09 Dec 2025
Photo by Lawrence Hookham Annual catch negotiations for the UK’s largest cod stock have failed to follow the scientific advice of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea, which urgently recommended zero catch to allow for population recovery. The EU, UK and Norway instead agreed a total allowable catch of 14,034 tonnes for 2026. […]
25 Nov 2025
Photo by Ben Wicks The North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission’s annual meeting has ended in deadlock after most members rejected EU proposals to set mackerel and blue whiting quotas in line with scientific advice, raising fears of continued severe overfishing. The meeting, held in London from 11th to 14th November, failed to reach comprehensive […]
11 Nov 2025
Photo by Nick Fewings The UK’s struggling fishing industry is set to receive its first comprehensive national strategic plan, with former Fisheries Minister Daniel Zeichner MP appointed to lead the development of an action plan that stakeholders say is desperately overdue. The All Party Parliamentary Group on Fisheries announced this month it will develop a National […]
07 Oct 2025
Photo by Richard Bell The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has advised that Northeast Atlantic mackerel catches must be reduced by 77% for 2026, setting a total allowable catch of 174,357 tonnes compared to an estimated 755,143 tonnes in 2025. The recommendation reflects spawning stock biomass falling below all critical reference points, […]
07 Oct 2025
Photo by Brad Lewis Scotland has introduced new fisheries management measures across 20 offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). The Offshore Fishing (Prohibition of Fishing Methods) (Scotland) Order 2025 was laid before the Scottish Parliament on 12 September and is scheduled to come into force on 16 October 2025. The legislation introduces site-specific restrictions on fishing methods […]
30 Sep 2025
Photo by Ricardo Resende Industry rejects scientific advice as catastrophic The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has recommended zero catch quotas for all cod stocks in the Northern Shelf for 2026, prompting strong responses from fishing industry representatives who warn the advice could devastate fleets across Scotland and England. Mike […]
08 Sep 2025
Photo by NOAA Scotland has announced new restrictions on bottom trawling across offshore Marine Protected Areas, representing what officials describe as a “major milestone” in marine protection, though environmental groups have criticised the measures for deliberately leaving the most heavily fished areas open. The fisheries management measures, coming into effect from 16th October, cover twenty MPAs […]
02 Sep 2025
Photo by Richard Bell A long-running dispute between North East Atlantic coastal states has intensified following record Norwegian mackerel catches that have sparked alarm among conservationists and rival fishing nations. Record week sparks concerns In week 34, 130 Norwegian vessels landed 27,000 tonnes of mackerel in a single week. Industry figures described it as “a pure […]
