shows. Data from the Pollack FISP that was presented, highlighted that a single recreational charter landed 400kg of pollack in a single trip, it is hard to believe that this is purely for personal consumption. Whilst this was an outlier, average catch of pollack by recreational fishers taking part in the project was 40kg/trip over 807 trips – a potential total removal of over 32 tonnes from the subset of vessels sampled as part of the project.

We have to ask if pollack fisheries are truly considered to have a zero TAC when recreational removals are so great and currently uncontrolled. Defra are keen to roll out voluntary guidelines for the recreational sector to help get a handle on the issue and they wish to give the guidelines a chance to work before seeking further restrictions. The reason for this, as always, a lack of data. However, the Pollack FISP, funded by Defra to the amount of £859,400 is essentially already providing substantial evidence to the scale of the problem. Commercial fisheries see the precautionary principle used when data is lacking, why is this not the same for recreational fisheries, surely this established method should be applied to all removals.

It is a growing concern that commercial fisheries always feel the most impact when compared to the needs of the recreational sector. This is not specific to pollack but is evidenced in bass fisheries and also the fact recreational take of crustacean fisheries is excluded from welfare concerns that are applied to commercial fisheries. In the new world of the UK Fisheries Act and fisheries management plans, we would expect to see more effort given to understanding and controlling the recreational sector to create a level playing field with the commercial sector.

Visit the NFFO website.

Take the FMP Programme Evaluation Survey

 

Fishing Industry stakeholders are being invited to take part in the following voluntary survey about Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs).

An FMP is a document that will set out policies and measures to manage fishing activity. FMPs are evidence-based action plans, designed collaboratively with stakeholders. For the UK, the plans will help to deliver the fisheries objectives set out in the Fisheries Act 2020.

This survey is open to the following stakeholders who have a stake in English sea fisheries:

• Recreational anglers
• Commercial/recreational fishing associations/organisations
• Retail/ trade organisations
• Environment non-governmental organisations
• Academia

Commercial fishers can respond to these questions through the Fishing Industry Social Survey which will launch shortly.

The survey will explore your views on the approach used to develop the FMPs and the impact you feel FMPs may have. Your responses will help to provide understanding of what has worked well and less well, and will help generate lessons to inform how FMPs are developed and implemented in the future.

Completing the survey will take between 5 and 15 minutes. Before completing the survey, please read this Information Note explaining why the survey is being conducted, what participation will involve, and providing a privacy notice regarding data protection and points of contact to address any doubts or complaints you may have. Please take the time to read it carefully.

The survey is being conducted by ICF which is an independent research consultancy, in partnership with the Countryside and Community Research Institute (CCRI) and Howell Marine Consulting (HMC), on behalf of Defra. If you have any queries please contact us at: FMPEvaluation@icf.com.

Cornwall community quota trial management plan

Since 2024, Defra has been running a community fishing quota trial in Cornwall. The group consists of Cornwall Council, the Cornish Fish Producer Organisation and the Duchy Fish Quota Company. The key aims of the trial include: supporting new entrants supporting fisher progression in the industry through quota access incentivising the use of more sustainable techniques and gears The trial will run for 3 years.  

The group is a partnership between the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation (CFPO), Duchy Fish Quota Company (DFQC) and Cornwall Council.

Read the full explanation of the project here:

Given a voice, how will it be heard?

Crucially, last week, CFPO boss Chris Ranford was given the opportunity to speak in front of an audience invited by the Crown Estate

Balancing the needs of energy, food security, nature and coastal communities is important when thinking about the future of our seabed.

Experts from the fisheries space for an in-depth and open discussion, providing an opportunity to build on collaborative partnerships and support the delivery of the best outcomes for the nation.

Collaboration on the data and evidence is vital in meeting our long-term ambitions for net zero, nature recovery and thriving communities. During the event, fisheries representatives gave their perspective to support the development of our Marine Delivery Routemap, a holistic and long-term view of how the seabed is used.

Last year, the CFPO responded to the latest move by the Crown Estate to manage the seas around Cornwall and the South West in this paper: 

Industrialisation of the seabed. One for all, all for one, or, one to finish another?

Government launches fishing and marine environment inquiry.

EFRA to launch its next thematic inquiry.

'Never morning wore to evening but some heart did break' Walter Lngley

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee is today launching the next of its thematic inquiries, on fisheries and the marine environment.

MPs will delve into the challenges facing the fishing sector, including access to labour and competing spatial pressures on the marine environment.

The inquiry will see the Committee scrutinise the outcome of the Autumn 2024 fisheries negotiations between the UK and its nearby coastal partners, including the EU and Norway.

It will assess the implementation of post-Brexit fisheries policy and examine UK/EU quotas and arrangements for access to waters, and catch-allocations, from June 2026.

The Committee’s inquiry will also look into the issues of marine conservation and will investigate the management of protected areas.

Chair comment

The Chair of the EFRA Committee, Alistair Carmichael MP, said:

“The fishing industry is rooted in the island and coastal communities that help define our country. It is at the heart of local communities and a vital part of many local economies. 

The fishing sector had hoped to see improved opportunities when the United Kingdom left the EU. In this inquiry we will examine the implementation of government fisheries policy since Brexit. There are also concerns among the fishing community about changes from June 2026 onwards to the UK-EU arrangements for access and catch-allocations. 

We will consider whether the Government’s current approach will deliver the best possible outcomes for UK . More widely, our inquiry will also examine the state of the marine environment, looking at the protection of marine mammals and seabird species.”

As it strives to deliver its energy, environmental and growth commitments, balancing the pressures on the marine environment will be a challenge for the Government.

Following the UK’s exit from the EU, the UK takes part in several different international fisheries negotiations as an independent coastal state to agree total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas for fish stocks shared with other coastal states. The Committee will scrutinise the outcomes of these negotiations, as well as other outstanding issues around domestic fisheries management and EU-UK fisheries cooperation.

The fisheries and the marine environment inquiry will provide consistent scrutiny of the issues and competing challenges facing the fishing sector and the UK’s marine environment. It will focus on fishers, seafood processors, consumers, environmental advocates, scientists, and coastal communities, and seek to engage with these stakeholders in formal calls for evidence, public evidence sessions, visits, engagement events and consultation.

The Committee will call for evidence on a regular basis. The Committee will produce iterative and focused reports throughout the inquiry.

Topics for scrutiny will include, but are not limited to:

• international fisheries negotiations;
• UK/EU quotas and access to waters from July 2026;
• management of protected areas;
• competing spatial pressures on the marine environment;
• implementing post-Brexit fisheries policy, including the adequacy of Fisheries Management Plans;
• marine conservation, including protection of marine mammals and seabird species;
• access to labour; and food security.

This inquiry will engage the Committee’s cross-cutting work on supporting rural and coastal communities and weather and climate resilience, as well as its inquiry into fairness in the food supply chain.

If you have information or evidence which may be of interest to the Committee, please contact: efracom@parliament.uk  

 

Fishermen and art - inextricably linked.

 

A Celebration of Daphne McClure’s Life and Work at Cornwall Contemporary

The first solo exhibition of 2025 at Cornwall Contemporary Gallery in Penzance is set to be a truly special one, celebrating the life and work of the late Daphne McClure. A highly regarded artist with deep ties to Cornwall, Daphne’s influence on the artistic community continues to resonate, and this exhibition brings together a remarkable collection of her work, including some never-before-seen pieces.

Born in 1927, Daphne McClure’s artistic journey was filled with notable achievements. Early in her career, she worked at The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, collaborating on costumes for esteemed designers such as John Piper for The Magic Flute and Barbara Hepworth for Midsummer Marriage. Throughout her life, she enjoyed numerous sell-out exhibitions, was commissioned by Tate St Ives, and was invited for a prestigious residency by the Josef and Annie Albers Foundation in Connecticut.

Daphne passed away in 2023 at the age of 96, leaving behind a legacy that is interwoven with Cornwall’s rich artistic heritage. Her work sits alongside those of Lanyon, Nicholson, and other renowned St Ives painters who found inspiration in the landscapes and daily life of Cornwall. Daphne’s paintings reflect her love of the region and her passion for capturing its unique atmosphere, making her work highly sought after by collectors worldwide.

This exhibition is a rare opportunity to experience the depth of Daphne McClure’s artistic vision. Featuring a diverse range of works from various stages of her career, including some previously unseen drawings and paintings, the exhibition promises to be a poignant tribute to an artist whose work remains as relevant and captivating as ever.

Daphne's son, skipper Tom McClure and his inshore trawler, Guardian from Newlyn.

Adding to the significance of the event, Daphne’s daughter, Emma McClure, will also be exhibiting her own paintings on the second floor of the gallery. The mother-daughter connection in this exhibition highlights the continuing artistic legacy within the McClure family.

Visitors can preview the exhibition on Cornwall Contemporary’s website, and those on the gallery’s mailing list will receive an invitation to the opening event.

Daphne McClure – Solo Exhibition
14th March – 12th April 2025
Cornwall Contemporary Gallery, Penzance