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Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Tuesday, 21 October 2025
Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund will boost regional economies
The new fund will modernise and revitalise the UK’s fishing fleet, with £56 million going to support Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish fishing industries.
£56 million of new money will support Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish fishing industries and boost local economies Investment in new technology and equipment, revitalise the UK’s fishing fleet, and training the next generation of fishers will drive growth across the industry Regional delivery will target investment to where it matters most across the UK, boosting the sector and local communities for the future Fishing businesses and coastal communities across the UK will benefit from £360 million of investment through a new Fishing and Coastal Growth fund, with £56 million of the new money going to support Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish fishing industries.
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| Seafood Cornwall's new training centre being built in Newlyn. |
Devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will be responsible for spending the money to best meet the specific needs of their fishing and coastal communities. This will allow the funding to be targeted to where it matters most, with devolved governments able to work in collaboration with their local fishing industries to prioritise regional needs and best support their coastal towns and villages.
The fund will invest in the UK’s fishing fleet’s technology and equipment, train the next generation of fishers by enhancing their skills, and support coastal communities by boosting tourism and trade. Targeting the funding will create more secure, sustainable, and economically successful fishing and aquaculture sectors across the UK, in turn supporting local communities. The Scottish Government (£28m), Welsh Government (£18m) and Northern Ireland Executive (£10m) have been allocated a share of funding based on the Barnett Formula.
Fisheries Minister Dame Angela Eagle said:
The grit and determination of fishers throughout the UK brings the best seafood to our dining tables and across the world. This fund will revitalise the fishing sector and coastal communities right across the UK, spurring growth as part of our Plan for Change. Supporting devolved governments with this new funding will help get the money to where it’s most needed, so the sector can thrive for generations to come.
UK Government Scotland Office Minister Kirsty McNeill said:
Scotland’s fisheries sector and our coastal communities are hugely important and this new £28 million UK Government investment will help deliver a bright, sustainable future for the fishing industry and those who live on our coast by improving infrastructure, creating jobs and boosting investment in skills. The UK Government is also slashing red tape for our seafood exporters and businesses as we work with partners to deliver a decade of renewal for the country through our Plan for Change.
National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations Chief Executive Mike Cohen said:
There has been commercial fishing in the UK for more than a thousand years. Today, it remains integral to many coastal communities and continues to produce some of the best seafood in the world. We can be enormously proud of our heritage, and prouder still that fishing remains full of potential. Well managed, and with the right support, fishing can be an engine to drive sustainable growth all around our coastline. This funding is enormously welcome and, if properly targeted, will bring social and economic benefits that will be felt for a long time to come.
The UK government will work in close partnership with the devolved governments to ensure the funding supports both local needs and UK-wide ambitions for a thriving, sustainable fishing industry. Alongside the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund, the UK government expects to start negotiations for a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement with the EU this autumn.
The deal will slash red tape for UK seafood exporters and make it easier to sell UK fish to our largest trading partner, driving growth and removing barriers to trade.
Every Last Fish: Rose George Dives Into the Serious Business of the Fishing Industry
Rose George is a journalist renowned for plunging into the global systems and unseen industries that underpin modern life—from the surprising realities of human waste and sanitation (The Big Necessity) to the massive, hidden world of international shipping (Deep Sea and Foreign Going), and the essential, complex story of blood (Nine Pints). She is a master of revealing the serious, systemic issues lurking beneath the seemingly mundane.
Now, she turns her investigative focus to the world beneath the waves with her latest book, Every Last Fish.
This is more than a book about dinner; George takes us inside the colossal legal and illegal fishing industries, exploring the creatures themselves, the dangerous conditions faced by the people who catch them, and the communities striving to stay afloat. For those eager to understand the full cost of what lies on our plates, George’s work is essential reading.
You have a chance to hear Rose George discuss her intrepid reporting in person! She will be giving a talk about Every Last Fish at the beloved Edge of the World bookshop in Penzance on October 30th. Don't miss this opportunity to dive deep into one of the planet's most vital and overlooked industries.
Slippery, wet, and strange: Fish can be easier to think of as food than as fellow animals. But what do we know about these creatures we meet on our dinner table and how they got there? For the first time in history, humans are eating more farmed fish than wild, and our fish consumption is predicted to increase. But with warming oceans, diminishing fish stocks, and questions about fish farming practices, where will the fish come from?
In Every Last Fish, Rose George dives into these questions by exploring the vast industries that support our appetite for fish sticks and salmon burgers, and the colossal illegal fishing trade whose practices and standards are unmonitored and often dangerous. Journeying to the bottom of the ocean and back, she examines the machinations of this $200 billion food system—one that’s growing rapidly even as fish populations disappear.
Along the way, George introduces us to the people on the front lines of fishes and fishing: fishermen, divers, marine biologists, fish fryers, and fishwives. She presents minnows who shout; discovers the underwater soap operas of wolffish; and, despite her constant seasickness, boards trawlers to see firsthand the impact of fishing on our emptying oceans. Her journey ends at the fish counter, with guidance for readers looking to make better choices, both for the ocean’s health and their own.
Ranging from Alaska to the United Kingdom to Senegal and beyond, Every Last Fish is an unforgettable trip through the ocean’s inhabitants and workers. With irresistible wit and an eye for the unusual, George reveals the unseen and endangered world behind what you buy at the seafood counter, while also bringing to life that dead fish on your plate.
Monday, 20 October 2025
Young Fishermen Network Launches Manifesto
The Young Fishermen Network (YFN) has unveiled its first-ever manifesto at the World Food Forum in Rome, marking World Food Day with a call to action for the UK Government to back the next generation of fishermen. The YFN Manifesto sets out four key pillars calling for government support:
- Step on Board – Provide accessible training opportunities for the next generation
- Learn the Ropes – Knowledge transfer from experienced fishermen to new entrants
- Help to Buy – Creation of a Help to Buy boat, licence, and quota scheme
- Space to Fish – Create opportunities for all with improved management of inshore waters
The Young Fishermen Network is a UK-based organisation working to recruit, retain, and support the next generation of fishermen. Hosted by the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation. Funded by The Fishmongers Company, The Seafarer’s Charity and Ocean Fish.
YFN Representative, Will Jaycock, said: “Fishermen are a vital part of our coastal communities, for every one of us at sea in Cornwall, there are 15 more jobs across the supply chain. Our manifesto aims to drive change to ensure fishing remains a viable and inspiring career for young people, and we can keep putting healthy food on the table. With more new entrants recruited, supported by accessible training and help-to-buy schemes, young fishermen could play an even greater role in our food security.”
Launched in 2023, the Young Fishermen Network UK is an initiative led by young commercial fishermen to promote fishing as a viable career and amplify the voices of the next generation.
YFN Coordinator, Matilda Phillips, said: “Young fishermen play a critical role in global food security. Ten of our Cornwall YFN members accounted for 18% of Cornwall’s total fish landings in 2023. The message from us is simple: invest in young fishermen, invest in food security. Launching the manifesto on the world stage, we want to catch the attention of key decision makers in the UK and ensure we get some proper commitment and support.”
The World Food Forum (WFF) flagship event is a global platform driving action to transform food systems through youth, science, innovation, and investment. Hosted at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations in Rome, the 2025 event aligns with World Food Day on 16th October.
Sunday, 19 October 2025
A Stronger Future for Inshore Fishermen - join now!
In autumn 2024 two national workshops brought together 120 participants, including 53 fishermen to discuss what can be agreed and feasibly achieved to maintain thriving and sustainable inshore fishing. The top priority that arose from these workshops was the need for the voices of inshore fishermen to be heard and build capacity to collectively act. In February 2025 representatives from 15 fishermen’s organisations around the coast met to discuss how this need could be realised and the creation of a network was suggested.
Our aim is now to bring together small-scale fishermen, fishing communities and associated businesses from around England to create a network that facilitates knowledge exchange with the aim of creating a harmonious voice for English small-scale inshore fisheries.
For this network to be effective it has to be built by fishermen if you would like to be involved in the setup and creation of this network please register your interest using this link.
Sharpen Your Skills: Essential navigation and radio courses!
Ready to take the next step in your maritime career? We're running a crucial 2-Day Navigation and Watchkeeping course this December, and it’s an opportunity you won't want to miss!
This course isn't just a great way to brush up on essential skills—it forms a vital component of the Under 16.5m Skipper's ticket.
Funding Alert!
Because this course is a key part of the official qualification, funding is available to help cover the costs! However, you'll need to apply quickly to secure your place and the financial assistance.
Get in Touch Today!
Don't let this chance sail by. Contact us right away for more details and to secure your spot:
Call us on: ☎ 01736 364 324
Email us at: 📧 info@seafoodcornwalltraining.co.uk
Saturday, 18 October 2025
Big Bluefin tuna landing!
With the MMO on your doorstep, out comes the tape measure to record the overall length of this huge 250kg-plus bluefin, one of two landed by Gareth Williams (not Unleashed as stated before - which operates within catch-and-release licence rules) aboard the Sea Breeze which fishes...
out of Newlyn - then it's off to the fridge ready for the online auction to do its thing.
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