04 Aug 2026
Photo by Raul Ling A public consultation has opened on a draft Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for the Irish Sea’s demersal fisheries, setting out proposed measures to rebuild depleted cod and whiting stocks while reviewing how Nephrops, the region’s most valuable catch, is managed in future. A joint plan across three administrations The draft Demersal […]
14 Apr 2026
Image description: a plate of fish and chips. Photo by Nik British consumers are being urged to “completely avoid” UK-caught cod after the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) downgraded the species to its lowest possible rating in its twice-yearly Good Fish Guide – a stark verdict on a fish that has been central to British culture for generations. […]
06 Jul 2024
On July 2, 1992, federal fisheries minister John Crosbie made a televised announcement that commercial cod fishing was banned on the East Coast of Canada for at least two years. More than thirty years later the ban remained in place as the anticipated recovery of fish stocks did not materialise within the expected period. Cod […]
13 Feb 2024
The Scottish Government has an announced that an area of the Firth of Clyde will again be closed to most types of fishing activity in spring 2024 and 2025 to protect spawning cod. The closure has been in place each year since 2002 during the cod spawning season. While there has been variation, the closures […]
25 Apr 2023
Cod larvae are attracted by the noise from offshore wind turbines, a new peer-reviewed study has found. When offshore wind turbines are operating, they create a constant, low-frequency underwater noise that spreads out from a wind farm. “We already know that fish and other sea creatures are sensitive to sounds, and that some species react to […]
18 Jan 2022
Seasonal closures to protect spawning cod in the Firth of Clyde that have been in place for the past 20 years are due to continue in 2022 and 2023, but with additional measures. Since its introduction, the Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) for the annual closure of the spawning ground has included exemptions to allow Nephrops […]
10 Jan 2022
Cod stocks which have already collapsed could fall to a record low after UK and EU fishing ministers ignored scientific advice when setting catch limits for next year, a marine conservation charity has warned. The limits set by the UK and EU on shared stocks of fish breach a commitment they made in the post-Brexit […]
05 Jan 2020
The Fisheries Bill is mentioned in the December Queen’s Speech page 19 as is the Environment Bill NFFO comment on the The Year Ahead – the negotiation North Sea Cod UK Government text & NFFO commentary: North Sea Cod Bass angling perspective – bag limit increase to 2 – Save our Sea bass Guardian commentary […]
