Switch from cod to herring to save fish stocks: The Guardian ran an article this month on the longstanding issue encouraging consumers to switch from overfished species to plentiful to take the pressure off stocks. Stating that there are “over 300 species in British waters” but “British people eat strikingly little of it” the paper goes on to say that Seafish, (the publicly-funded Quango which supports the commercial fishing industry) says that the so-called Big Five species of cod, pollack, salmon, tuna and prawns make up 62 per cent of all seafood eaten in the UK, while the Marine Stewardship Council names a different Big Five of cod, haddock, salmon, tuna and prawns and says they make up 80 per cent of all UK seafood eaten outside of the home in restaurants and fish and chip shops. The article blames a limited choice of seafood available in supermarkets and UK consumers’ tastes not changing from the first half of the twentieth century when whitefish such as cod and haddock were much more abundant. The article goes on to discuss the difficulties of choosing sustainable seafood but repeats the often-heard, although difficult to prove, claim that increasing the range of seafood available to UK consumers is a viable way of taking the pressure off overfished species. Read more on this story by clicking here.
‘Deadly ocean upwells’ becoming an increasing threat to marine ecosystems: An article in the Guardian this month said that upwells of cold water were becoming an increasing threat to species such as sharks and rays. One upwell caused a mass die-off of more than 260 marine organisms after an upwell of cold water took place off the coast of South Africa in 2021. Upwells happen when warming seas and oceans cause fish and other marine species to move to new areas, but, due to changes in ocean currents and pressure, possibly caused by climate change, upwellings of cold water suddenly take place. Many species, which are adapted to warmer conditions, cannot survive the sudden change in water temperature and die. The 2021 upwelling could be tracked in more detail than usual as one of the sharks affected was fitted with a satellite tag, and it could be ascertained that it had been subjected to water more than 10C colder than it was used to. The research was summarised in an article in the Guardian which can be found here and was published in the academic journal Nature.
France protests against restrictions to accessing UK waters: French diplomats have raised a complaint at the European Commission after the nation’s fishing vessels were prohibited from fishing in some UK waters. Seabed trawling was prohibited in thirteen areas in UK territorial waters last month to protect around 1,540 square miles (4,000 sq. km) of seabed which mostly consists of vulnerable rock and reef habitats. This ban extended to French fishing vessels which have long fished inside the now protected areas, leading to protests from the French fishing industry. Right-wing French political party National Rally, which is led by Marine Le Pen, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that a “diplomatic showdown must be launched immediately” as “the survival of an entire profession depends on it.” French Secretary of State for European Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, also visited Boulogne (the part of France where the trawlers which fish in the protected area come from) and said that France would as the EU to take “retaliatory measures.” Charles Clover, the co-founder of Blue Marine Foundation and the author of the influential book The End of the Line, backed the establishment of the protected areas, telling the Financial Times: “The UK is not only within its rights to prohibit trawling in certain MPAs: it is legally required to. Many of these sites were designated under EU laws – laws that many EU member states are not following.” Read more on this story by clicking here.
AI is now being used to prevent illegal fishing: An article on the BBC News website this month described how artificial intelligence is being used to track and identify vessels taking part in illegal fishing. Global Fishing Watch, a collaboration between Google, Oceana (the world’s largest ocean conservation organisation) and SkyTruth (an organisation which uses satellite data to track environmentally harmful activities) is now using AI software and satellite imaging to track 65,000 fishing vessels. This data can be cross-referenced with publicly available data on the ship’s movements to tell when vessels are switching off their AIS (Automatic Identification Systems) – a sign of illegal fishing. The BBC reports that last year the Spanish government fined twenty-five Spanish-flagged vessels for fishing in Argentine waters with their AIS systems switched off. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation calculates that one in five fish are caught illegally, making illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing a major threat to the marine environment. Read more on this story by clicking here.
Seabed trawling prohibited at Isle of Man sites: Seabed trawling has been banned at three sites around the Isle of Man until the end of 2026. This will allow time for research to take place into developing new and low-impact methods of fishing for species such as langoustines. This may see damaging dredging replaced with low-impact, low-bycatch fishing methods such as traps and creels. Jack Emmerson, the Isle of Man government’s Sea Fisheries Manager told the BBC that the move would: “Strike a balance between sustainable local food production, environmental protection and the need for greater research into the role these marine habitats have in mitigating climate change.” Click here to read more on this story.
Two North East piers to remain closed: Two popular piers in North East England will remain closed over the summer. Together South Shields Pier and Tynemouth Pier protect shipping entering the River Tyne, but the Port of Tyne authority say that both piers require maintenance meaning they need to be closed to the public over the summer months. The south pier was badly damaged during Storm Babet in October of last year, with the dome of the lighthouse being lost, with further damage being caused by vandalism. The news will come as a disappointment to anglers as the piers are popular for mackerel fishing in the summer months. The Port of Tyne has also warned that they are working with the police and will potentially prosecute anyone found accessing the piers while they are closed. Read more on this story by clicking here.
Yorkshire commercial fishing ban to boost sandeel and seabird numbers: A ban on commercial fishing off the coast of East Yorkshire will boost seabird numbers as well as other forms of marine life, according to RSPB officials. The ban will come into force around Bempton Cliffs which is home to more than half a million seabirds. They rely on sandeels as a major part of their diet, and it is believed that the ban, which has been in place since 2021 but will now cover a larger area, will lead to increased sandeel numbers. Read more on this story here.