News - Page 5 of 40

UK-EU Fisheries Agreement for 2021

7 June 2021

The marathon 5-month negotiation between the UK and the EU for a fisheries agreement for 2021 has concluded with a settlement. Some details on the written record are still being finalised but the Secretary of State for the UK and the Fisheries Commissioner for the EU have both announced agreement in principle.

The Seafarers’ Charity and Commsave Credit Union announce new financial support for fishing families

18 May 2021

A revolutionary new initiative funded by The Seafarers’ Charity will provide access to a range of affordable financial services for fishing families. The Fishing Without a Safety Net research commissioned by the Charity demonstrated that new interventions were needed to create a better financial safety net for fishing families. The first significant solution emerging from the research findings sees Commsave Credit Union open its services to the UK fishing community on 14 April 2021.

NFFO Training Trust offers Grants worth £100,000

17 May 2021

The NFFO Training Trust, the charity arm of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, has announced that it will be offering grants worth a total of £100,000 to support training and safety in the fishing industry.

Jersey

7 May 2021

The blockade of St Helier by French fishing vessels and the somewhat hysterical political over-reaction that has included threats to cut off electricity supplies to the island, will hopefully pass without further escalation, when calmer heads are engaged.

No Norway Agreement for 2021

30 April 2021

It has become clear that there will be no UK/Norway bilateral fisheries agreement for 2021. At a heads of delegation meeting today (29th April) Norway rejected a UK offer and it was concluded that the talks which have been under way since January could go no further.

UK agrees fishing catch limits with EU and Norway

16 March 2021

The UK has reached agreement with the EU and Norway on Total Allowable Catches for jointly managed stocks in the North Sea. The Government statement announcing the deal is reproduced below.

40 Marine Protected Areas in 3 Years

16 March 2021

One per month as Government adopts Blitzkrieg approach to management measures.

Future of Inshore Fisheries: Did FOIF die?

12 March 2021

The NFFO takes stock of what happened to the Future of Inshore Fisheries Initiative. Amid Covid and the general post-TCA gloom, many are wondering what happened to the Future of Inshore Fisheries initiative. The vivid flash of inspiration and optimism when fishers and managers got together, in October 2019, for the wildly successful FOIF conference seems like an eternity ago. Since then, we have been through the mill and there has been a disturbing silence about the follow up to the conference. The UK’s failure to secure an exclusive 12-mile limit seems like a nail in the coffin lid for the project.

England expects ….. a beating

4 March 2021

It may be nothing, but No 10 has replied to the Scottish Fishermen’s letter criticising the outcome of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU, whilst the NFFO’s letter has gone unanswered.

From Fisheries Science to Fake News

26 February 2021

Media coverage of the fishing industry carries its share of overexcited catastrophe narratives.

NFFO Calls on Political Parties to condemn Greenpeace Vigilantes

25 February 2021

The NFFO has written to the leaders of the main political parties, and to UK fisheries ministers and shadows, pressing them to condemn Greenpeace’s most recent publicity stunt in unequivocal terms.

Government Agrees to Second Financial Support Package

21 February 2021

After weeks of lobbying by the NFFO the Government has announced a further tranche of financial support for the fishing industry. An announcement has been made of a rerun of last April’s Fisheries Response Fund under a new heading of Seafood Response Fund, with a number of adjustments and on a UK rather than an England-only basis. The package will draw on the £23 million fund already announced. The NFFO has made the case that if fishing businesses are to survive this extended period of depleted and disrupted markets, over a period then they still face significant fixed costs, then the Government must again step in. The Government has now responded to those concerns.

The Blame Game

18 February 2021

The Herald has published a partial version of the NFFO’s response to ex-MEP Struan Stevenson’s criticisms of the fishing industry. Below we publish the full version.

NFFO Keeps Pressure on for Financial Support

17 February 2021

The NFFO has written again to Secretary of State, George Eustice and Fisheries Minister, Victoria Prentis, for a second trance of financial support for fishing businesses which are struggling to survive.

UK/EU Annual Negotiations: A trial of strength is under way masked by the language of cooperation

15 February 2021

Undermining Regulatory Autonomy: The first few plenary sessions of the negotiations for a UK/EU fisheries agreement for 2021 have provided a glimpse into the UK’s future relationship with the EU. The online talks are currently under way in the wake of the disastrous outcome to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement concluded on Christmas Eve. The terms of that agreement cede automatic access for EU vessels to fish in UK waters (including the 6-12nm zone) for the next 51/2 years. The UK, however, retains regulatory autonomy over the rules which apply to all vessels fishing within the UK exclusive economic zone. A major battle now looms as the EU seeks to undermine and dilute that autonomy, whilst simultaneously paying lip service to it.

NFFO calls for financial support

3 February 2021

The NFFO has written urgently to fisheries ministers making the case for a further tranche of financial support under the Fisheries Response Fund

Sledgehammer to Fishing in MPAs

1 February 2021

In a shocking development, the Marine Management Organisation has announced that it intends to ban all forms of towed bottom gears in the Dogger Bank SAC and the majority of three other offshore MPAs. The knock-on effects of this brutal approach will not stay confined to MPAs as fishing activity is displaced from its customary areas. The decision has been taken with zero discussion with those affected.

Need Should be Basis For Additional Quota

19 January 2021

The NFFO has written to the Secretary of State, George Eustice, arguing that additional quota secured from the EU should be first and foremost use to address cases where acute quota shortages threaten the viability of fishing vessels.

The New Normal?

18 January 2021

No Sign of Border Obstacles Dissipating

A letter to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson

15 January 2021

The NFFO has written in strong terms to the Prime Minister about the Government's portrayal of the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement as a success on fisheries:

New Era Opens

11 January 2021

Annual Fisheries Agreements for 2021: Trilateral and bilateral negotiations have now opened between the UK and adjacent coastal states including EU, Norway and Faeroes. The aim will be to agree (if possible) total allowable catches for shared stocks and other fisheries management measures for 2021. Talks are being held remotely because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In normal circumstances access arrangements to fish in each other’s waters and quota allocations of shared stocks are part and parcel of annual fisheries agreements between coastal states. The UK, however, enters its first annual negotiations with the EU with one hand tied (and will for the next five-and-a-half years) because of the terms of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU reached on Christmas Eve. Despite this considerable constraint, the talks which begin in earnest this week nevertheless represent a significant watershed.

Short Straits Export Blockages

7 January 2021

Calais and Boulogne: despite the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the UK and the EU reached on Christmas eve, there is mounting concern over the export of fish to Europe, centering on obstacles in Calais and Boulogne. The first consignments of the year from Cornwall hit a brick wall of bureaucracy, and similar problems are being faced in relation to prawns exported from North Shields and with direct landings into Holland. At the time of writing one consignment of fish had been delayed 48 hours with attendant loss of quality. There were fears that the customer would reject the whole consignment on arrival. Buyers are warning vessels that purchases at first sale markets will soon be impacted if clear export routes across the narrow straits, compliant with the new customs regime cannot be quickly established.

Taking Stock and Moving Forward

4 January 2021

As the old year faded away, and the new year dawns, we lick our wounds and take stock of the tasks that lie in front of us.

Negotiations Outcome

26 December 2020

The NFFO weighs up the deal agreed between the UK and the EU on Christmas Eve How, when on fishing rights the UK held all the cards, did we end up with such a paltry result in the UK/EU negotiations for a future relationship?