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 […]
18 Nov 2025
Photo by Tom Brown The UK government has been warned that its flagship post-Brexit fisheries law is “failing” to deliver on promises of revitalised fish stocks and thriving coastal communities. MPs, environmentalists and some inshore fishermen argue the Fisheries Act, introduced after the UK left the EU’s fisheries policy, continues to allow overfishing and inadequately distributes […]
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, […]
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 […]
16 Sep 2025
Photo by Christian Paul The World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) long-awaited agreement aimed at curbing harmful fisheries subsidies has entered into force. The deal — struck after more than two decades of negotiation — prohibits subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, as well as those supporting fishing in overfished stocks. At a special […]
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 […]
15 Jul 2025
Photo by ‘Viviane 6276′ The eastern Baltic cod population has shrunk dramatically in both size and genetic diversity over the past three decades, according to new research that scientists say underscores the evolutionary toll of intensive fishing. A study published in the journal Science Advances found that the average mature length of eastern Baltic cod has […]
