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 2025 News

Cod prices to rise: Cod prices are likely to rise following sanctions on Russian seafood exports and a surge in “panic buying” across Europe. Fish suppliers have warned of a looming national shortage, driven by fears of rising prices and restricted imports from Russia, which is one of the world’s largest cod producers. Mehmet Cafer, owner of Jack the Chipper in Greenwich told Metro newspaper: “Last month, we had to increase our prices by £1 and, unfortunately, lots of customers complained. We haven’t looked at other fish, cod and haddock are the traditional ones we use, and quality-wise, we don’t want to use frozen fish.” Andrew Cook, president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, said the sector was facing “major supply issues” after restrictions were imposed on Russia’s two biggest fishing companies, Norebo and Murman Seafood. Catch limits in the Barents Sea, where major cod catches are made by Norway, have also been slashed from one million tonnes to 340,000 tonnes, he added. Cook said European processors were now panic buying before Russian sanctions reduced the supply further, driving up prices for both cod and haddock. Read more by clicking here.

Plymouth anglers catch 210kg tuna: A Brixham fish wholesaler has paid more than £2,000 for a 210kg (463lb) Atlantic bluefin tuna — the largest of its kind known to have been landed in the area. The tuna, which was sold at Brixham Fish Market, was bought by Ian Perkes, a long-established wholesaler and exporter. “We know they’re here, we have footage of them on feeding frenzies, but this is certainly the biggest one that’s been landed on Brixham Market so far. The tuna was caught by local rod-and-line fishermen operating from a small vessel, part of what Mr Perkes described as “a bunch of quite good fishermen we have in our area now”. Such large tuna, he said, can cause “commotions in the sea — you can spot them by the water frothing up”. The fish will be sold within the UK rather than exported to Europe, as post-Brexit regulations require catches to be fully encased for transport, which was an impractical task for a fish of this size. Click here to read more.



Contender is the biggest great white shark: Marine scientists have captured and tagged what is believed to be the largest great white shark ever recorded in the Atlantic Ocean. The shark, which is a male named Contender, is 4.2 metres (14ft) in length and weighs 750 kilograms (1,653lb). Researchers say the enormous predator could help solve one of marine biology’s most enduring mysteries: where great white sharks mate. Contender, thought to be around 30 years old, was first tagged by the ocean research group OCEARCH in January, some 45 miles off the Florida–Georgia coast. His satellite tag transmits only when his dorsal fin breaks the surface, and last week it “pinged” near the Gulf of St Lawrence, off Canada’s remote Labrador Peninsula – one of the furthest northern locations ever recorded for the species. Over the summer and autumn, the shark had been feeding heavily on seals, building fat reserves before migrating south for the winter. “An animal like that, spending the summer and fall up north … They’re eating seals constantly, putting on weight before heading back to Florida.” Fischer added that great whites play a crucial ecological role. By hunting seals, they indirectly protect fish stocks: “When white sharks are around, seals eat about a quarter as much fish. Without them, the seals can wipe out entire fisheries.” The shark’s endurance in cold northern waters demonstrates the species’ adaptability. “They can warm themselves internally, but they need plenty of food. If they run out, they freeze quickly.” OCEARCH hopes Contender’s movements over the coming year, particularly in spring 2026, will reveal where mating occurs – a location never definitively identified for any great white population. Despite his already formidable size, scientists believe Contender could eventually exceed 20 feet in length. “It’ll be fascinating to see where he goes next,” Fischer said. Read more by clicking here.

Recovered Lego shark to be auctioned for charity: A fisherman who netted a rare Lego shark off the coast of Cornwall has auctioned the toy for charity, decades after it was swept into the sea during a shipping accident. Richard West landed what is thought to be the first recovered Lego shark from the Tokio Express spill, when sixty-two containers – including 4.75 million Lego pieces – were lost overboard near Land’s End in 1997. The plastic shark was caught in his nets around twenty miles south of Penzance in August 2024. The shark was sold by Plymouth auctioneer Anthony Eldred, with proceeds going to Cancer Research UK and the Fishermen’s Mission. According to the Lego Lost at Sea project, which documents debris from the Tokio Express disaster, this is the first shark ever recovered. Mr Eldred had said valuing the piece was “almost impossible”, but estimated it could fetch between £50 and £100. However, in the end it sold for £430. Mr West dedicated the sale to friends affected by cancer, saying: “Everyone knows someone who’s been touched by it. This seemed a fitting way to give something back.” Read more by clicking here.

Organisations call for significant reductions in North Sea cod and mackerel fishing: Oceana, the world’s largest marine conservation organisation, has called for substantial cutbacks on commercial catches of cod and mackerel to allow stocks to recover. Oceana’s research found that only 40 per cent of the 105 species they studied were in a healthy state, with cod and mackerel stocks being in particularly bad shape. Hugo Tagholm from Oceana UK told the Telegraph: “We need to end overfishing in the UK, and we need to see catch limits that will rebuild fish populations.” The call from Oceana comes just weeks after Ices (the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas), the Denmark-based advisory body, stated that cod fishing should be halted in British waters and mackerel catches reduced by 70 per cent in order to protect stocks. Commercial fishermen rejected the news, with Edward Baker, the chief executive of the Plymouth Fishing and Seafood Association, telling the Telegraph that a reduction in catches would impact jobs and Andrew Crook, the president of the National Federation of Fish Friers, said that enacting a reduction in catches would drive up prices in fish and chip shops (as outlined in the story on cod above). The Telegraph quoted a spokesperson from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs as saying: “We are committed to restoring our stocks to sustainable levels and have made significant progress over the past five years, while continuing to support the long-term viability of our domestic fishing industry.” Click here to read more.

Fishing to be taught in schools: Fishing is to be offered as part of school curricula in the UK for the first time. The Telegraph reported that the course angling and the countryside would be at level 1 (equivalent to a GCSE at grade one to three), level 2 (equivalent to a GCSE grade four of higher) and level 3 (which is equivalent to A-level). The qualification would be officially recognised by Ofqual, the regulator of qualifications, exams and assessments in England. Four schools had signed up to pilot the qualification, with schools and assessment centres across the country being able to run the qualification from the start of the 2026 academic year. Jamie Cook of the Angling Trust told the Telegraph: “This new qualification could open doors to a wide range of life opportunities, from conservation and habitat management to coaching, guiding and careers across the wider angling and countryside sectors.” Read more here.

Twenty concrete-like cubes dropped into North Sea: Marine conservationists have deployed twenty specially designed “reef cubes” containing 4,000 oysters off the coast of Tyne and Wear in a pioneering effort to restore native oyster reefs to the North Sea. The cubes, made from six tonnes of seawater-resistant Marine Crete, were developed by the Zoological Society of London and environmental charity Groundwork. Each cube acts as a stable base, anchoring the oysters to the seabed to help them withstand storms and tidal surges. It is the first time the technique has been used at this scale in the UK. Native European oysters, which can each filter around 200 litres of seawater a day, were once abundant in the region but disappeared more than a century ago due to overfishing, pollution and habitat loss. Populations across the UK have fallen by over 95 per cent since the 1800s. Restoring oyster reefs not only improves water quality but also provides habitats for fish, crabs and other marine species. To create a resilient reef system, the team also released 35,000 juvenile oysters attached to shells, along with 40 tonnes of recycled scallop shells forming a natural bed known as a “cultch”. Ninety volunteers helped clean and prepare the oysters, while another hundred attached them to the reef cubes before deployment just over a mile offshore. Earlier restoration attempts in 2023 were disrupted by severe storms, prompting researchers to trial the heavier, cube-based design. The five-year project, funded by the Stronger Shores Partnership and supported by South Tyneside Council, aims to boost biodiversity and coastal resilience amid a changing climate. Read more by clicking here.

Swimmer concerned by fishing nets off Sussex coast: Sea swimmers and kite surfers have raised safety concerns after becoming entangled in “enormous” fishing nets stretching between Shoreham Beach and Lancing on the coast of Sussex. One local described the installation as “dangerous and irresponsible”. The shore-based nets, which do not require a vessel, are legally permitted outside the summer bathing season from 1 May to 30 September. Set at low tide, the fixed nets run perpendicular to the shore and trap fish as they swim or drift into them with the current. However, winter swimming and watersports remain popular along this stretch coast, and several recent incidents have seen swimmers, kitesurfers and foilers caught in the mesh, with some reportedly dragged underwater. Local swimmer Ben Fearnside said there was growing alarm among sea users. “Everyone is really worried. If we get tangled up, we’ll panic. Fishermen usually know people swim here, so this could be from a larger operation.” Fearnside also warned the nets could damage the seabed and jeopardise the Sussex Kelp Recovery Project, a major rewilding effort aimed at restoring 200 square kilometres of kelp forest destroyed by past trawling. “Those nets will tear the seabed to pieces,” he said. Click here to read more.

Rules on ice impact UK seafood exports to France: A Jersey seafood supplier has warned that new French import rules are making seafood exports increasingly difficult, with regulations even dictating how ice is made. Nathalie Porritt, manager of Aqua-Mar Fisheries, said her company could no longer use tap water to make ice for transporting scallops because of additional testing requirements demanded by French authorities. Some shipments had even been destroyed in the summer for failing to meet strict temperature controls, she told the BBC. French border officials in St Malo strongly denied the claims, calling them “a pack of lies” and insisting no ice tests had been requested and no scallops destroyed. Jersey’s Environment Minister, Steve Luce, said exporters were finding it harder to meet French standards for accepting shellfish. Jersey’s marine science team explained that France had asked for live scallops to be packed without ice, as melting water could be reabsorbed by the shellfish. To maintain required temperatures, Aqua-Mar now uses sealed ice packs above and below the trays. Porritt said the measures were costly, and exports had fallen from four ferry trips a week in summer to one in winter. Last month, a four-tonne oyster shipment was also destroyed over a paperwork error. Read more here.

Scottish government to investigate dredging in protected area: The Scottish government is investigating claims that two boats were filmed scallop dredging inside a protected marine area in the north-west Highlands. The incident, captured in Loch Alsh between the mainland and Skye, allegedly shows the Dawn Maid and another vessel hauling up dredging gear after being confronted by a local creel fisherman. Environmental group Open Seas said the footage exposes failures in monitoring and enforcement of marine protections. Scallop dredging – which drags heavy gear along the seabed — is widely condemned as one of the most destructive fishing methods, capable of devastating seabed habitats. The Loch Alsh Marine Protected Area, part of a network of deep-sea lochs that includes Loch Duich and Loch Long, shelters about 100 million flame shells, forming one of the richest habitats of its kind in the world. The boat’s owner claimed the skippers acted on advice from a fisheries officer and left when they realised their mistake. But campaigners called the dredging “reckless and illegal”, warning it undermines years of local conservation work. Open Seas said the incident demonstrates that vessel-tracking and enforcement systems designed to protect Scottish seas are “not working”. Read more on the BBC News website by clicking here.

Dead shark found on Scottish beach: The body of a shark has been discovered washed up on a rocky stretch of coastline near Wick, Caithness. Annemarie Simpson and her partner, Kev Stewart, from Papigoe, came across the carcass on Wednesday. Measuring almost two metres (6ft) in length, the shark is believed to be a porbeagle, a species native to UK waters. “It was an exciting and interesting find,” Ms Simpson told BBC Scotland News. “But I much prefer seeing them alive, where they belong.” Porbeagles belong to the Lamnidae family, making them close relatives of the great white shark and usually feed on species such as mackerel, squid and herring. The discovery, first reported by the John O’Groats Journal and Caithness Courier, has prompted speculation that the shark may have been a victim of Storm Amy, which brought damaging winds to northern Scotland earlier this month. Click here to read more.

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