It's #FishyFriday in Newlyn, the busiest fishing port in England.

For one skipper in the port it's time for a New Venture in the new Millennia...

those pots keep coming...

it's a tight turning circle...

another souvenir from the days of sail......

more fodder for the local gribble population...

there's a maze of concrete...

just been poured...

and levelled...

as the foundations for the harbour's latest building project gets off on a good footing...

prime fish galore on the auction floor...

on another summery day...

there's lobsters...

lemons...

John Dory...

haddock...

and red mullet all speeding their way to a wet fish counter or restaurant table near you...

a heady mix of prime fish...

name these beauties...

the fish are wrapped and ready to roll...

not a bad day's work for one of the best bass men in the port...

though these guys are proving a little more elusive to find let alone catch...

megrims, by weight the biggest part of a beam trawler's catch in the summer months...

the favourite fish for these eight legged fish...

are anything with a shell...

as anyone who works pots will tell you, this very often, the only evidence that there was a lobster in the pot...

tropical vibes...

and the auction doors are now sporting plastic curtains designed to keep the cold in and the gulls out!

 

Mid-week in Newlyn.

Not looking much like 33˚ in Newlyn tis morning and with the neap tide most of the fleet are at sea...

as Graham brings the Janet Anne alongside the market with his morning's haul of handlined mackerel...

on the market, there are some good looking haddock...

and yet more Mediterranean octopus, giving the Maverick something of an alternative species to fish for having previously fished 100% sustainably for pollack by hook and line...

these guys are still proving elusive - early days yet for the bass season...

never a smile far from young Graham's face, despite the slim pickings this morning with just a few minutes fishing on each mark, if you could find one, before they took off again...

more than a day's work ahead for the boys on the Angela of Ladram.

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Great British Fish survey!

Your Voice Matters: Shape the Future of UK Inshore Fishing

A nationwide survey is launching this summer to give small-scale fishermen a powerful, unified voice to call for change. This is your chance to be heard.

Across the coves of Cornwall, the harbours of Aberdeenshire, and the ports of Wales, small-scale fishermen are the lifeblood of coastal communities. You are custodians of the sea, running family businesses that are woven into the fabric of our national identity. Yet, the challenges you face have never been greater.

From the economic squeeze of rising costs and fluctuating markets to the growing web of regulations and the daily pressures on your wellbeing, the story of the inshore fisherman needs to be told—and more importantly, it needs to be listened to by those in power.

That is why the Lyme Bay Fisherman’s CIC has launched The Great British Inshore Fishing Survey.

This is more than just a questionnaire; it's a vital opportunity for every small-scale fisherman in England, Scotland, and Wales to speak directly to the government. It is your platform to share the reality of your life and livelihood, and to demand the support and recognition your industry deserves.

Why Your Participation is Crucial

For too long, the voices of inshore fishermen have been fragmented. This survey aims to change that. By gathering comprehensive data on everything from your fishing practices and economic viability to your personal wellbeing, a clear and undeniable picture of the state of the industry will be created.

The survey will explore the successes and the challenges you face, providing a robust evidence base to answer the critical question: What needs to be done to secure a positive and profitable future for small-scale fishermen, their families, and their communities?

From Your Deck to the Doors of Parliament

The survey will run throughout the summer, ensuring everyone has the chance to contribute. Your individual responses will remain confidential, but your collective voice will be powerful.

The findings will be compiled into a detailed report and presented directly to the government at a dedicated Parliamentary event for MPs in early September. This report will carry the weight of hundreds of fishermen from across the nation, making it impossible to ignore. It will be a clear mandate for action, outlining the specific policy changes and support systems needed to help the inshore sector not just survive, but thrive.

Have Your Say Today

This is a pivotal moment for the UK's inshore fishing fleet. Your experience, your knowledge, and your voice are essential. Don't miss this chance to be part of a collective movement for a better future.

The survey is easy to complete and is the single most effective way to ensure your concerns are placed directly in front of policymakers.

To take part in The Great British Inshore Fishing Survey, please visit:

 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TheGreatBritishInshoreFishingSurvey

Stand with your fellow fishermen. Share the survey with your network. Let's ensure that this summer, the voice of the inshore fleet rings loud and clear in the halls of power.

Fish galore on Monday morning's martket!

Build it and they will come, no shortage of visiting yachts at this time of year...

and a sure sign the Cornish Sardine season is only weeks away as the Golden harvest is brought up to dry out on the hard for the renewal of anodes and other below the waterline work...

the inevitable stack of dogfish from the netter Stelissa...

all caught while targeting these beautiful hake landed by sistership, Silver Dawn...

John Dory...

octopus...

Dover sole...

and monk filled many of the boxes...

while some tried to escape...

the hanliners found a few mackerel along the shore...

that's one happy Johnny with the first of the new fenders built and ready to go in the water later in the day...

as the port's biggest boat, Enterprise takes advantage of a big Spring tide to land at the market just before highwater...

as record breaking skipper Georgie Stevens brings 346 tons of steel gently against the fish market...

never one to do things by half, Godfrey has a new flag outside the front door of...

to advertise fish like these cracking mackerel...

as if by magic lovingly displayed on the wetfish counter...

 of Trelawney Fish...

meanwhile Barry has just heaved his latest haul of spiders aboard the Boy Brax ready to land...

more examples of traditional boat building skills are currently on show in the harbour...

bet everyone on board here enjoyed waking up to the view this morning!

 

APPG on Fisheries and APPG for Shellfish Aquaculture – Joint Statement on UK Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund

On 19 May, the UK Government announced a new twelve-year £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund to drive growth and boost the sector for the future. Defra has indicated that the fund will see investment in new technology and equipment to modernise Britain’s fleet, deliver new training and skills, and promote British seafood exports across the world, among others. The Government has committed to work with the industry to target investment where it matters most.

Committed to supporting two industries vital to the UK’s coastal communities – sustainable and thriving wild capture fisheries and shellfish aquaculture – the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Fisheries and the APPG for Shellfish Aquaculture welcome the announcement of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, and its aim to drive growth and boost the sector by investing in the industry and coastal communities more broadly. We also welcome the Government’s commitment to work with industry to target investment where it matters most, and the assurances provided by the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs on the same. 

Together covering a diverse range of segments, sectors and geographies, and focusing on both shared challenges and unique complexities, both the APPG on Fisheries and the APPG for Shellfish Aquaculture work to ensure that the voices of our coastal industries are heard in Parliament. Across our individual activities, which typically cover a range of thematic challenges, funding presents a cross-cutting theme.

Both APPGs recognise that a long-term strategic approach to supporting and investing in UK fishing, shellfish aquaculture, seafood and coastal communities is crucial not only to ensure a viable future for the coastal communities and the long-term sustainability of marine ecosystems, but to long-term domestic food security and meeting commitments on climate and biodiversity. 

Understanding that the particulars of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund are still to be devised, to ensure the fund can support a diverse industry, vibrant coastal communities and healthy marine ecosystems, alongside being strategic and long-term, it will need to be: 

• Cognisant of what has and what has not worked in the past
• Accessible to a broad range of stakeholders, large and small
• Entail a degree of flexibility in order to respond to a shifting seascape
• Coupled with a cross-departmental, long-term strategic plan for the sector’s future. 

To support this and illuminate industry priorities, while at the same time reflecting on past funding for the sector, the APPG on Fisheries and APPG for Shellfish Aquaculture will co-host an open parliamentary seminar on 25 June outlining industry needs across the following themes: People, Food, Nature, Resources and Community. 

Bringing together parliamentarians, policymakers, and sector professionals, the session will explore what an effective, targeted fund might look like, and on steps needed to ensure the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund becomes an effective vehicle for investment in the future of our fishing and seafood communities. 

APPG on Fisheries Co-Chair, Melanie Onn MP said, 

“From catching to processing, the value of the UK’s fisheries sector is not easily quantified but integral to communities around this nation’s coasts. We welcome the announcement of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, and the assurances received from the Minister that the fund will be devised with the sector to target investment where it matters most. Since the reformulation of the APPG on Fisheries last autumn we have heard from industry of investment needs relating to addressing skills gaps, infrastructure needs, and more broadly towards future proofing the industry and fisheries. It is vital that sector voices are heard so that the fund is set up to effectively support the future of our communities.”

APPG for Shellfish Aquaculture Chair, Caroline Voaden MP said, 

“As the Member of Parliament for South Devon, home to both fishing and shellfish aquaculture communities, and Chair of the Shellfish Aquaculture APPG, I am pleased to see the Government providing much-needed support to these vital sectors. Shellfish aquaculture is an industry of the future. Sustainable, beneficial to the marine environment and an asset to coastal communities, which deserve far better than the neglect they have endured in recent years. I look forward to seeing the full details of the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund in due course, and hope to see shellfish aquaculture businesses from across the country flourish as a result.”

APPG on Fisheries Co-Chair, Alistair Carmichael MP said, “The UK’s fishing and seafood industry has a vital role to play in sustainable food supply and the resilience of regional economies, with potential also – if strategically supported – to contribute to regeneration, the national economy and to meeting our wider commitments on sustainability. Investment in the sector is part of this, but this must be coupled with a broader long term strategic plan for the sector. We look forward to hosting representatives of the industry and related sectors on 25 June, and hope that Defra will take this opportunity also to engage with and listen to the needs of our fishing industries and communities.”

The APPG on Fisheries and APPG for Shellfish Aquaculture will host an online parliamentary seminar, Investing in UK Fishing, Shellfish Aquaculture and the Coast, on Wednesday 25 June, from 10:00 to 11:30am. Register at the link here: https://loom.ly/293nmg4

Skilled labour ‘dominant issue’ for fishing fleet

 

A new report looks at the issues facing the fishing industry.A new report looks at the issues facing the fishing industry. Accessing skilled labour continues to be the dominant employment issue for the UK fishing fleet, a new Seafish report suggests.

The 2024 Employment in the UK Fishing Fleet Report provides a snapshot of employment in commercial fishing from data gathered during Seafish’s annual fleet survey last summer.

It highlights that less than a quarter of skippers and vessel owners interviewed at that time rated access to skilled labour as ‘good’ or ‘very good’, while nearly half rated it as ‘bad’ or ‘very bad’.

The parts of the fleet most affected by the recruitment challenges include the scallop dredgers and Nephrops and demersal trawlers over 10m. These vessels typically require a larger number of crew and vessel operators reported that the issues are impacting days at sea and fishing activity.

Amongst the issues contributing to the shortage of skilled labour is the fishing sector’s ageing workforce. The overall average was 44 - four years older than that reported in Seafish’s 2021 employment report. vessels registered in England had the largest proportion of workers aged over 60. These workers were largely owners working on static under 10m and low activity vessels.

Other reasons for labour shortages cited in the report are difficulties in finding local crew, with other industries, such as offshore wind and aquaculture, often seen as the main competitors for attracting new entrants. For some vessel operators the recent changes to the visa system have made it more difficult and more costly to recruit skilled crew from overseas.

Commenting on the report’s findings Seafish’s Head of Industry Workforce Issues Neil McAleese said: “As this new report recognises, access to skilled labour is an ongoing issue for the commercial fishing sector. This issue is critical as the shortage of labour has economic implications for both businesses and the wider economy. The industry continues to experience a decline in full-time employees due to an ageing workforce, insufficient domestic entrants, and changes in the skilled worker visa policy affecting the viability of recruiting migrant workers.

“Those within the industry understand the difficult challenges that fishermen are facing and are working together to identify solutions. We are working in partnership with industry stakeholders and government to find solutions to these challenges. This includes Seafish’s work to develop and deliver training courses designed to attract new entrants to the industry. These courses include to Commercial Fishing courses, Fisher Apprenticeships, the Diploma in Sea Fishing, and the Maritime Studies – Trainee Deckhand course."

The 2024 Employment in the UK Fishing Fleet report can be accessed here. It describes the findings of the employment component of the 2024 Seafish Fleet Survey. Its purpose is to aid discussion and decision-making around the labour needs of the UK catching sector.

The report presents data on nationality, age, gender, professional qualifications, work and remuneration patterns of workers in the UK catching sector. Skippers and vessels owners were interviewed and asked about their access to skilled labour, their business performance in the last year and, their expectations for the future.

The 2024 survey sampled a larger proportion of the UK’s small-scale fleet of vessels (vessels under 10m and low activity) than in previous years and this may have influenced the findings including the proportion of UK workers amongst the sampled vessels.

By Gregor White - gregor.white@hnmedia.co.uk Published: 18:00, 17 May 2025