Commercial fishing is the act of catching fish, shellfish, crustaceans and other forms of marine life for the purpose of marketing and selling them. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations estimates that in 2018 eighty-four million tons of fish were caught from marine waters. Today – with a renewed emphasis on conservation and environmental issues – the impact that commercial fishing has on both fish stocks and the marine environment is coming under increasing scrutiny. The articles below look at a wide range of commercial fishing topics.
The History of Commercial Fishing | Commercial fishing started over one thousand years ago and today is one of the biggest industries in the world. This article looks at the history of commercial fishing and the impact it has had on the planet.
Common Fisheries Policy | The CFP is the fisheries policy for the European Union. It has proved controversial and has been the focus of much criticism. Read more here.
Brexit and Britain’s Fisheries | With Britain set to leave the EU there will be potentially huge changes in the way the UK runs its fisheries. This article looks at all of the issues.
Atlantic Dawn: The Ship from Hell | The biggest pelagic trawler in the world is also one of the worlds most controversial fishing vessels. Find out more about it here.
Vladivostok 2000 (Lafayette): Floating Fish Factory | The Vladivostok 2000 (formerly known as the Lafayette) is a fish factory ship which is bigger than most aircraft carriers! Read about how it became one of the most controversial fishing vessels in the world.
The Uncertain Future of the Kirkella, the UK’s Largest Deep Sea Trawler | Find out how one of the largest trawlers in the UK fleet has been left idle with nowhere to fish due to the political machinations of Brexit and European politics.
North Sea Cod – A Short Lived Success Story | North Sea cod were given MSC sustainable status in 2017, but by 2019 stocks were back in trouble – what went so wrong so quickly?
The Collapse of the Grand Banks Cod Fishery | The Grand Banks of Canada was the most productive cod fishery in the world, but was fished into complete collapse. How did this happen?
The Dutch Trawler Which Catches 23 per cent of England’s Fish | How is one trawler – the Cornelis Vrolijk – allowed to catch almost a quarter of England’s fish?
Fishing Down the Food Chain | Why do fisheries switch from targeting large fish to small fish? Find out about the concept of fishing down the food chain here.
Decline of the Georges Bank Fishery | Just like the Grand Banks the nearby Georges Bank also declined massively due to excessive commercial fishing. Find out what happened here.
Scottish Black Fish Scandal | A number of unscrupulous Scottish skippers made themselves millions by illegally decimating mackerel stocks. Find out how the scam operated and how they were caught.
The Decline of the Firth of Clyde | The Firth of Clyde was once an abundant fishery but is now a fraction of its former size. How was this state of affairs developed?
Abel Tasman (FV Margiris) | Australia and Britain have taken very different approaches to the world’s second largest fishing vessel being present in their waters.
Commercial Fishing Methods | Read more about the various methods and techniques that commercial fishermen use to catch fish from the sea.
Pulse Trawling | The Dutch fishing industry is pioneering a method of commercial fishing which uses electrified nets to shock and stun fish to make them easier to catch. Find out more about it here.
Scottish Fish Farming and Aquaculture | The Scottish fish farming industry has expanded in recent years but the environmental impact of this activity is now becoming apparent. Read more on this here.
Commercial Fishing For Squid and Cuttlefish | Fisheries for these species are expanding across the world, but lack regulation and control, meaning there could be significant impacts.
Scottish Seaweed Harvesting | A number of companies see dredging for seaweed off the coast of Scotland as a low-impact activity but there is huge opposition to these plans.