Tag: Marine

The next steps for the ambitious and collaborative, project which aims to improve how the UK’s inshore fisheries are managed have been published.

The Future of Our Inshore Fisheries steering group, of which the Company is a member, has released both a report, detailing discussions from last year’s two-day conference and an action plan, which sets out the first stage of practical actions to reform the management of UK inshore fisheries. At the heart of the project is the desire to establish an effective inshore fisheries management system that can deliver a viable and profitable inshore fishing industry that supports flourishing coastal communities. 

The two-day Future of Our Inshore Fisheries conference, which took place in October 2019, brought almost 180 representatives together to discuss the challenges faced by UK inshore fishermen. Participants included sixty active fishermen together with industry leaders, policy makers, regulators, researchers and representatives from environmental groups.  Conference attendees heard examples of fisheries management solutions and best practice from around the world and considered their relevance to the UK’s inshore fisheries. Seen as the first milestone in the delivery of the project, the conference set out to ensure that the vital expertise and experience of active inshore fishermen set the priorities for the project’s next phase and inform its upcoming work.

The Future of Our Inshore Fisheries conference report details the conference presentations, the findings from group discussion sessions and the results of live polling. While the report does not make specific recommendations, it does outline the key themes which emerged and captures the priority areas identified by participants. The report concludes by recognising that the scale of change which is wanted and needed is significant, and that developing and implementing solutions will take time. 

Based on the report’s findings, the steering group has identified five themes that will shape future work: co-management; collaborative science; credible fisheries management; rights and access; and effective compliance. The action plan is the first attempt to set out clear, deliverable actions across these themes that will be progressed over the next 12 – 18 months.

Steering group member Barrie Deas, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisation said: 

The conference report is rich in energy, information and insight, informed by the participation of active fishermen. But it is of course not an end in itself; I doubt that we would have seen the engagement from fishermen across the country if our ambition was limited to producing a report.

I particularly welcome the publication of the action plan. Importantly, it builds on the conference outcomes and takes into account the priorities that conference attendees set.

We should be ambitious in wanting a fisheries management system that is truly sustainable, and which not only meets our environmental objectives but is also capable of meeting our social and economic needs at a national, regional and local level.”

Fishing is widely considered as one of the most dangerous professions in the UK, meaning that caring for the welfare of those who go out to sea is vital for the industry. The Fishmongers’ Company has a long-running relationship with the Fishermen’s Mission, who for almost 140 years have provided practical and pastoral support for active and retired fishermen.

As part of the Fish & Fisheries grants programme, the Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust has provided financial support for the Fishermen’s Mission Welfare Outreach Programme which takes a holistic approach tackling issues around social exclusion, access to financial support and primary healthcare as well as emergency support following on-board accidents and incidents at sea.

As well as providing emotional support the UK wide programme has facilitated 611 emergency grants from various organistations in the last year, helping fishermen cope with financial crises which could result in homelessness or County Court Judgements.

One such example is Pete, who lives near Mudeford Quay in Dorset. Pete fishes for lobster, crabs, cuttlefish and bass and has been a RNLI volunteer for nearly 30 years. Last year, an accident at sea left Pete with a serious head injury and over £30,000 worth of damage to his boat, outstripping its insurance value. With Pete unable to work and trying to cope with the psychological trauma of the accident, the family were soon struggling to pay for food, utilities and rent. As the fear of homelessness grew, the mental health of Pete and his wife began to suffer.

On learning of Pete’s accident, Nick, Fishermen’s Mission Superintendent for the South Coast Outreach Programme, offered his support. Within days Nick had facilitated a grant to cover the family’s rent arrears and provided supermarket food vouchers whilst offering emotional and pastoral support. This support has helped Pete get back to work and selling his catch whilst being able to enjoy time with his family.

The Mission have also implemented a crisis intervention and personalized practical help project, signposting fishermen towards specialist agencies tackling a variety of welfare issues including debt, alcohol, benefits/employment issues as well as mental health, bereavement and family difficulties. In doing so the Mission have prevented countless crisis situations from occurring, as at-risk fishermen benefit from improved mental health, life management and financial independence. 

The Fishermen’s Mission also provide warm and safe welfare centres for UK and foreign fishermen working off the UK’s coastline promoting cohesive communities in our coastal towns, improving communications and inter-personal skills, encouraging friendships and making people more willing to alert staff of issues facing the community.

A prosperous and sustainable fishing industry is dependent on the health and welfare of its fishermen. The Fishmongers’ Company is proud to support the Fishermen’s Mission in caring for the UK’s fleet.

Six active fishermen have joined the steering group of the Future of Our Inshore Fisheries project at a meeting held at Fishmongers’ Hall on 23 January.

The group – who all attended the milestone Future of Our Inshore Fisheries conference in October last year – will play a key role in determining the next steps of the ambitious project, which aims to ensure that inshore fisheries, the marine environment and coastal communities are sustainable and thriving.

Alasdair Hughson (Kyleakin), Ned Clark (North Shields), Aubrey Banfield (Dorset), Joel Dunn (Plymouth), Brackan Pearce (Newlyn) and Len Walters (Cardigan) will attend the group on a rota basis, with at least two attending each meeting, ensuring representation from active fishermen but reducing the number of days at sea lost by any one individual.

The Fishmongers’ Company forms part of the steering group that includes representatives from several fishermen’s representative bodies including National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO), Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF), Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers Organisation (ANIFPO) and the Coastal Producers Organisation (CPO). Others represented on the steering group include DEFRA, DAERA, the Marine Management Organisation, CEFAS and the Association of IFCAs. The steering group is chaired by Michel Kaiser, Professor of Fisheries Conservation at Heriot Watt University, and facilitated by Seafish.

Commenting on the appointments Professor Kaiser said:

“This project has been led by the industry from the start and relies on the involvement, expertise and experience of active fishermen. We had excellent representation from fishermen at the Future of Our Inshore Fisheries conference last year and we are delighted that Alasdair, Ned, Aubrey, Joel, Brackan and Len have stepped into a leadership role to help to shape this next critical phase.”

Set-up in January 2019, the Future of Our Inshore Fisheries project aims to establish a blueprint for a collaborative management approach which will ensure that both inshore fisheries and coastal communities are sustainable and thriving into the future.

Almost sixty active fishermen attended the Future of Our Inshore Fisheries conference in October 2019 – thanks in part to bursaries provided by companies and organisations from throughout the seafood supply chain – to discuss relevant issues with policy makers, regulators, industry leaders, researchers and the environmental community. On the agenda for discussion at the first steering group of 2020 was the draft report which captures the views expressed at the conference and the common themes as well as determining an action plan of next steps. The steering group will provide an update in the near future.

The Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust are proud to support the UK’s first National Marine Park in Plymouth Sound which was declared on 14 September, 2019. In collaboration with Blue Marine, a long-term partner of the Company, we are working to develop the fisheries policy and framework for this exciting new initiative that has the potential to not only preserve and restore the area’s marine ecosystem but also to transform the way the local community engages with it.  

Funding from the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust also enabled the project to secure £180,000 of funding from Waitrose’s Plan Plastic campaign.

Our work focuses on three innovative initiatives that not only support the development of the National Marine Park, but could have significant impacts on the sustainable management of fisheries and marine protected areas across the UK and overseas. 

SAFEGEAR

Ghost gear is fishing gear that has been lost at sea and continues to catch, kill and damage marine wildlife and habitats whilst costing fishermen. The SafeGear project has developed a tracker buoy which allows fishermen to track their gear and prevent ghost gear from entering the National Marine Park. Electronic beacons are attached to existing gear markers allowing other vessels to see the location of fishers’ nets and pots, preventing incidents that create ghost gear.  

SAFECATCH

The success of the National Marine Park is dependent on the enforcement of fishery regulations. Enabling fishermen to demonstrate where they have fished is key to allowing them to demonstrate their compliance with the rules in place and avoid costly legal issues. To tackle this the programme has developed technology that tracks whether fishermen’s nets were full at different GPS points, allowing the authorities to identify where fish were caught and fishermen to prove that they are complying with regulations in the Park.   

SAFESTOCKS

Understanding the health of our fisheries relies on the ability to collect accurate data. The SAFESTOCKS apprentice scheme is creating 12 month programmes that train graduates to collect on-board fish data and samples, promoting career development for early career professionals, greatly reducing the cost of fisheries data collection and bringing young people into an ageing fishing community. This programme holds great potential to be rolled out across the country’s fishing communities, enabling us to fill large knowledge gaps in baseline stock data for many of the UK’s commercially-fished species.  

Working with the Welsh Government and fishing fleet, the Fishing Animateurs have developed a simplified process to enable small scale coastal fishermen in Wales to access European Maritime and Fisheries Funds to improve safety at sea and boost profitability.  

The Fishing Animateurs, funded by The Fishmongers’ Company alongside Trinity House and Seafarers UK, worked throughout the winter of 2018/19 to develop a list of key items that will improve health, safety and catch quality for small scale fishermen. This has reduced the amount of application paperwork required and processing time, which before this standardisation scheme was over 12 months.  

The Animateurs will now be delivering outreach work in Welsh fishing communities across the Autumn and Winter of 2019/20 to help small scale fishermen access the funding available.  

The political profile of the fishing industry is at its highest since that of the “Cod Wars” in the 1970s. The increased status of fishing in the political sphere provides opportunities to develop a profitable and sustainable pathway for the inshore fishing sector, an area often overlooked in terms of political consideration, industry representation and market share.  

The Future of Our Inshore Fisheries is an ambitious project aiming to transform the management of the UK’s inshore resources to ensure thriving and sustainable marine environments, inshore fisheries and coastal communities. As a member of the project’s steering group the Fishmongers’ Company works to bring together fishermen, industry leaders, research institutes, regulators and environmental groups to build consensus around key and solutions in the management of the UK’s inshore fisheries. This programme will provide evidence-based recommendations to government in order to develop effective policy and legislation to support the UK’s inshore fisheries and coastal communities.  

A key focus of the projects first year is a two-day conference, providing an opportunity for fishermen and industry leaders to meet with policy makers, researchers and environmental groups to discuss solutions to current fisheries management issues. The conference, held in London on the 8^th and 9^th of October, will shape the road map for the future of the UK’s management of its inshore resources. 

In order to ensure that fishermen are properly represented at the conference, a number of bursaries are available to cover the travelling costs for fishermen to attend. Contact holly.kaiser@seafish.co.uk

The Fishmongers’ Company is committed to supporting a fishing industry that is not only profitable but is also sustainable, ensuring a healthy future for our marine environment and the communities that depend on it. In doing so, the Company supports and rewards initiatives that promote sustainability within the fishing industry. 

One way in which we do this is through our sponsorship of the annual Fishing News Sustainability Award that recognises and rewards outstanding innovation and achievement related to improving sustainability and environmental responsibility within the UK fishing industry. The winners are presented with their award at the annual Fishing News Awards dinner in Aberdeen. 

The award is judged by the Fishmongers’ Company as part of a panel of experts. This year, with competition especially close, the award was shared between two initiatives: the Southern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (SIFCA) – Poole clam and cockle fishery and the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association & Fisheries Innovation Scotland – study on scientific self-sampling. 

The Poole clam and cockle fishery achieved a world first in 2018, gaining Marine Conservation Society and Seafish Responsible Fishing Scheme certification for a single fishery. Working in partnership, fishermen and scientists have transformed an unregulated and unsustainable fishery into a blueprint for UK inshore fishery management in just five years through dialogue, trust and good science.   

The Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association & Fisheries Innovation Scotland – study on scientific self-sampling provides another great example of collaboration between scientists and the fishing industry. Fishermen often question scientific surveys and sampling techniques whilst scientists are often sceptical of the reliability of catch data. This feasibility study utilised self-sampling methods that enabled fishermen to directly contribute to stock assessments. This provides opportunities for the Scottish pelagic fleet to provide data that will feed into the management of their fisheries and explores how self-sampling schemes can be applied in fisheries which are currently data-poor.