EU fishermen take more fish out of UK seas than UK fishermen
A study undertaken by Dr. Ian Napier for the NAFC Marine Centre, University of the Highlands and Islands, Shetland, reports 11th October 2016:
It is estimated that, based on an analysis from 2012 to 2014, fishing boats from other EU countries caught 58% of the fish and shellfish landed from the United Kingdom’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) each year, on average. That is some 650,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish, worth more than £400 million, each year.
In contrast, UK fishing boats landed 90,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish, worth about £100 million, caught elsewhere in European Union waters each year, on average.
The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a sea area defined in International Law that extends up to 200 nautical miles (371 km) from the coast, within which a country is entitled to control the exploitation of fish and shellfish, as well as other economic resources.
The analysis used publicly available data published by the European Commission and the UK’s Marine Management Organisation (MMO).
Among other findings for the years from 2012 to 2014, it is estimated that on average:
- Non-UK European fishing boats landed seven times more fish and shellfish (by weight) from the United Kingdom’s EEZ than UK boats did from other areas of the EU’s EEZ, and four times more by value.
- Almost two-thirds of the pelagicpelagic The ecological area consisting of the open sea away from the coast and the ocean bottom. The pelagic zone contains organisms such as surface seaweeds, many species of fish and sharks and some mammals, such as whales and dolphins. Pelagic animals may remain solely in the pelagic zone or may move among zones. fish, half of the demersaldemersal Living on the seabed fish and almost all of the industrial fish landed from the United Kingdom’s EEZ by EU fishing boats were caught by non-UK boats.
- Three-quarters of the common (Dover) sole, hake, herring and skates and rays, more than half of the megrim, plaice and saithe, 83% of the horse mackerel, and 94% of the blue whiting landed from the United Kingdom’s EEZ by EU fishing boats were caught by non-UK boats.
In the Scottish Part of the UK EEZ:
- More than half (51%) of the fish and shellfish landed from the Scottish part of the UK’s EEZ by EU fishing boats was caught by non-UK boats.
- One-third of the demersal fish; more than half of the pelagic fish; and almost all of the industrial fish landed from the Scottish part of the UK EEZ by EU fishing boats were caught by non-UK boats.
- More than half of the hake and saithe; almost three-quarters of the herring; 86% of the horse mackerel; and 94% of the blue whiting landed from the Scottish part of the UK EEZ by EU fishing boats were caught by non-UK boats.
- Non-UK European fishing boats landed 386,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish from the Scottish part of the UK EEZ each year, worth £210 million.
In the English, Welsh and Northern Irish Part of the UK EEZ:
- Almost three-quarters (71%) of the fish and shellfish landed from the English, Welsh and Northern Irish part of the UK’s EEZ by EU fishing boats was caught by non-UK boats.
- Almost three-quarters of the demersal fish; more than three-quarters of the pelagic fish; and almost all of the industrial fish landed from the English, Welsh and Northern Irish part of the UK EEZ by EU fishing boats were caught by non-UK boats.
- More than half of the ling, monks, plaice and saithe; three-quarters of the cod, common (Dover) sole, haddock, hake, megrim, skates and rays and whiting; 80% of the horse mackerel and mackerel; and 85% of the herring landed from the English, Welsh and Northern Irish part of the UK EEZ by EU fishing boats were caught by non-UK boats.
- Non-UK European fishing boats landed 260,000 tonnes of fish and shellfish from the English, Welsh and Northern Irish part of the UK EEZ, worth almost £200 million, each year.
The full report may be seen here.
Source: NAFC Marine Centre, October 2016. For further details, see: www.nafc.uhi.ac.uk/media/news/fish-landings-from-the-uk-eez
