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.

October 2026 News

World Wildlife Fund says UK tuna comeback shows nature can recover: Bluefin tuna are once again thriving in waters around the UK, marking a remarkable comeback for a species that had all but vanished from Britain’s seas. Their resurgence is highlighted in the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Living Planet Report 2026 as one of several encouraging examples showing that well-planned conservation measures can result in real and tangible recovery of marine populations. But the report also urges caution, estimating that global monitored wildlife populations worldwide have declined by an average of 73 per cent since 1970. Despite describing nature as remaining in serious decline, the WWF argues there is still cause for optimism. British waters once supported substantial bluefin tuna fisheries, but decades of overfishing of both the tuna and the bait fish they rely on drove the species out of UK waters by the 1960s. According to the report, their return has been driven by international management measures, including tighter catch limits, minimum size restrictions and improved protection of spawning areas. The WWF describes achievements, which have also seen numbers of wild tigers, green sea turtles and elephants rise, as evidence of the “science of hope”, where clear objectives, practical plans and public commitment combine to deliver results. However, the organisation stresses that conservation alone cannot reverse global biodiversity loss. Habitat destruction, intensive agriculture and climate change remain major threats, while investment continues to favour activities that damage nature far more than those that protect it. Read more on this story on the BBC website by clicking here.

Questions asked over environmental impact of Alaskan pollock fishery: The Alaskan pollock fishery is the second largest in the world and supplies multiple global food chains, with the fish it produces turned into everything from McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish sandwiches to fish fingers and imitation crab. The industry and major buyers such as McDonald’s say they work to limit environmental harm, but conservationists have pointed to the high level of bycatch in the fishery as a growing issue. Over the past decade, Bering Sea pollock trawlers caught an average of about 18,000 Chinook and 288,000 other salmon each year, despite technology such as salmon excluders being fitted to nets. Reduced salmon numbers have led to bans for other fishermen who target the species, disrupting a way of life sustained for generations in dozens of Alaska Native communities. Furthermore, crab and halibut fishermen have claimed that the pollock trawler bycatch has impacted their catch levels and livelihoods. Opposition to trawling has drawn together Democrats and Republicans, commercial and sport fishers, and Alaska Native communities—a rare alliance in disputes over natural resources. At least ten of the nineteen original candidates in this year’s governor’s race took positions critical of trawling or bycatch, and the issue has also become central to Alaska’s U.S. Senate race. Read more on this story on the Independent website by clicking here.

Fishermen fined for illegal dredging off the Isle of Wight: Two commercial fishermen have been ordered to pay more than £4,700 after being caught illegally dredging for scallops within a protected marine area off the Isle of Wight, as reported in the Isle of Wight County Press newspaper. Peter Marshall, 60, and Benjamin Lewis, 40, both of Warsash, Hampshire, admitted breaching the Southern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw during a hearing at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on 7 October 2026. The offences related to an incident on 5 March 2026, when fisheries officers observed the pair operating their vessel, Benjamin Guy SU177, inside a prohibited section of the South Wight marine area. Enforcement officers used a drone equipped with GPS technology, a laser rangefinder and video recording equipment to monitor the vessel’s movements. Evidence presented to the court showed the boat had been dredging within the restricted zone for over two hours, covering more than 1.2 kilometres (around three-quarters of a mile). A subsequent inspection revealed approximately 645 kilograms of scallops on board, a catch valued at around £1,160. The byelaw exists to safeguard fragile marine habitats, including seagrass meadows and reef systems, by banning bottom-towed fishing gear in designated areas throughout the year. Marshall, who was acting as vessel master, received a £1,600 fine and a £640 victim surcharge, while Lewis, a co-owner and permit holder, was fined £1,200 and ordered to pay a £480 surcharge. Both men were also instructed to contribute £400 each towards prosecution costs, bringing the combined financial penalty to £4,720. Click here to read more on this story.

Marine Conservation Society (MCS) asks consumers to eat less of certain fish species: Consumers in the UK have already been encouraged to steer clear of domestically caught cod because of declining stocks, with alternatives such as European hake and coalfish often recommended as more sustainable choices. However, new assessments suggest these substitutes are now facing growing pressures of their own. The Marine Conservation Society (MCS), which publishes the Good Fish Guide to help both consumers and businesses make environmentally responsible seafood choices, has revised a number of its ratings following concerns over stock health and fishing activity. Using its traffic-light classification system, the charity has downgraded European hake caught in the North Sea, Celtic Seas and Bay of Biscay from green to amber, citing increased fishing pressure and falling populations. Meanwhile, coalfish caught in waters around the UK, including the North Sea, Rockall, Skagerrak and the west coast of Scotland, has dropped from amber to red, placing it on the guide’s list of species consumers should avoid. Kerry Lyne, manager of the Good Fish Guide, said the condition of fish stocks is constantly evolving, meaning species considered sustainable only a few years ago may no longer be the best choice today. The warning comes as the UK continues to rely heavily on a small group of seafood favourites, the so-called big five of cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns, placing significant pressure on a limited number of fisheries. The charity is urging consumers to broaden their seafood choices. There was positive news elsewhere in the latest update, however, with UK Atlantic bluefin tuna receiving a green rating following a substantial recovery in numbers, while innovative Lyme Bay “disco-pot” scallops (which use flashing lights to attract scallops into traps, negating the need for destructive dredging) earned an amber rating thanks to reducing the damage to sensitive seabed habitats. Click here to read more on this story on the Guardian website.

Concerns over Russian trawlers spying on the UK: Fresh concerns have emerged over the security of Britain’s undersea communications network following claims that Russian fishing vessels may be being used to gather intelligence on critical seabed cables linking the UK with Europe and North America. Ministers are said to believe the Kremlin is using Russian commercial fishing vessels as part of a broader effort to identify and monitor the precise locations of strategically important underwater infrastructure that supports everything from banking systems and mobile communications to healthcare services. Analysis published this week reportedly identified more than 500 occasions in which Russian trawlers either lingered above cable routes or appeared to follow them over extended distances. The data, which was compiled from vessel-tracking records, suggests the activity has taken place consistently over the past four-and-a-half years, prompting renewed concerns among security officials. A NATO source claimed some of the vessels involved showed little evidence of engaging in genuine fishing operations, adding to suspicions that intelligence-gathering may be their primary purpose. The concerns come amid growing warnings that Russia is increasing efforts to probe weaknesses in Western infrastructure. In September, British, Norwegian and US forces reportedly confronted Russian submersibles during an operation in Arctic waters after intelligence indicated they were rehearsing techniques designed to disrupt undersea cables. Earlier this year, similar concerns were raised following the detection of Russian military and surveillance submarines operating in the North Atlantic. Against this backdrop, the Government is preparing to strengthen legislation covering damage to submarine cables, with proposals expected to include tougher penalties, potentially involving substantial prison terms and unlimited fines. Ministers say that while protections are already in place, the evolving threat landscape requires a stronger response. The Ministry of Defence has also confirmed additional investment of £330 million to enhance the protection of critical undersea infrastructure, while officials insist the UK and its NATO allies are expanding surveillance and anti-submarine capabilities to deter any attempt to interfere with these vital networks. Read more by clicking here.

Two tons of nurdles could remain in River Tyne following spill: More than two tonnes of plastic nurdles which spilt into the River Tyne during a shipping collision this summer may still be trapped within the river estuary, according to new research by Newcastle University. It is now feared that the nurdles – tiny plastic pellets used in the manufacture of plastic products – could be carried back towards the coast by autumn river flows and spring tides. An estimated eighteen tonnes of nurdles (which equates to around a billion individual nurdles) entered the river following a collision between the vessel Wind Orca and the container ship BG Orange at the Port of Tyne on 19 July. Since then, an extensive clean-up operation has recovered large quantities the nurdles from beaches across the North East. However, computer modelling by Newcastle University researchers suggests that around 2.2 tonnes of nurdles remained within the estuary six weeks after the incident. Scientists believe prolonged low river flows have allowed pellets deposited along the estuary to remain largely undisturbed, but warn that heavier autumn rainfall could flush them downstream. Dr Matt Perks, who leads the university’s research project, said identifying where the material might be intercepted should now be a priority. Further fieldwork is planned to improve understanding of how the pellets move with tides and river flows. The findings come as the Port of Tyne enters the next phase of its recovery effort. While officials say the volume of nurdles being recovered has fallen significantly, monitoring and collection work will continue as concerns remain over the long-term environmental impact of the spill. Read more here.

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