An impressive case study of conservationists and fishermen working together. To mark World Oceans’ Day, the RSPB and Birdlife International are celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Albatross Task Force.  This is one of our most successful conservation programmes and serves as a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through hard work, expertise, creativity […]

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BLOOM : ‘The giant retail group “Les Mousquetaires” (owner of Intermarché, Netto, Bricomarché brands etc.) announced earlier today[1] that its fishing fleet, “Scapêche”, an important player in deep-sea fishing in Europe, will progressively phase out fishing for deep-sea species, as well as the sale of deep-sea fish in its supermarkets by 2025. The group also announced […]

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Recent scientific work outlines the severe consequences the practice of bottom trawling has on loose sediment on the ocean floor. Bottom trawling is a widespread industrial fishing practice that involves dragging heavy nets, large metal doors and chains over the seafloor to catch fish. Although previous studies documented the direct impacts of bottom trawling on […]

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Defra: ‘New rules from 1 January mean fishermen targeting certain demersal species such as haddock, sole and plaice must land all their catch. Fishermen targeting certain demersal species such as haddock, sole and plaice must land all their catch, Fisheries Minister George Eustice has announced. The demersal discard ban taking effect 1 January is the […]

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MCS: Placing proportionate limits on bottom-towed fishing could help boost long-term jobs in fragile rural communities, as well as protect the environment, contend a coalition of Scottish charities. The Scottish Government is due to announce measures for managing fishing in several Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) later this month. Scottish Environment LINK’s Marine Taskforce has written […]

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The owner/skipper of a fishing vessel, who pleaded guilty to not showing navigation lights, employing crew who’d not completed safety training and to using it while it was unregistered, has been sent to prison. At a hearing (10th November) at Southampton Crown Court, the owner/skipper Michael Roy Stimson received a custodial sentence totalling four months. He […]

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