» Fisheries



Will the culling of seals revive Canada’s lost cod stocks?

Canada’s multimillion dollar proposal to cull grey seals will not bring back the ravaged stocks of Atlantic cod it is intended to help, scientists have said. In October, the Canadian Senate approved a controversial plan to kill 70,000 grey seals in the Gulf of St Lawrence under a bounty system next year, ostensibly to revive […]

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EU Fisheries Ministers agree CFP reforms, but are strongly criticised

EU Fisheries Ministers have reached a provisional deal to reshape the Common Fisheries Policy, long blamed for overfishing. The deal has been hailed by the UK environment ministry Defra but criticised by the EU fisheries commissioner and environmentalists. A EU Commission source told BBC News the new funding arrangements would continue to promote overfishing. He […]

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New evidence that seismic testing harms marine life

Scallop fishermen believe a new study will prove that seismic testing by oil and gas exploration companies in Bass Strait, Tasmania, is responsible for the deaths of marine life. The Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies will carry out the research, which will concentrate on the effects of seismic activity on scallops and rock lobsters. […]

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MARINET informs OSPAR Committee on shortcomings in MSFD Descriptor 3 definition

MARINET, which has Observer status at OSPAR, has informed the OSPAROSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic made up of representatives of the Governments of the 15 signatory nations. Committee considering how best to define the “good environmental status” Descriptors of the EU’s Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) that […]

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European Parliament report says CFP should create “fish stock recovery areas” covering 10-20% of the sea

A report, “Establishment of Fish Stock Recovery Areas”, for the European Parliament, published September 2012 and written by Callum Roberts and Julie Hawkins, University of York, UK, argues that the new Basic Regulation of the Common Fisheries Policy should be amended in order to establish “fish stock recovery areas” covering between 10-20% of the sea. The […]

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The Clyde fishery needs more reserves and less trawling

At this year’s Arran Agriculture Show the mission of COAST (Community of Arran Seabed Trust) to establish an angler and creeler friendly marine protected area received support from woodcarver Marvin Elliott. He had carved a big cod out of a piece of drift beechwood. “This wooden fish is meant to be an eye-catching reminder of those days […]

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Suffolk small boat fishermen add their voice to CFP Reform

The future of Suffolk’s fishing industry continues to be under threat from unfair quotas that are in urgent need of reform. Current limits on the amount of fish that boats under 10m can catch mean many fishermen are being forced to quit, it has been claimed. Places including Aldeburgh and Lowestoft have seen the number […]

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Global food insecurity increasing as world fish stocks decline

The Persian Gulf, Libya, and Pakistan are at high risk of food insecurity in coming decades because climate change and ocean acidification are destroying fisheries, according to a report released by Oceana. The report from the campaign group Oceana warns of growing food insecurity, especially for poorer people, from the Faroe Islands in the North […]

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Increased use of pesticides in Scottish fish farming is being challenged by a petition

The Care2petition website is carrying the following advice: “Fish farming is not always environmentally friendly, especially when it involves the use of large quantities of agricultural pesticides. In Scotland, intensive salmon farms use large quantities of pesticides to keep fish pests, notably sea lice under control. The sea lice are now developing resistance, and the […]

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Over-fished stocks, if closed, can be rebuilt and so deliver large future profits

A temporary halt to fishing to allow some European stocks to recover could generate billions of pounds of profit within a decade, a report argues.  All fish stocks, including North Sea cod which would take a little over nine years to get back into shape, could be restored within a decade, the report from the New […]

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NEF explains new CFP report: Every £1 invested in fish stock restoration will yield £14 profit by 2052

Research published by the New Economics Foundation (nef) finds that restoring European fish stocks could generate huge returns on investment. Key Findings:  Most overfished stocks could be fully restored within five years, with a few needing four more years  Investing £9.16 billion in restoring fish stocks would generate £4.43 billion profit by 2023  After stocks […]

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Super Trawler stopped – for now

Readers who sent an e-mail to the Australian Minister Tony Burke asking him to stop the huge super-trawler will be delighted to learn that they have been successful in averting the marine environmental impact of such this activity, in that just as the trawler Abel Tasman, a.k.a the FV Margiris, was about to leave port […]

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Indian Ocean island and its artisanal fishery leads the way on marine reserves

In the Indian Ocean a landmark fishery closure is being held to boost the artisanal fisheries of island communities Small-scale fisheries face growing challenges in the face of continued over exploitation. Rodrigues, a tiny Mauritian island, has been battling declining fisheries productivity for the last 15 years. Lying nearly 1,000 kilometres east of Madagascar, Rodrigues […]

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Help Australia stop the Super-trawler

Rebecca of of CommunityRun.org and the GetUp team of Australia www.getup.org.au are asking for our support in lobbying Federal Fisheries Minister Joe Ludwig to oppose licensing the worlds second largest super trawler to fish in Australian waters. It fishes for the target species mackeral and redbait with nets whose mouth stretches up to 100 meters […]

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EU Commission seeks a way to eliminate deep sea fishing

The European Commission wants to tighten its oversight of deep-sea habitat, proposing yesterday to phase out deep-sea trawling, reduce discards of unwanted fish, and implement scientific quotas for fishing. “If you want to take deep-sea fish, you have to do it in a sustainable manner,” says Oliver Drewes, a commission spokesperson for maritime affairs and […]

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“Rogue fishermen” break Lyme Bay scallop fishing agreement

CMS News reports, 21st August 2012: Within a month of the Blue Marine Foundation signing up local fishermen to support the sustainable management of Lyme Bay and its reefs, four ‘rogue’ fishing boats have been recorded fishing in the closed area. Charles Clover, the instigator of the Blue Marine Foundation initiative, wrote at length in […]

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Cornish fishing industry looking at improved circumstances and growth

The Newlyn fishing industry is benefiting from a better brand recognition, according to the head of Cornwall’s largest fishing co-operative, after new figures showed the sector expanded in the South West last year. According to a comprehensive report published recently by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), UK fishing boats landed less catch last year, but […]

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