News Headlines
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Holding Natural England to Account
The MPA Fishing Coalition, of which the NFFO is a core member, has continued its important role of holding Government and its statutory advisors, Natural England and JNCC, to account.
27/08/10 l Full story |
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Coalition Responds to New European Marine Sites Announcement
The latest batch of European marine sites includes designation of the controversial site in Lyme Bay.
26/08/10 l Full story |
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The NFFO’s contribution to the discussions on the under 10m quota problem is reproduced below.
The Future of Under-10 Metre Quota Management: the reintegration of under-10 metre vessels into the mainstream quota management system.
20/08/10 l Full story |
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Progress on Under-10m Front
A ground-breaking meeting involving representatives from all sides of the fishing industry has made significant progress in addressing the quota problems faced by the under 10m fleet.
20/08/10 l Full story |
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NFFO AGM 2010
The NFFO’s annual general meeting for 2010 will be held, in York, on 6th September. The venue for this year’s meeting is the Churchill Hotel, 65 Bootham, York, YO30 7DQ. All NFFO members are welcome.
11/08/10 l Full story |
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North Sea Stock Survey 2010
The NFFO in collaboration with the North Sea Regional Advisory Council and other Fishermen’s representative bodies are again running the North Sea Stocks Survey that invites fishermen to contribute their knowledge on the status and trends in stocks subject to TACs.
02/08/10 l Full story |
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RACs Plan to Strengthen Fisheries Science
Regional advisory councils, frustrated at continuing weaknesses in many ICES fish stock assessments, are working on a major new initiative to address data deficiencies. Around 60% of ICES stock assessments do not have “analytical” status under ICES own quality control procedures.
26/07/10 l Full story |
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The Future of Producer Organisations in the United Kingdom: The Evolution of Delegated Responsibilities
The NFFO and UKAFPO, the representative body for producer organisations in the UK, are to discuss ideas on the extension of the role of POs in the UK. It has been agreed that a paper produced by the Federation provides a “useful and reasoned starting point” for talks
23/07/10 l Full story |
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The NFFO holds a position on the EC Advisory Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (ACFA) and through this seat participated in a recent exchange of views with the Commission on the reform of the CFP.
14/07/10 l Full story
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UK Federation's hold first meeting with Damanaki.
The NFFO and Scottish Fishermen's Federation recently held their first meeting with new EC Commissioner Maria Damanaki, in Strasbourg, in a meeting organised by British MEPs.
12/07/10 l Full story
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“No Concerns”
The NFFO says that it has “no concerns” following Richard Lochhead, the Scottish Cabinet Secretary's press claim that Scotland has won concessions to take the lead in the Council of Ministers on fisheries matters.
02/07/10 l Full story |
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Constructive First Meeting with Minister
An NFFO delegation, representing the diversity of the NFFO’s membership, met recently with Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon for initial discussions. The talks outlined the industry’s areas of concern, built on the constructive dialogue begun when Richard Benyon was Shadow Spokesman on Fisheries.
01/07/10 l Full story |
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Executive Thanks Special Advisor
At its most recent meeting, in Newlyn, the NFFO Executive thanked Barry Edwards for his five years in post as the NFFO’s (unpaid) Special Advisor.
29/06/10 l Full story |
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MPA Coalition Outlines Work Programme
The MPA Coalition met recently in Fishmongers Hall, in London, to shape its future work programme. The Coalition has been active for six months and has firmly established itself as a way of holding Government and the nature conservation agencies to account on marine protected areas.
23/06/10 l Full story |
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Reform Process Adrift whilst Fault Lines Appear on Technical Measures
CFP reform seems to be adrift after the lead Commission official on the reform process, Spaniard Cesar Deben, was abruptly removed from post by new fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki. At the same time, the last consultative meeting held by the Commission, before it goes into internal deliberations, has revealed contrasting approaches to how technical conservation should be applied in the new CFP.
23/06/10 l Full story
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Nephrops: Taking it to the Ports
North Sea RAC takes its Ideas for a Long-Term Management Plan for Nephrops to the main prawn ports
In a ground-breaking initiative that could set a precedent for other stocks, the North Sea Regional Council is to hold a series of meetings with fishermen and other stakeholders in the main nephrops ports.
12/06/10 l Full story
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NFFO Exec Meets the MMO
Marine Management Organisation, Chief Executive, Steven Gant and his top team met recently with the NFFO Executive Committee at the MMO’s new headquarters in Newcastle.
7/06/10 l Full story
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New Administration Outlines Broad Approach
A large breakfast meeting between the Secretary of State and all of the new Defra ministers recently provided a wide range of stakeholders with the first insights into the ways in which the new administration will operate.
28/05/10 l Full story
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South West Fishing Industry Unite In Response to MCZ Proposals
The fishing industry in the South West came together in Exeter on 5th May to discuss initial Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) proposals being planned under the Finding Sanctuary project.
14/05/10 l Full story
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CFP Conference Marks New Stage in Reform Process
A major conference on the main CFP reform marked the end of one phase and the beginning of another, as the Commission closes down its external consultations and now moves to prepare its proposals and agree them internally within the College of Commissioners.
12/05/10 l Full story
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Bristol Channel Talks
A third round of talks between NFFO and Redercentrale, the representative body for Belgian Fishermen, took place recently in London. On the agenda were shared concerns about conservation measures for Rays, the potential impact of marine conservation zones and the Round 3 wind-farm destined for the Bristol Channel.
22/04/10 l Full story
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Bringing Fishermen’s Knowledge into the Heart of Science and Policy
In the same way that a few pathfinder bees will arrive ahead of the swarm, the annual fisheries reports currently being prepared by the Federation have the potential to transform the future of fisheries science and fisheries policy.
22/04/10 l Full story
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MPA Coalition Builds Wide Support
The MPA Coalition has attracted support from every part of the UK and beyond. In the four weeks since its launch in Westminster, fishermen and fishing businesses from Shetland to Cornwall have registered their support and made substantial contributions to the Coalition’s fighting fund.
21/04/10 l Full story
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Sustainable Access to Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group (SAIF) Consultation: NFFO Response
This paper is the NFFO’s response to the SAIF Proposition Paper which was circulated on 21st January 2010. Our response is in four parts:
09/04/10 l Full story
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MSY: Aiming at a 2015 Fisheries Nirvana
First moves to operationalise a Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) approach to European fisheries management were taken at an ICES workshop recently attended by the NFFO under the North Sea RAC.
09/04/10 l Full story
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RACs Active Across a Broad Front
A brief survey of their websites demonstrates that over the last year the regional advisory councils have been extremely active across a wide range of issues. These issues are of direct relevance to the fishing industry and NFFO members in particular. The NFFO is an active member of the North Sea, North West Waters, Pelagic and Long Distance RACs.
09/04/10 l Full story
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NFFO Executive Meet in Northern Ireland
The NFFO’s Executive Committee travelled to Northern Ireland this week, where they were hosted by the Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers Organisation.
07/04/10 l Full story
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Catch Quota Project Q + A
The NFFO met recently with Defra officials to discuss the details of the DEFRA Catch Quota Project. The Federation requested a Question and Answer sheet to bring clarity to what the project involves. The suggested were provided by the NFFO whilst the questions have been completed by Defra.
06/04/10 l Full story
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NFFO Supports Channel Undulate Ray Initiative
I enclose a communication prepared by Jersey and French fishermen with the help of IFREMER, the French national fisheries institute. It is strongly supported by the NFFO.
26/03/10 l Full story |
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Effort Limitation in the Shellfish Fisheries: NFFO Policy
At a meeting in London on 9th March 2010, the NFFO Shellfish Committee reviewed its policy approach to the issue of limitation on fishing effort in the crab and lobster pot fisheries in the waters around the UK. Following extensive and detailed discussions, the Committee adopted the policy described below.
24/03/10 l Full story |
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Preparation for Marine Spatial Planning: Newcastle Conference
A formal system of marine spatial planning may still be some years down the road but when it arrives it will be of the utmost significance for all human activities at sea - including fishing - at least in EU waters.
23/03/10 l Full story |
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First Engagement with new MMO
The Marine Management Organisation will be launched on 1st April. The new organisation will absorb the Marine and Fisheries Agency and will be the administrative instrument through which marine spatial planning will be given effect.
22/03/10 l Full story |
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Major NFFO Policy Review on Brown Crab
Brown Crab will be the focus for a comprehensive examination of policy when the NFFO Shellfish Committee meets in London on 9th March. The Committee will examine and respond to recent reports on the state of the fisheries and management.
26/02/10 l Full story |
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New Industry Body formed to Fight MPA Issue
MPA Fishing Coalition
A new industry body has been formed, supported by two national federations, NFFO and SFF and involving a wide range of other fishermen’s’ organisations. Its purpose is to ensure that the marine protected areas foreseen in the Marine & Coastal Access Act are introduced in a way that minimises adverse consequences for fishermen.
25/02/10 l Full story |
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Omega Net Gauge: Mishandled and Flawed
The introduction of the new Omega net gauge has been seriously mishandled and there are mounting concerns whether it is fit for purpose.
16/02/10 l Full story |
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Coalition’s Landmark Opening Engagement on Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)
The founding organisations of the new MPA Fishing Coalition met recently with Natural England, JNCC and senior Defra officials, to begin high level engagement on the establishment of a network of marine protected areas in UK waters.
10/02/10 l Full story |
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Days at Sea
The decision to close the English whitefish fleet down for the last week of the effort year, to address fisheries administrations’ concerns about exceeding the overall UK allocation of Kwdays, was transparently unfair and pointless. This was pointed out firmly but in measured terms to Defra officials at a London meeting, and later at a meeting between an NFFO delegation and Fisheries Minister Huw Irranca-Davies.
02/02/10 l Full story |
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EU Norway Negotiations conclude after Four Difficult Rounds
After four rounds and a complete cession of mutual access arrangements to each others’ waters, the EU and Norway have agreed a reciprocal agreement for 2010. A key ingredient in the deal is a 10 year agreement on mackerel access that ought to pave the way for a wider agreement on mackerel with Iceland and Faeroes later in the year.
01/02/10 l Full story |
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UK fishermen unite in their condemnation of negative portrayal of fishing in TV programme
The UK’s two main UK fishermen’s federations have thrown their support behind an official complaint over a BBC programme that portrayed a totally inaccurate and damaging picture of the fishing industry.
01/02/10 l Full story
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Offshore Wind Farms: Co-existence or Conflict?
The announcement on January 8th by the Prime Minister on plans for a further 32GW of offshore wind generating capacity by 2020 inspires awe at the scale of what is being embarked upon. Nine development zones have been announced under the Round 3 programme in the North Sea, English Channel, Bristol Channel and the Irish Sea.
20/01/10 l Full story |
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GES-Work
The terminology, “Good Environmental Status”, and “Marine Strategy Framework Directive”, is enough to bring on a short nap or a change of channel. But that would be a serious mistake.
19/01/10 l Full story |
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NFFO Article on Low Environmental Impact of Fishing goes “Viral”
A short but important article on the NFFO website is having an impact in the United States.
12/01/10 l Full story |
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With a little help from our friends............
It is a basic reality of fishing politics in the 21st century that next to nothing can be achieved alone.
12/01/10 l Full story |
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Annual Fisheries Debate: Endorsement for the NFFO’s Views
The annual Fisheries Debate is the main opportunity during the year for the Government to outline its policies on fishing and for MPs from the main political parties to respond.
11/01/10 l Full story |
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CCTV Debate
It is worth noting at the outset of this article that the Council of Ministers, EU/Norway negotiations and internal government meetings where UK fisheries policy is formulated, are not covered by CCTV. It is accepted therefore that although this technology has its uses, there are limits to when and where it is appropriate to install it.
11/01/10 l Full story
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UK Publishes its Response on CFP Reform
The UK has now published its response to the Commission’s Green Paper on CFP reform
08/01/10 l Full story |
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Radio 4 Platform for Federation’s Views
The difficulties faced by inshore fishermen in East Anglia and the changes to the CFP necessary to alleviate them are discussed by NFFO Chief Executive Barrie Deas and Fisheries Minister Huw Irranca Davies in this programme of Radio 4’s You and Yours
07/01/10 l Full story l Listen to Show |
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Fishing: a valuable source of food with low environmental impact
One of the peculiarities of fisheries politics over the past 10 years or so has been the level of sustained criticism of the industry in the media. Fishermen who had previously been seen as providing the nation with valuable food, produced under difficult and sometimes dangerous conditions came, over a very short timeframe, to be portrayed as “pillagers and rapers” of the marine environment.
07/01/10 l Full story |
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Days at Sea in 2010
One of the Federation’s priorities for January is to agree as far as possible with Defra the terms of the days at sea regime for vessels operating in the Cod Recovery Zone.
The effort control year runs from the 1st February and our overriding priority is to avoid any abrupt and disruptive closures in the coming year due to exhaustion of the UK’s allocation of Kwdays.
06/01/10 l Full story |
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New Era of Co-Decision Making
The Lisbon Treaty means that from here on in all decisions on European fisheries issues will be made jointly by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament. The exception to this general arrangement is the year-end decisions on quota and effort levels, which will still be made by the Council on the basis of a proposal by the Commission.
23/12/09 l Full story |
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NFFO Yearbook 2010
The 2010 NFFO Yearbook has now been distributed to NFFO members, through your producer organisation if you are a PO member and directly from us if you are not.
23/12/09 l Full story |
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Outlook For 2010: Chairman’s Overview
NFFO Chairman Davy Hill Looks Forward into the New Year
2009 was a year of intense activity for the NFFO and looking forward, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that although some of the emphasis and focus of work will shift, the workload will be no lighter in 2010.
22/12/09 l Full story |
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December Council
TACs and Quotas for 2010
This year’s quota negotiations were unusual in two respects. Firstly, the breakdown of the EU Norway negotiations in December meant that only interim TACs could be set for North Sea shared stocks like cod, haddock, whiting, saithe and plaice, pending the resumption of talks and presumable agreement with Norway in the New Year. These provisional TACs have been set at 65% of 2009 levels.
21/12/09 l Full story |
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Quota Talks Begin in Brussels
The annual quota negotiations have begun in Brussels following a late evening meeting between an NFFO delegation and UK Fisheries Minister Huw Irranca-Davies to finalise the UK’s priorities.
16/12/09 l Full story |
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Fisheries Science Partnership Leads the World
The Fisheries Science Partnership between Cefas, Defra and the NFFO has been running since 2003 and is recognised as a model of how to build close collaborative relationships between the fishing industry and scientists and on how to arrive at a shared view on the state of the fish stocks.
11/12/09 l Full story |
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Outgoing Borg on the Future
In a wide ranging summary to a recent meeting of the EU Advisory Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture, the outgoing Commissioner Joe Borg, outlined his views on the future direction of travel for Commission policy fisheries.
10/12/09 l Full story |
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NFFO’s Response to the CFP Green Paper
The NFFO’s response to the Commission’s Green Paper is now complete and will be dispatched to the Commission in the next week, well before the 31st December deadline..
10/12/09 l Full story |
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NFFO Challenges MPA Science Panel
The NFFO has heavily criticised the appointment of what Defra is calling an “independent Science Advisory Panel”, which will advise on whether Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) proposals meet the government’s scientific criteria for delivering its much touted Ecologically Coherent Network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
10/12/09 l Full story |
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Commissioner Challenged on “Cosmetic” TACs
EU Fisheries Commissioner, Joe Borg, was challenged by the NFFO to move beyond TAC reductions and minimal by-catch limits, which provide an illusion of dealing with difficult by-catch issues, towards real solutions to difficult conservation issues.
10/12/09 l Full story |
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Quota Negotiations for 2010
Preparation for this year’s quota negotiations began in April, with preliminary discussions with Defra officials but have increased in intensity since ICES advice was published towards the end of May.
09/12/09 l Full story
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Norway Talks Break Down
A short lived third round of EU Norway talks in Bergen this week failed to rescue the annual reciprocal agreement from breakdown.
09/12/09 l Full story
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“Work with the Industry Not Against It” NFFO South West Committee Tells Natural England on Inshore MPA Proposals
The NFFO South West Committee questioned Natural England over its proposed inshore Special Area of Conservation (SAC) marine protected areas at its meeting in Exeter on 23rd November. The South West is subject to proposals that would cover 1417 square kilometres of coastal waters.
30/11/09 l Full story |
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New High Level All-Industry Body Formed to Fight MPA Issue
Launch of MPA Fishing Coalition Early Next Year
27/11/09 l Full story
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Federations Brief Westminster MPs
The NFFO and Scottish Fishermen’s Federation recently briefed Westminster MPs in preparation for the annual fisheries debate on 1st December.
27/11/09 l Full story
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NFFO West Coast Committee Focuses on Inshore Issues
The NFFO West Coast Committee brought together Bella Murfin, Defra's head of the Access to Fisheries policy team and Chief Fisheries Officers from the two North West SFCs to discuss the issues facing the sector at its latest meeting in Whitehaven on 18th November. The meeting was preceded by a port visit to Maryport.
25/11/09 l Full story
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Commission Forced to Back Down on Technical Rules
A Commission proposal to hand itself additional powers to apply technical rules has been decisively rejected by member states at a recent Council of Ministers in Brussels. The NFFO lobbied vigorously against adoption of the flawed proposal which was being forced through by the Commission to beat co-decision making with the European Parliament. Co-decision to reduce the democratic deficit in Brussels is an integral part of the Lisbon Treaty.
23/11/09 l Full story |
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Battle to Curb Technical Conservation Fiasco
Commission Proposals “Reckless and Irresponsible”
The European Commission’s proposal for new technical conservation rules is a travesty, which breaks all the principles of good governance. The reason that the Commission has belatedly decided to force a new technical conservation onto the statute books is to beat the arrival of the Lisbon Treaty, when all fisheries legislation, apart from the year end TACs and effort levels, will be subject to co-decision making with the European Parliament.
16/11/09 l Full story |
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Edinburgh Conference Points the Way for a Reformed CFP
NFFO Chief Executive, Barrie Deas, one of the speakers at the recent RAC conference on decision making within a reformed CFP, said: “This conference, involving six regional advisory councils, provided a clear steer on how, in the view of the major stakeholders, the CFP should now evolve.”
16/11/09 l Full story |
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10% Margin of Tolerance from 1st January
The Council of Ministers, in the early hours of Tuesday morning, adopted a 10% margin of tolerance between logbook estimate and landing declaration, as part of a new EU Control Regulation, after the NFFO and its allies put up an epic effort to block the new rule.
20/10/09 l Full story
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North Sea RAC Condemns Rush to beat Lisbon
The North Sea RAC has issued a stiffly worded press release criticising the Commission's drive to force through new legislation to beat the introduction of co-decision-making with the European Parliament.
19/10/09 l Full story
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MPs Warned “Short-sighted Greens Cannot Cripple MCZ Designations in Marine Bill”
The NFFO is calling on MPs not to allow simplistic and ill considered green lobby calls to limit the extent to which the Marine Bill will allow the livelihoods of coastal communities to be accounted for in the designation of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs).
19/10/09 l Full story |
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MFA Meeting on Current Issues
Members of the NFFO Executive met with the Marine and Fisheries Agency in York recently, to discuss the main areas of concern on the MFA’s operational side.
19/10/09 l Full story |
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Nobel Prize Boosts Prospects for CFP Reform
The kind of CFP reforms pressed for by the NFFO, have received a tremendous boost by this year’s Nobel prize for economics.
19/10/09 l Full story
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Rush to beat Lisbon will result in Flawed Technical Rules
Briefing Note on the Proposed Technical Conservation Regulation
14/10/09 l Full story |
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New Start on Irish Sea Management
The failure of cod recovery measures in the Irish Sea and what might be done to replace the current regime, was the subject of a major meeting, held recently in Belfast and organised by the North West Waters Regional Advisory Council.
07/10/09 l Full story |
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NFFO Leads Campaign on margin of Tolerance
The NFFO is spearheading a campaign to extract the margin of tolerance issue from the new Control Regulation. The new regulation is expected to be agreed at the next Council of Ministers on 20th October.
28/09/09 l Full story |
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Major UK fishermen’s federations meet shadow fisheries minister
A meeting was held on Friday 18 September at the Northern Irish Parliament in Stormont between UK fisheries minister Richard Benyon MP and leaders of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations and the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation to discuss important fisheries policy issues
21/09/09 l Full story |
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Marine Licensing: The Opportunities and Risks
As the Marine Bill concludes its final stages in parliament before passing into law, the NFFO is now entering into detailed discussions to define the secondary legislation following on from the Bill. This has started with a new marine licensing process for marine works and developments.
18/09/09 l Full story |
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Federation in Intense Dialogue on Marine Protected Areas
Natural England and JNCC, the Government’s statutory advisors on Nature Conservancy, were warned at a recent meeting with the Federation that the fishing industry was entirely right in treating the rush to introduce a variety of marine protected areas with deep suspicion and that suspicion would remain until its fears are allayed. Fishermen are more vulnerable than any other marine group, and marine protected areas had the capacity to disrupt, and even destroy fishing livelihoods.
04/09/09 l Full story |
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“Make Your Voice Heard” Calls NFFO Shellfish Chairman
A project to assess the relative merits of alternative management approaches for the brown crab fishery is now underway and will be speaking to fishermen across the UK and Republic of Ireland over the coming weeks. The project, supported by Seafish, is the culmination of a concerted focus by the industry that has brought together key fishermen’s representative bodies including the NFFO, SFF, SAGB, WFFA, NIFPO and Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, towards securing the basis for a profitable future for the sector.
14/08/09 l Full story |
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Electronic Net Gauge
The EU exemption from using the new electronic mesh gauge expires on 1st September. From that date onwards, therefore, fisheries officers will use the new gauges instead of the traditional hand held wedge gauge.
14/08/09 l Full story |
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West Coast Committee Engages the Irish Sea Marine Conservation Zone Project
The NFFO West Coast Committee at its recent meeting held in Barrow-in Furness was given presentations on the recently launched Irish Sea Marine Conservation Zone Project and Seafish’s Responsible Fishing Scheme, with members getting a direct opportunity to question the various representatives about the schemes.
14/08/09 l Full story
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NFFO AGM
The NFFO’s AGM will this year be held in St William’s College, York, on Thursday 17th September at 10.30. All NFFO members are welcome to attend.
13/08/09 l Full story
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Control Regulation Moving Fast
The new EU Control Regulation is moving rapidly towards adoption by the Council of Ministers in October, raising fears that this hectic timetable will result in a botched job.
10/08/09 l Full story
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Scientific Advice for TACs and Quotas in 2010
The NFFO played a full role in a major meeting organised recently by the European Commission to hear the annual scientific advice on the stocks and to prepare for the Commission’s proposals for next year’s TACs and quotas.
30/07/09 l Full story |
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Sledgehammers and Nuts: What do Drugs Barons, Terrorists and Fishermen have in Common?
The recent conclusion of the long-running court case about fish landings in Newlyn, has brought the use the Serious Organised Crime Agency, for fisheries offences, into the spotlight.
27/07/09 l Full story |
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ICES Advice: “Most Stocks Stable”
In an overview given to a major consultative meeting on the Scientific Advice on European fish stocks, held recently in Brussels, a senior ICES scientist stated that most European fish stocks can be categorised as being broadly stable. This will come as no great surprise to fishermen who directly experience the fluctuations in abundance from one year to the next but it is a very welcome and important message from a body that has not always been immune from importing a hysterical tone into its press statements.
27/07/09 l Full story |
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There’s “Overfishing”, then there’s “Overfishing”
“Overfishing” is a widely used phrase, especially in the media. But it doesn’t always mean the same thing. Over the last ten years or so the term has changed its meaning quite radically. It has moved from a term suggesting a practise that if not halted will lead to the extinction of a species, or at the very least the collapse of a commercial fish stock.
22/07/09 l Full story |
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Commission Double Standards on RAC Advice
Shifting goal posts and weak assessments cripple ICES advice
At its most recent working group meetings, the North West Regional Advisory Council was told by the European Commission that its advice would only be accepted if it was based on hard evidence.
13/07/09 l Full story |
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Crewing Crisis: Joint NFFO/SFF Delegation
A joint delegation from the NFFO and the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation met recently with the Migration Advisory Committee at the Home Office, to underscore the consequences for the fishing industry if the UK Borders Agency continues to pursue its current policy of repatriating Filipino fishermen brought to the UK on transit visas.
03/07/09 l Full story |
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TACS and Quotas for 2010
The process of establishing Total Allowable Catches and Quotas for 2010 has begun with the publication of ICES scientific advice and a statement from the Commission which outlines the approach it will be adopting when it comes to make its proposals around November.
03/07/09 l Full story
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North Sea Stocks Survey 2009
The NFFO in collaboration with the North Sea Regional Advisory Council and other Fishermen’s representative bodies are again running the North Sea Stocks Survey that invites fishermen to contribute their knowledge on the status and trends in stocks subject to TACs. The survey has now been running since 2003.
26/06/09 l Full story |
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Real Time and Area Closures
Real time closures are now established as a significant feature of the Cod Recovery Plan. Cod avoidance measures such as real time closures and the use of highly selective gear, allow vessels to “buy-back” at least some of the 25% cut in days at sea imposed at the last December Council. Real time closures were trialled last year by the Scottish Executive and have been applied more extensively this year.
25/06/09 l Full story |
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Shellfish Consultation
An NFFO delegation met recently with Defra officials and the Shellfish Association of Great Britain to discuss shellfish policy.
24/06/09 l Full story |
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NFFO Speech on CFP Reform
The NFFO recently shared a platform with European Fisheries Commissioner, Joe Borg at an event organised by the influential European Policy Centre. The speech is reproduced below.
19/06/09 l Full story |
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Crewing Chaos
The new Home Office polices on the entry of non EEA nationals to the UK threatens to cause chaos in those parts of the UK fleet that are now heavily dependent on skilled fishermen from the Philippines. The Federation has written to the Chairman of the Migration Advisory Committee, which advises the Home Office and the UK Borders Agency, in the following terms:
11/06/09 l Full story |
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Don’t Misunderstand our Position on Effort Control
NFFO Tells Minister
The NFFO has written to the UK Fisheries Minister Hugh Irranca-Davies to reaffirm its opposition to effort control - and to reiterate its determination to secure its removal at the earliest opportunity. The letter follows comments made by the Minister (FN 29th May) on the obstacles to reopening the EC cod recovery plan.
29/05/09 l Full story |
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Marine Stewardship Council
An NFFO delegation recently met the MSC at its London headquarters. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss a range of issues arising from the MSC accreditation and logo scheme.
26/05/09 l Full story |
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The End of the Line
The current press excitement over the film The End of the Line raises two fundamental questions. Those questions are:
Do journalists sensationalise?
Do the media exaggerate?
08/06/09 l Full story |
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NFFO and SFF meet to Build United Approach on Effort Control
The two national federations, the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations and the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, met in recently in Glasgow to confer on the case they are jointly building to address the industry’s serious misgivings about where the EU cod recovery plan is taking the fleet.
19/05/09 l Full story |
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John Dent Taylor
24 June 1960 – 10 May 2009
We are sad to have to record the death of John Taylor, a member of the NFFO Executive Committee and inshore fisherman from Newbiggin by the Sea.
19/05/09 l Full story |
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CFP Reform
The publication of the Commission’s Green Paper on CFP reform has started a process of intense engagement by the Federation. The Green Paper is remarkable for its suggestion that the forthcoming reform should be both radical and deep and should put European fisheries on an entirely different footing, including a transfer of decision-making responsibility away from Brussels towards regional management bodies and the fishing industry itself. If the Federation is to influence the debate on CFP reform that will rage until the end of the year, it will have to be extremely active in both defending our members’ interests and advocating change in a positive direction.
15/05/09 l Full story |
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Scottish Quota Climbdown
It has been evident for some time now that the Scottish administration’s proposals for a separate quota and licensing system, on terms defined unilaterally in Edinburgh, and based around UK quota self-defined as “Scottish”, were going nowhere.
15/05/09 l Full story |
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NFFO Hosts the 2009 Buckland Lecture
One of the prestigious Buckland Lectures will this year be held to coincide with a meeting of the Federation’s Executive Committee.
05/05/09 l Full story |
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Fisheries: The Missing Layer in Marine Planning
Under the Westminster Marine Bill and the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the government is legally committing itself to delivering a network of marine protected areas. This process is happening at a time when there is a growth in other competing interests in the marine environment, notably with the expansion of offshore wind farms. Other sectors as well as conservation interests are therefore laying their claim to marine space that was once the sole provenance of the fishing industry.
29/04/09 l Full story |
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Celtic Sea Effort Control
There are signs that the arguments put forward by the NFFO, Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation along with our allies in France and Ireland, have persuaded the Commission that it would be a mistake to include the Celtic Sea in the Cod Recovery Plan - with associated inclusion in the days at sea regime. At a recent meeting of the North West Waters Regional Advisory Council held in Paris, Commission officials indicated that the case put forward - that the ultra-mixed fisheries that characterise of Celtic sea should not be managed through a blunt instrument like effort control – had been persuasive and that the goal of including the Celtic sea in the Cod Recovery Plan from 1st January 2010 had been dropped.
29/04/09 l Full story |
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Starter Kit for Bone Idle Journalists
The recent spate of superficial and sensationalist stories appearing in the media has provoked the Federation into preparing a starter kit for journalists too lazy to make the effort to understand the fishing industry. It takes the form of a list of dos and don’ts:
27/04/09 l Full story |
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RAC adopts NFFO Irish Sea Proposals
At its recent meeting in Paris the North West Waters Regional Council adopted the NFFO’s proposals for a new approach to fisheries science in the Irish Sea. A paper submitted by the Federation and discussed by the Irish Sea Working Group, has now been approved by the Executive Committee.
27/04/09 l Full story |
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North Sea RAC Works on Long Term Management Plan for Nephrops
A strong NFFO delegation recently attended a North Sea RAC meeting in Edinburgh which has been tasked to progress work on a long term management plan for the North Sea nephrops fishery. This is pioneering work as the type of management plan envisaged by the RAC bears little relation to the set of harvest control rules, imposed from above, that currently pass for a management plan.
27/04/09 l Full story |
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Port Visits Programme to be Basis for Mapping Programme
Alan McCulla to forge industry response to Maine Conservation Zones and Offshore wind-farms.
24/04/09 l Full story |
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NFFO North East Committee Demands Realistic Approach to Whiting TAC
The present TAC and management arrangements for North Sea whiting do not reflect the realities on the ground and can only result in increased discards. That was the conclusion of a meeting of the NFFO’s North East Committee held recently in North Shields.
09/04/09 l Full story |
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The Dangers of a 2.5 Year Marine Protected Area “Quick-Fix”
The stark reality that the government’s predefined timeframe will lead to the selection of a network of Marine Conservation Zones (MCZ) in as little as two and half years was emphasised at a recent meeting attended by the NFFO to establish a North Sea Marine Conservation Zone project. The project is expected to be soon underway to cover the North Sea out to the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone from the Scottish border to north of the Thames.
07/04/09 l Full story |
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Constant Vulnerability to Prosecution With No Purpose: The NFFO Spells Out the Margin of Tolerance Issue
At a recent meeting with senior Commission officials, in Brussels, the NFFO spelt out the problems caused by the 8% margin of tolerance between logbook estimate and landing declaration. The Commission’s proposal for a new Control Regulation lowers the MoT to 5%, when there is abundant evidence from across Europe that it is wholly unrealistic to expect fishermen to estimate their catch on board to that level of accuracy.
07/04/09 l Full story |
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NFFO and SFF Agree Joint Approach on Effort Regime and CFP Reform
The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations have agreed to work together to secure immediate and long term changes to the effort management regime. It has also been agreed to work together on CFP reform in light of the publication of the Commission’s Green Paper.
01/04/09 l Full story |
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Crab and Lobster Measures: “Must be Considered, not Rushed” Says NFFO’s Shellfish Committee Chairman
NFFO’s new Shellfish Committee Chairman Gary Hodgson is determined to push forward with a re-examination of brown crab and lobster conservation measures. He had urged NFFO members to get involved through its Regional and Shellfish Committees and to contribute to defining the Federation’s policy stance.
31/03/09 l Full story |
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Offshore Windfarms: The Crown Estate
A meeting between the Crown Estate and the NFFO was held recently at our York Offices, to discuss ways of minimising the impact of Round 3 offshore wind-farms on the fishing industry. There is general agreement that the first two rounds, although much smaller in scale than the new round, offered little or no opportunity for the fishing industry to influence the siting of the wind-farms.
30/03/09 l Full story |
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NFFO Response to the Interim Outcome of Consultation Report February 2009
The NFFO recently formally responded to the Scottish Executive’s “Interim Response” to its proposal for a separate quota management system in Scotland.
23/03/09 l Full story |
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NFFO West Coast Committee Reconvenes
The NFFO West Coast Committee recently reconvened in Lancaster. The meeting was well attended with representatives from fishermen’s associations from across the region, including Whitehaven, Barrow, Heysham, Morecombe and Fleetwood. Ron Graham was appointed as Chairman and Dick Langley as Vice Chairman.
23/03/09 l Full story |
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Light Dues Exemption
The Lighthouse Authorities are consulting on an increase in the light dues charge. However, following a case to Ministers made by the NFFO, for the first time in over two decades the fishing industry in England is exempt from the charges.
23/03/09 l Full story |
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Effort Control: The NFFO Position
The NFFO remains engaged in intensive discussions with Defra over the implementation of the new Cod Recovery Plan. We have come to the inescapable conclusion that the scale of effort reductions imposed will seriously jeopardise the long term viability of the vessels that are subject to it, even though strenuous efforts are being made to “buyback” days through various cod avoidance measures. The paper below spells out the NFFO position in detail.
19/03/09 l Full story |
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NFFO Urges Under-10s to Appeal
The NFFO has urged all fishermen who operate under 10m vessels and have been allocated a limited quota license, under the new split licence system, to appeal against the decision.
17/03/09 l Full story |
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NFFO works with RACs to change new Control Regulation
The NFFO is working intensively with the North Sea and North West Waters regional advisory councils to secure changes to a Commission proposal for a new EU fisheries control regulation.
16/03/09 l Full story |
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Three-day Meeting on the Future of the CFP
Federation representatives recently attended a major three-day meeting with senior Commission officials, including Director General, Fokion Fotiadis, on the future reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. The meeting was held in Rome and, along with a large number of Commission officials, was attended by representatives of major fishing organisations from across Europe.
16/03/09 l Full story |
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NFFO South West Committee Gains Seat on Finding Sanctuary
The NFFO South West Committee has secured a seat on the Steering Group of Finding Sanctuary, a project charged with designing a network of Marine Conservation Zones MCZs in the South West by 2012. The Committee will use the seat to make representations on behalf of the NFFO South West membership.
13/03/09 l Full story |
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Food Security: NFFO Evidence to Parliamentary Committee
A Parliamentary Committee, chaired by former Fisheries Minister Michael Jack MP, recently received both written and oral evidence from the NFFO. The EFRA (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) Committee is investigating Britain’s ability to feed itself in the future against the background of growing word population and potential political and environmental interruptions to supply.
05/03/09 l Full story |
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St Thomas’ Hospital Dreadnought Unit: A Facility open to the Fishing Industry
NFFO members are reminded that the Dreadnought Unit of St Thomas’ Hospital in London is open to seamen and fishermen in need of treatment. A number of NFFO members have received First Class treatment, including heart bypass operations, in this facility. The hospital is situated directly opposite the Houses of Parliament in London.
05/03/09 l Full story |
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Irish Sea Fisheries Science
Unless fishermen have confidence in the science on which their quotas are based and the rules under which they operate are fixed, fisheries managers will always face an uphill struggle and the industry will resent the constraints that impact on their livelihoods. Scientists, fishermen and fisheries managers all therefore have a common interest in assessments that are accurate, impartial and relevant.
02/03/09 l Full story |
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Self- Regulation: An Alternative to Fisheries Micro-management
The Commission’s proposal for a new Control Regulation has triggered a strong reaction that, along with the forthcoming reform of the CFP, could have long-term repercussions. The Proposal was discussed at the recent meeting of the North Sea RAC in Berlin, and apart from disbelief at the backward looking tone of the document, the RAC expressed a will to develop a workable, viable, alternative.
02/03/09 l Full story |
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Scottish Economic Link Proposal Punctured
The Scottish Executive’s long awaited reaction to a consultation on the establishment of a separate quota system in Scotland has met a robust response from Defra Fisheries Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies.
02/03/09 l Full story |
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Belgian Fishing Effort in the Bristol Channel
Belgian fishing industry representatives met recently with Bristol Channel Fishermen in a meeting organised by the NFFO to address a range of concerns. The meeting made progress on a number of fronts.
19/02/09 l Full story |
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JNCC insists that it has listened and will listen on Marine Protected Areas
JNCC, the Government’s statutory advisors on nature conservation, has written to the NFFO to insist that it will listen to, and fully take account of, the fishing industry’s views on the designation of marine protected areas. The move follows a recent meeting between JNCC and NFFO in York to discuss the latest round of areas to be designated as Special Areas of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive.
16/02/09 l Full story |
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Dogger Bank Marine Protected Area
A pre-consultation meeting between the NFFO and the Government’s statutory advisors on conservation, JNCC, was held recently in the Federation’s York offices to discuss the designation of the Dogger Bank as a Special Area of Conservation, under the requirements of the EU Habitats Directive.
10/02/09 l Full story |
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“The future of fisheries lies in Long Term Management Plans.”
“The Future of Fisheries Lies in Long-term Management Plans – the challenge is how to establish a process that integrates biology and economics and places stakeholders at the heart of that process”
04/02/09 l Full story
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Interim Effort Regime
In order to minimise the impact of the new cod recovery plan on its members, the NFFO has reached broad agreement with Defra on the shape of a UK interim days-at-sea regime that will apply from 1st February until 30th April 2009. The Federation’s support for the arrangements hinges on a number of important conditions that Defra has agreed to address.
03/02/09 l Full story |
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NFFO on the Road: Fishermen Call for Greater Involvement in Marine Science for Offshore Development Projects
There should be more effective ways for fishermen to provide information on the environmental impact of marine developments. That is what Cefas scientists heard at recent NFFO ports visits in Barrow and Fleetwood. Cefas had been invited to the ports to discuss their role in marine development planning and answer questions about environmental impacts.
02/02/09 l Full story |
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Debate on the Future of the CFP Starts in Earnest
The debate on the CFP after 2012 started in earnest this week with an exchange of views between fishing industry representatives from the UK, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy and Malta and senior Commission officials. The meeting was hosted by Europeche, the European fishing industry trade federation, as part of the preparations for a Commission Green Paper on the CFP that will be published in the spring.
27/01/09 l Full story |
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Fisheries Science Projects for 2009/2010
The Federation will shortly be submitting its suggestions for fisheries science projects for the coming year. Member organisations are invited to submit projects for consideration.
26/01/09 l Full story |
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Minister Provides Clear Assurances on Marine Conservation Zones
Fisheries Minister Huw Irranca-Davies gave the fishing industry clear assurances on its central involvement in the process of designating marine conservation zones, at a recent meeting with industry representatives. Officials alongside the Minister indicated that there was no question of the Government agreeing to a target of 30% or any other arbitrary percentage of the marine environment to be set aside as marine protection zones. The Government would proceed carefully and thoroughly.
23/01/09 l Full story |
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Science Breakthrough
A meeting in Copenhagen in mid January may prove to be a breakthrough to a better kind of fisheries science. ICES, the body of international scientists who provide fisheries advice to the European Commission, is undergoing a major reform, part of which is the introduction of “benchmark” meetings that will fundamentally review the quality of fish stock assessments, stock by stock. The idea is for scientists, along with representatives from the fishing industry and independent experts, to analyse how assessments are undertaken, identify any weaknesses and suggest improvements.
22/01/09 l Full story |
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Discards: The Dangers of Posturing
Although no formal announcement has yet been made, there are signs that the Commission’s discard policy has stalled and is likely to founder on the outgoing Commissioner’s ambition to have a discard- free CFP as his legacy. Joe Borg, the current Commissioner, is due to leave office during the course of this year and has ambitions to be seen as the man who ended discards in the EU, even if this is a relatively empty gesture without substance.
22/01/09 l Full story |
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Effort Control in 2009
The NFFO is currently engaged in intensive discussions with Defra officials on the form that the effort control regime will take in 2009. The new regime will commence on 1st of February but there are still many unresolved issues, not least the basic question of relevance to vessels affected by the EU cod recovery plan – how many days will each vessel be allowed to fish over the next 12 months?
19/01/09 l Full story |
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New Marine Management Organisation
The first of a series of meetings on the shape and role of the new Marine Management Organisation, was held recently in Reading – almost as far from the sea as it is possible to reach in England. When it becomes active in 2010 the MMO will absorb the Marine Fisheries Agency, oversee the replacements for sea-fisheries committees, and be the main instrument for marine spatial planning, including the designation of marine conservation zones.
16/01/09 l Full story |
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New Control Rules
A meeting was held recently with Defra officials in the NFFO offices in York, on the Commission’s proposal for a new control regulation. The main focus of the meeting was a line-by-line scrutiny of the Commission’s text, firstly to understand what is being proposed and secondly, to alert officials to some of our main areas of concern.
15/01/09 l Full story |
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Intense Start to the New Year
The fishing industry is well used to the intense year-end negotiations in Brussels that settle quotas for the coming year.
It is now clear however that the first few weeks of 2009 will offer little respite, as the Federation works to deal with the consequences of implementing the various agreed measures and new changes on the horizon.
22/12/08 l Full story |
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December Council Media Coverage
The December Council is the time of the year that the fishing industry comes under intense media scrutiny and for this reason helps to shape the public’s perceptions of the industry for the coming year. Hostile and sometimes ill-informed, superficial comment can be highly damaging to the industry’s reputation.
22/12/08 l Full story |
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Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisation
DECEMBER 2008 FISHERIES COUNCIL
The December Fisheries Council finished during Friday 19 December in Brussels, when the TACs and quotas for 2009 were finally agreed. The negotiations took place against the usual background of extreme and draconian proposals from the Commission for big reductions in a number key TACs and quotas for the CFPO.
22/12/08 l Full story |
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Fisheries Council’s Disappointing Outcome for Local Fleet
The disappointing result of the December 2008 EU Fisheries Council has not come as a surprise to the local fishing industry. According to Alan McCulla from the Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers Organisation the tone of this week’s negotiations was set at the November Fisheries Council, when the European Commission forced the new Cod Recovery Programme through the Council. This confirmed the level of reductions on both the cod quota and days at sea at 25%.
22/12/08 l Full story |
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December Council TACs and Quotas for 2009
Headline Summary
North Sea
The key features of the December settlement for the North Sea are:
22/12/08 l Full story
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December Council Overview
This year’s Council of Ministers meeting to decide TACs and quotas for 2009 was held in Brussels between 17th and 19th December. The UK ministerial team was led by Huw Irranca-Davies and the NFFO was represented by a strong team reflecting the breadth of the Federation’s membership and interests.
22/12/08 l Full story |
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NFFO Yearbook
The NFFO Yearbook for 2009 has now been circulated to member organisations for distribution to members. If you haven’t received your yearbook, in the first instance contact your producer organisation if you are a member of a PO and if not, contact the NFFO office on 01904 635430.
18/12/08 l Full story |
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Reducing Industry Costs
Federation Urges Wholesale Review of Regulation Costs
The NFFO has written to Defra urging the Department to maintain the momentum established this summer during the oil price crisis, in reducing the industry’s regulatory costs. Securing the end of light dues and a commitment that the industry would not have to pay for electronic logbooks was important progress for the Federation but the weight of regulation on the industry in purely cost terms is immense and growing. It is vital that more is done to reduce the industry’s costs:
16/12/08 l Full story |
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Mandatory Carriage of Epirbs on all 12-15 metre fishing Vessels
The NFFO puts a lot of effort into ensuring that statutory safety rules are practical and cost effective; this is done mainly through the Federation’s seat on the Fishing Industry Safety Group. The Safety Group provides a forum where the MCA and the fishing industry can exchange views on all aspects of fishing vessel safety.
15/12/08 l Full story |
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EU Norway Agreement for 2009
The EU Norway agreement for reciprocal fisheries arrangements in 2009 was agreed on 10th December after a protracted series of negotiations over three rounds in Bergen, Brussels and Oslo.
12/12/08 l Full story |
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Belgian Fishing Effort in the Bristol Channel
Fishermen in the Bristol Channel have repeatedly raised concerns about the activity of Belgian vessels fishing within the 12 mile limit. The impact of the large Belgian vessels on local stocks such as skates and rays has given rise to fears about the future sustainability of stocks, especially where ex-beam trawlers have changed their fishing method to reduce fuel dependency, and therefore are permitted access between the 6 and 12 mile limits.
10/12/08 l Full story |
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NFFO Team Heads for December Council
The NFFO has fielded a strong team to attend the December Council where critical decisions on fishing opportunities for next year will be made. The team, chosen to cover all of the Federation’s regional and sectoral interests, will travel to Brussels on 17th December to prepare for the Council on 18th and 19th December.
10/12/08 l Full story |
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Rough Justice for Under 10s
The Federation agrees that there is a major problem of latent capacity in the under-10 metre fleet. However, Defra’s decision to solve the problem by pressing ahead with its policy of splitting the under 10 metre licence into two categories ( a full licence for those active under-10s targeting quota species and a limited licence allowing catches of quota species up to a of 300Kgs a year) will involve a very large measure of rough justice.
09/12/08 l Full story |
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Fishermen’s Knowledge: Annual Fisheries Reports
One of the breakthroughs of the last ten years has been the recognition by ICES scientists and policy-makers that fishermen hold a huge reservoir of practical knowledge about stock trends, the effect of fisheries management measures, the interaction of economics and conservation and local marine ecology.
09/12/08 l Full story |
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NFFO Issues Raised with Commissioner Borg
The NFFO used its position on the Advisory Committee for Fisheries and Aquaculture (ACFA) to question European Commissioner, Joe Borg, at a recent meeting in Brussels.
05/12/08 l Full story |
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NFFO Exec Strengthens Positions on Year-end Negotiations
The NFFO Executive Committee met recently in York to strengthen and fine tune the Federation’s positions in relation to the all- important year end negotiations that will determine fishing opportunities for 2009.
03/12/08 l Full story |
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NFFO South West Committee wins Backing from the Shark Trust for Sustainably Managing Rays
At the latest NFFO South West Committee meeting, the Shark Trust gave strong backing to the efforts of NFFO member the North Devon Fishermen’s Association (NDFA) to sustainably manage rays in the Bristol Channel. The association operate a seasonal fishery closure and a voluntary minimum landing size of 38cm in a fishery that it vital to the North Devon industry.
01/12/08 l Full story |
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EU Norway, Second Round, Brussels 24th to 28th November 2008
A Third Round
The second round of EU Norway talks for a reciprocal agreement in 2009 concluded on Friday 28th without a settlement. Both sides were eager to stress that the need for a third round of negotiations reflected the complexity of the issues this year rather than any fundamental obstacles to a deal. The new round of talks will be held in Oslo or Bergen, beginning on 8th December.
01/12/08 l Full story |
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