Sea Fishing News

Read all of the latest news about angling, commercial fishing, conservation and other issues relating to the marine environment from the UK and beyond.

June 2026 News

New research shows devastating impact of commercial fishing on UK marine life: Thousands of Britain’s protected marine animals, including whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals and seabirds are being killed each year as an unintended result of commercial fishing, according to the first major assessment of bycatch in UK waters. The report, Hidden in the Haul: The True Scale of Bycatch, which was compiled by a coalition of conservation groups called the Wildlife and Countryside Link, warns that the accidental capture of non-target species is causing significant harm to marine wildlife. It also suggests the true scale of the problem is likely to be much greater than current estimates because only a small proportion of UK fishing vessels monitor and report bycatch. Monitoring is especially limited among dredging vessels, with just 0.05 per cent collecting data. The study also did not include foreign fishing vessels operating in UK waters. Using available bycatch and discard records, researchers estimate that more than 1,000 harbour porpoises and common dolphins are killed each year, along with around 10,000 seabirds and 500 seals. In Scotland, six humpback whales and thirty minke whales were found dead after becoming entangled in creel ropes. Commercial fishing is also estimated to kill more than 1,000 endangered Atlantic salmon annually, as well as 120 tonnes of protected sharks, skates and rays. Richard Benwell, chief executive of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said many of these deaths could be prevented through existing mitigation measures and urged the Government to deliver promised action on bycatch. He described the losses among species such as dolphins, seabirds, salmon and sharks as both shocking and unnecessary. Gillnets are identified as one of the biggest threats to seabirds in English waters. These nets hang vertically in the water and can trap diving birds such as puffins, gannets and razorbills, causing them to drown. BirdLife International estimates that gillnets are responsible for around 400,000 seabird deaths globally each year. The report argues that stronger action is needed, including mandatory monitoring, tougher enforcement and support for fishers to adopt less harmful fishing methods. It also notes that bycatch of whales, dolphins and porpoises is a major reason the UK is failing to meet some of its legal environmental targets for marine waters. The Wildlife and Countryside Link called for remote electronic monitoring on all fishing vessels operating in English waters, including smaller boats under ten metres long, which it says account for a significant proportion of bycatch. A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said the government was committed to improving the health of the seas through initiatives including the Clean Catch monitoring programme and a new Seabird Bycatch Action Plan. Read more by clicking here.

Pufferfish poses threat to Mediterranean swimmers and fishermen: A species of pufferfish is causing concern for both commercial fishermen and bathers in parts of the Mediterranean. The silver-cheeked pufferfish (Lagocephalus sceleratus), which is also known as the silver-cheeked toadfish, is typically found in the Indian Ocean, but appears to have made its way to the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal. Despite only growing to 16 inches (40cm) in length, it has a powerful bite which can chew through commercial fishing nets and destroy the catch inside. According to the Telegraph, the fish is capable of removing a swimmer’s finger or toe due to the strength of its jaws. Furthermore, the silver-cheeked pufferfish contains a powerful toxin called tetrodotoxin, which can cause heart and lung failure, making the species inedible to humans. The Telegraph reports that swimmers around Greece have been attacked by silver-cheeked pufferfish, and with no natural predators, the species is increasing its distribution. In Cyprus, there is a bounty scheme where fishermen are paid for every silver-cheeked pufferfish they bring to shore (where they are then incinerated). With silver-cheeked pufferfish costing every Greek fishing boat an estimated €8,500 (£7,300), the Greek authorities are now considering a similar scheme. Read more by clicking here.

Protected seabed shows signs of recovery: Early evidence of seabed recovery has emerged from a protected stretch of seabed of the Summer Isles near Ullapool. This area of seabed was designated as a protected area in 2016. However, it was severely damaged by illegal fishing activity, including dredging – one of the most damaging forms of commercial fishing – in 2019. Although experts believed full recovery could take more than a decade, underwater drone surveys have revealed encouraging signs, including the return of sea cucumbers, cat sharks, cushion sea stars, crabs and some algae species. More complex ecosystems, however, remain years from re-establishment. The discovery comes as the Our Seas coalition, comprising scientists, campaigners and some fishermen, prepares to submit a petition to the Scottish Parliament, accusing ministers of delaying measures to safeguard at least 30 per cent of Scotland’s inshore waters. The Scottish Government insists it remains committed to protecting the marine environment. Click here to read more on this story.

Octopus bloom spreads around UK: A dramatic rise in octopus numbers off the south-west coast of England, first recorded last year, has now extended to waters around Wales and Scotland, bringing significant consequences for both marine ecosystems and coastal fishing communities, according to new research. The unprecedented increase in sightings of the common octopus was initially observed in 2025 along the coasts of Devon and Cornwall. However, a new study drawing on scientific surveys, underwater monitoring and reports from divers and snorkellers has revealed that the species has since spread far more widely. Octopuses have now been recorded along the northern shores of Devon and Cornwall and in locations stretching from Dorset and East Sussex to Wales and Scotland. Bryce Stewart, a senior researcher at the Marine Biological Association and lead author of the study, described the phenomenon as remarkable. While octopus population surges, known as blooms, have occurred before, he said the scale of the current event appears to be unlike anything previously documented. The common, or Mediterranean, octopus (Octopus vulgaris) is a native species in British waters, but it is usually present in such low numbers that encounters are relatively rare. Researchers believe the latest boom has been driven by a combination of favourable weather conditions, including a mild winter and a warm spring breeding season. For the fishing industry, the impact has been mixed. Octopuses are highly efficient predators and have taken a heavy toll on crab and lobster stocks and often raid shellfish pots and traps. As a result, some fishermen dependent on traditional shellfish catches have struggled. Others, however, have benefited from an explosion in demand for octopus, landing record catches. Stewart said octopus landings increased by 7,700 per cent during 2025, while Brixham fish market in Devon recently recorded a single-day sale of 100 tonnes of octopus. The influx is also reshaping marine food webs. As octopuses consume shellfish and fish, they in turn provide a new source of prey for species including seals, conger eels and the rare Risso’s dolphin. According to Stewart, the arrival of such vast numbers of octopuses is triggering a profound reorganisation of the wider marine ecosystem. Read more on the Guardian website here.

Rare goblin shark caught on film for the first time: Scientists have, for the first time, observed a goblin shark (Mitsukurina owstoni) alive in its natural deep-sea habitat, providing an unprecedented glimpse into the species. The discoveries, reported in the Journal of Fish Biology, mark a significant advance in understanding a species that has long remained largely hidden from scientific view. Previously, most encounters with living goblin sharks occurred only after the animals had been unintentionally caught by fishing vessels. Researchers say direct observations have been exceptionally scarce, leaving major gaps in knowledge about their behaviour and ecology. The first sighting took place in 2019 near Jarvis Island in the central Pacific, where a remotely operated underwater vehicle recorded a solitary male measuring around 11 feet in length at a depth of approximately 4,000 feet (1,200 metres). A second encounter followed in 2024 in the Tonga Trench, where baited cameras captured footage of another goblin shark swimming at roughly 6,550 feet (2,000 metres) below the surface. The new observation extends the species’ known depth range by nearly 2,300 feet (700 metres) and significantly broadens its recognised distribution across the Pacific Ocean. Until now, goblin sharks had been documented mainly near Japan, New Zealand, Australia, the Gulf of Mexico and the western coast of the United States. Scientists believe the species may comprise a single global population despite its vast range. Instantly recognisable by their pinkish-grey skin, elongated snouts and protrusible jaws, goblin sharks are among the most unusual-looking creatures in the sea. Capable of reaching 20 feet in length, they hunt by rapidly thrusting their jaws forward to capture fish, squid and crustaceans. Despite their fearsome appearance, they are slow-moving animals adapted to conserving energy in the food-poor depths of the ocean. Click here to read more on this story.

US billionaire to support ocean conservation efforts: Michael Bloomberg, the American billionaire businessman and politician, has committed $260 million (£196 million) to global ocean conservation efforts, stepping in at a time when governments including those of the United States and the United Kingdom are reducing spending on protecting the world’s oceans. Bloomberg Philanthropies said the funding aims to bridge the gap between international promises and practical action, as nations struggle to meet a target of protecting 30 per cent of the world’s oceans by 2030. With just four years remaining, only around 10 per cent currently benefits from formal protection. A significant share of the funding will support implementation of the High Seas Treaty, the landmark international agreement designed to create protected areas in waters beyond national jurisdictions. Although the treaty entered into force earlier this year after securing sufficient ratifications, questions remain over how conservation measures will be funded and enforced across remote ocean regions. Bloomberg said the investment would help translate political commitment into meaningful results by expanding proven conservation measures and targeting areas where progress can be accelerated. The initiative will also assist smaller coastal and island nations in participating more effectively in international negotiations, ensuring their voices are heard alongside wealthier states. Conservation groups have welcomed the announcement, describing it as an important opportunity to strengthen ocean protection at a pivotal time. Read more on the Sky News website here.

Guardian article describes “severe” stress on world’s oceans: The world’s oceans are coming under growing pressure from human activity, with sea levels now rising twice as fast as they were a decade ago, according to a major United Nations assessment. The report warns that pollution, climate change and industrial fishing are combining to place marine ecosystems under severe strain, accelerating biodiversity loss and weakening the health of ocean systems worldwide. The third World Ocean Assessment, compiled by nearly 600 scientists from 86 countries, examined ocean conditions between 2021 and 2025 and found that deterioration has continued since the previous review, which covered the period up to 2018. Among its key findings, sea-level rise has accelerated from about 2mm a year before 2015 to 4.3mm in 2023, while 16 per cent of all ocean heat absorbed since 1955 has been taken up since 2018. Significant knowledge gaps remain, with only 27 per cent of the ocean floor mapped by 2025, leaving many deep-sea ecosystems poorly understood. UN secretary-general António Guterres said the findings underscored the need for urgent international cooperation, arguing that the ocean can no longer be treated as an unlimited resource and calling for a relationship based on science, international law and shared responsibility. Read more on this story  by clicking here.

Rare jellyfish-like creatures appear on Welsh beach: Hundreds of by-the-wind-sailors have been washed ashore along sections of the Welsh coastline. The creatures, also known as velella, have recently appeared on beaches in Anglesey, Gwynedd and Tenby. Closely related to the Portuguese man o’ war, these free-floating hydrozoans drift across the ocean surface using a small sail-like structure that catches the wind, giving rise to their distinctive common name. Marine specialist Frankie Hobro, of Anglesey Sea Zoo, said the arrivals were not uncommon but nevertheless created an impressive natural display, particularly when large numbers gather together and reflect sunlight. She explained that the creatures often produce what are known as “blue tides”, with their bright colouring sparkling in favourable conditions. Although frequently mistaken for Portuguese man o’ war, by-the-wind sailors are significantly smaller, display a more intense blue hue and are generally considered far less dangerous. Measuring around seven centimetres in length, they are unable to control their own movement and instead rely entirely on winds and ocean currents. As a result, storms or shifts in sea conditions can carry large numbers vast distances before depositing them on shore. Hobro noted that mass strandings occur because entire groups travel within the same currents and are washed up simultaneously. Like the Portuguese man o’ war, by-the-wind sailors are not single animals but colonies of organisms related to sea anemones and corals, meaning they are not a true jellyfish species. They possess stinging cells, though their sting is regarded as mild compared with that of their better-known relative. Nevertheless, Hobro urged members of the public not to handle them and also warned that even specimens appearing lifeless on the beach may retain active stinging cells capable of causing discomfort. Read more on this story here.

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