News

Coalition Proposes New Approach to MPAs

25 January 2012

The MPA Fishing Coalition has had its first meeting of the year with DEFRA, MMO, IFCAs and the statutory nature conservation bodies.

Effort Control and Selectivity in 2012

25 January 2012

The difficult, thankless, task of managing effort (days at sea restrictions) under the EU Cod Management Plan in the 2012 effort year (from 1st February) has begun..

2012 – A critical year ahead

5 January 2012

All the signs are that 2012 will be a pivotal year for the fishing industry.

MPA Fishing Coalition Takes Stock

4 January 2012

MPAC, the alliance of fishing organisations which was formed to defend access to fishing grounds during the establishment of a network of marine protected areas in UK waters, has recently taken stock of progress made so far.

TAC Decisions and NGO Naivity

22 December 2011

The Marine Conservation Society has apparently pronounced itself “appalled” at the recent December Council TAC decisions where these varied considerably from the Commission’s proposals.

South East Regional Committee

22 December 2011

Chairman Tony Delahunty, Selsey

North East NFFO Regional Committee

21 December 2011

The NFFO’s North East Committee has had an exceptionally busy year.

The Common Fisheries Policy: A Failed Experiment in Centralised Control

19 December 2011

TACs and Effort Move in Opposite Directions

North Sea

19 December 2011

The main North Sea joint stock TACs were agreed with Norway in late November and with the exception of saithe.

December Council: South West Focus

19 December 2011

Paul Trebilcock Cornish Fish Producers and NFFO Chairman-elect

South East: TACs and Quotas

19 December 2011

Tony Delahunty, Chairman of the NFFO South East Committee, represented the South East’s interests at the December Council said:

Irish Sea Fishermen “Deflated by EU Decisions”Alan McCulla Chief Executive of the Anglo-North Irish Fish Producers Organisation

19 December 2011

After two days of negotiations in Brussels, the conclusion of the EU’s Fisheries Council in the early hours of Saturday morning has left Northern Ireland’s fishermen feeling deflated.

Effort Control in 2012: Back from the Precipice

19 December 2011

The UK, with strong support from France, Germany, Spain, Netherlands and Denmark, managed to overturn the Commission’s perverse interpretation of the Article 13 effort buyback provisions which, if implemented, would have left the main whitefish and nephrops fleets with only a few weeks fishing in 2012.

The Precautionary Approach and Fisheries Policy

14 December 2011

The precautionary approach is now well embedded within fisheries science and fisheries policy, and has been since the late 1990s.

Commissioner Damanaki and Europeche

9 December 2011

For the first time since she took office two years ago, Commissioner Damanaki met recently with Europeche, the principal European level representative body for the European fishing industry.

EU Norway Agreement – Brief Summary of Outcomes

5 December 2011

The Catch Quota scheme will have up to 12% cod quota over and above the TAC for 2012 (the same percentage as last year).

Effort Control: Confusion, Confrontation but Precious Little Conservation

5 December 2011

It would be hard to imagine a fisheries policy instrument than the EU effort control regime that causes so much confusion and grief for so little return in conservation terms.

Mixed Fisheries

1 December 2011

Many of the really difficult issues facing our industry arise from how to manage mixed fisheries. From a fishing vessel perspective mixed fisheries offer an opportunity to catch a range of species that have market value.

The Dubious Science of Marine Conservation Zones

29 November 2011

NFFO’s Dale Rodmell participated in 3 out of the 4 regional MCZ projects and closely works with the MPA Fishing Coalition. He gives his views on the current state of the Marine Conservation Zone planning process.

Simplification Agenda

23 November 2011

Once the year-end quota and effort negotiations have concluded and we begin the New Year, it can be anticipated that discussions on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy will take off in earnest.

Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy

23 November 2011

Submission Prepared by the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations in response to Commission Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council on the Common Fisheries Policy

First Round of EU Norway Talks

18 November 2011

The first round of negotiations towards the annual fisheries agreement between the EU and Norway was held recently in Brussels.

Constructive Meeting on Marine Spatial Planning

18 November 2011

A constructive meeting with the representatives from the Marine Management Organisation was held in the NFFO offices recently to discuss the arrival of marine spatial planning and in particular, the first two draft marine plans.

MPA Fishing Coalition Welcomes Minister’s Revised MCZ Timetable

17 November 2011

The MPA Fishing Coalition has welcomed UK Fisheries Minister, Richard Benyon’s announcement that further time will be allowed to designate a network of marine conservation zones in UK waters, to allow additional time to collect evidence on their location and boundaries.