Every year, around 70,000 turtles and 200,000 seabirds die as a result of being caught as bycatch in EU fishing fleets. Bycatch is when other marine species are unintentionally trapped by commercial fishing gear. This can account for up to 40% of total fishing catches, globally reaching as much as 38 million tonnes discarded per […]
The mysterious Greenland shark – thought to have the longest lifespan of any vertebrate – has been granted new, historic protections by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). The US and Canada, with support from the UK and the EU, proposed and secured a science-based ban on retaining the species from international waters. […]
Bycatch monitoring programmes in the UK estimate that thousands of cetaceans, seabirds, seals and elasmobranchs are caught each year. Through the Fisheries Act 2020 and the Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS), the UK government and devolved administrations have recognised the need to minimise and, where possible, eliminate bycatch of these sensitive marine species as part of […]
Super trawlers are proving to be a rather elusive management issue. There are no lack of concerns about their impact as the latest campaign from the world cetacean alliance highlights concerns over the dolphin bycatch. These two recent Parliamentary Questions and answers don’t really get to the heart of the matter. APPG & Hansard 1.Virginia […]
Bass industry guidance 2021 Information on the rules, regulations and restrictions for bass fishing in 2021 and 2022 MMO guidance Details The Sea Fisheries (Amendment etc.) Regulations 2021 retained and amended the Bass Measures 2020 as per Article 10 of Council Regulation (EU). Bass authorisations are applicable within the British Fishery Limits only. You should refer to […]
Study on mitigation measures to minimise seabird bycatch in gillnet fisheries Publication metadata The incidental capture of non-target marine animals in fishing gear, such as seabirds, cetaceans, elasmobranchs, and turtles, is commonly referred to as ‘incidental bycatch’. Seabird bycatch in bottom set gillnet fisheries (GNS) is known to be a major conservation issue both globally […]
Clean Catch UK is a new initiative to collect data on the life histories, movements, distributions, behaviours, accidental capture and post-release survival of wildlife in UK commercial fisheries, with an initial focus on the Celtic Sea. Find out more at: https://www.cleancatchuk.com/. The seas around the UK are thriving underwater ecosystems. These waters provide essential habitats for a […]
Action urged to prevent fishing gear deaths of porpoises, dolphins and whales ITV ‘More than a thousand porpoises, dolphins and whales die in fishing gear in UK waters each year, conservationists warned, as they called for action to end the “largely unseen suffering”. Campaigners are calling for the UK and devolved governments to meet their […]