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.

December 2025 News

Seven supertrawlers off Sussex coast: Seven supertrawlers were tracked fishing off the Sussex coast in December, raising fresh concerns about the impact of industrial fishing in UK waters. The conservation group Sussex Dolphin Project says it monitored the vessels, some of which were more than 100 metres long, operating in the eastern English Channel. All seven of the trawlers are designed to catch fish on an industrial scale and have the capacity to catch hundreds of tonnes of fish a day in vast nets which can be almost a kilometre in length. Campaigners have also warned that these trawlers can catch high numbers of non-target species, including dolphins. All seven of the trawlers are registered overseas in countries such as the Netherlands, Germany and France, and the largest is the 126-metre Dutch-registered ship, Afrika. The trawlers are legally permitted to fish in UK waters, as the British government has post-Brexit powers to ban such vessels, but has so far chosen not to do so. Click here to read more on this story.

Great white sharks at risk of extinction in the Mediterranean: New research has shown that great white shark populations in the Mediterranean Sea have declined to such an extent that the species is now at risk of extinction in the region. The research, carried out by scientists from the US, working with the UK charity Blue Marine Foundation, found that illegal fishing was driving the decline, with many sharks being found on sale at North African fish markets. Great whites are among more than twenty Mediterranean shark species protected under global agreements that make it illegal to catch, land or trade them. But through monitoring of fishing ports along the North African coast, researchers estimate that at least forty great white sharks were killed there in 2025 alone. The BBC has independently verified social media footage showing protected sharks being landed in ports in Algeria and Tunisia, including what appears to be a short-finned mako shark, another endangered species. Dr Francesco Ferretti of Virginia Tech University, who led the research, said great white shark populations in the Mediterranean had collapsed after decades of intense industrial fishing. Now classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, the species now survives in only a few areas, including the Strait of Sicily, which has been described as the last refuge for the species in the Mediterranean. While enforcement of shark protections varies, conservationists argue that coordinated action and support for fishing communities could still give the species a chance to recover if action is taken soon. Read more by clicking here.

Shipping containers lost in Solent: Beaches along the West Sussex were left scattered with debris after sixteen shipping containers were lost from a cargo vessel off the coast of the Isle of Wight. The cargo vessel Baltic Klipper was travelling from the Netherlands to Portsmouth this month when sixteen shipping containers were lost overboard. Some were empty, but others contained bananas, plantains and avocados in polystyrene packaging. Volunteers attempted to clear up the shorelines of Selsey, Pagham Harbour and Bognor Regis, although waste continued to wash onto the beaches with every tide, with residents describing the sea as resembling “polystyrene soup” according to the BBC. Donna Tretheway, who helps run the volunteer group Selsey Beach Litter Ninjas, said about fifty people spent three hours clearing a half-mile stretch of the beach shortly after the debris washed ashore. Concerns have been raised about longer-term environmental harm, with fears that the polystyrene packaging left in the water will gradually break down into microplastics that can persist in the marine environment for decades. Some residents reported physical damage overnight, with some of the containers striking sea defences near Selsey, dislodging posts and scraping walls. Local councils have appointed environmental firm Ambipar to manage the clean-up and placed skips along affected beaches to aid in the clean-up operation. The ship’s operator, Seatrade, said the cargo was not hazardous and all crew were safe. People have been advised to stay away from affected beaches, watch for metal debris and avoid eating any washed-up fruit, while the Environment Agency was carrying out assessments on wildlife and water quality in the area. Click here to read more.

European fishing quotas decided for 2026: EU fisheries ministers have agreed new fishing quotas for 2026 following two days of negotiations, setting catch limits and fishing effort for some of Europe’s most important commercial fish stocks. Meeting under the EU’s Council of Agriculture and Fisheries, ministers from the twenty-seven member states approved rules covering waters in the Atlantic, the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. While most measures apply to 2026, some extend as far as 2028. The target is to manage fish stocks sustainably while keeping the EU’s fishing industry economically viable, and aims to compromise between scientific advice on protecting fish populations and the practical realities facing fishing communities. Denmark’s fisheries minister, Jacob Jensen, said the deal would give fishermen “certainty about their fishing possibilities for 2026” and help create “the best possible conditions for a sustainable fisheries sector in the future”. In the Atlantic and North Sea, the EU independently manages twenty-four allowable catches. Quotas have risen for some species, including megrim, which will increase by 12 per cent in waters south of the Bay of Biscay, and Norway lobster, which will see a 54 per cent increase in the same area. Elsewhere, limits have been tightened. Catches of common sole will fall sharply, down 45 per cent in the Kattegat and the Baltic Sea. Quotas for horse mackerel in Portuguese waters have been reduced by 5 per cent, pollock by 13 per cent, and monkfish by 1 per cent. Mackerel remains a special case: ministers agreed only provisional quotas for the first half of the year, cutting them by 70 per cent while talks continue with other North-East Atlantic coastal states. In the western Mediterranean, trawler fishing effort will remain at 2025 levels, as will catch limits for shrimp. In the Black Sea, quotas for turbot have been set slightly lower than last year. Read more here.

Bio-bead spill may have released lead and arsenic into sea: Heavy metals, including lead, arsenic and cadmium, have been detected on millions of plastic pellets that washed up along the Sussex and Kent coastline, raising concerns about potential harm to marine life. Scientists at King’s College London analysed 200 of the so-called bio-beads collected from Camber Sands in East Sussex. Millions of the beads had been accidentally released after a filter at a treatment facility in Eastbourne, run by Southern Water, failed in October. Tests revealed the presence of several heavy metals that, while not at levels classed as hazardous, could still pose risks to fish and marine vegetation. Professor Andreas Baas, a specialist in microplastics in coastal environments, led the research using X-ray fluorescence scanning. His team found traces of antimony, barium, lead, rubidium, strontium, cadmium, thorium and arsenic on the beads. He said the results suggested the pellets were “certainly not just pristine plastic” and would harm any creatures which ingested them. Henri Brocklebank, director of conservation at Sussex Wildlife Trust, said the findings underlined the urgency of removing the beads from the environment and called for their rapid removal from wastewater treatment works across the country, not just in Sussex. Prof Baas also warned of risks to plants. If the pellets are blown into sand dunes and begin to degrade, he said, heavy metals could leach into the soil, be absorbed by plant roots and have toxic effects on vegetation. Southern Water has previously described the bio-beads used at its Eastbourne site as “non-toxic, non-hazardous and chemically stable”. However, many similar pellets installed in the past were made from recycled electronic waste such as televisions and computers. In 2003, EU regulations limited the amount of heavy metals permitted in such materials, prompting a change in manufacturing practices. The Eastbourne treatment works was built in the late 1990s, and it remains unclear whether the beads released in the October spill pre-date those regulations. Prof Baas has shared his findings with the Environment Agency, which is carrying out its own investigation. Southern Water says it is also using independent experts to examine the incident and has apologised for the spill, though it says it cannot comment on third-party testing. Since the pollution was discovered in early November, volunteers and Southern Water staff have been involved in a major clean-up effort. Sussex Wildlife Trust is also trying to remove thousands of beads that have reached Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, a protected site home to rare plants and animals. The trust warns that the pellets’ size and buoyancy mean birds and fish could easily mistake them for food, with potentially toxic consequences. Read more by clicking here.

Weir has made salmon ‘functionally extinct’ in River Sid: Campaigners in east Devon say Atlantic salmon could return to the River Sid in meaningful numbers if changes are made to an old weir that currently blocks their migration. Fish are unable to pass School Weir, near Sidmouth, because it is too high for salmon to jump. As a result, the Westcountry Rivers Trust says the species now survives only in very small numbers in the river and is “functionally extinct” in the catchment. Hannah Parvin, from the trust, said the barrier was the single biggest obstacle to recovery. Without it, she said, the River Sid would provide a healthy habitat for salmon and other migratory fish. With salmon populations declining across the UK, she argued that restoring access to suitable rivers was essential and evidence suggests some salmon are still trying to return. Charles Sinclair of the River Sid Catchment Group said surveys had found young salmon in the river, and adults had been seen attempting to jump the weir. “They get stuck here because they can’t get past it,” he said. Volunteers have been manually moving fish over the barrier in an effort to help them continue upstream. The Environment Agency said it is exploring longer-term solutions. One option under consideration is a more natural-style fish pass, involving a sloping ramp up to the crest of the weir and possibly lowering the structure itself. This would allow salmon and other species to reach upstream spawning grounds unaided, helping to restore the river’s ecological balance. Click here to read more.

Scottish salmon farmers dispute claims that economic benefits are exaggerated: Scotland’s salmon farming sector has rejected a new report claiming the industry’s economic value has been overstated. The study, led by Pareto Consulting and the University of Edinburgh Business School, examined salmon farming’s impact in Skye and Lochalsh and concluded that headline figures “Exaggerate the net benefit to Scotland and host communities”. The study argues that widely cited estimates focus on gross economic activity while overlooking costs, trade-offs and the possibility that some jobs may simply displace employment in other local industries. Andrew Moxey of Pareto Consulting, a former chief agricultural economist for the Scottish Government, said official guidance requires economic appraisals to measure net effects, including negative impacts. He noted that insufficient data makes this difficult, but said the research suggests that between 9 and 28 per cent of salmon-farming jobs in the study area may not represent genuine additions to local employment. The report also warns of “overreliance on self-reporting” by the industry and argues that assessments often fail to account for knock-on effects on other businesses, such as higher operating costs, reduced revenue or challenges recruiting staff. Moxey said stronger data and more routine analysis are needed to support an informed public debate. The industry body Salmon Scotland dismissed the findings, describing the study as “an activist report, not credible economic analysis”. It pointed to independent research by Biggar Economics, which values the sector’s contribution at £1 billion a year, supporting around 11,000 jobs and helping sustain fragile rural communities. The group also highlighted what it says are world-leading environmental and welfare standards and ongoing investment to protect wild salmon populations. Read more by clicking here.

Deep-sea octopus species found on Scottish beach: The remains of a seven-arm octopus, a rarely seen deep-sea species, have been found on a beach in Aberdeenshire. The discovery was made by a walker at Forvie National Nature Reserve near Collieston, who alerted the reserve’s staff after spotting the octopus on the beach. Reserve manager Catriona Reid said the team could only investigate after the next high tide, by which time only sections of the arms remained. Staff consulted experts at the University of Aberdeen who confirmed that the remains were those of Haliphron atlanticus, a species also known as the seven-arm octopus or “blob octopus”. Although like all octopuses, the species has eight arms, males have one modified as a reproductive organ, which is usually curled up, making it superficially look like it has seven arms and giving rise to its unusual name. Seven-arm octopuses inhabit deep waters, typically more than 500 metres below the surface. Much of the North Sea is far shallower, leading to uncertainty about how the animal arrived on the beach. Possible explanations include deep-water currents or accidental capture by a fishing vessel, though the exact cause may never be known. Read more by clicking here.

Read our news archive of fishing-related news stories going back to the start of 2014.

News Archive – 2025
News Archive – 2024
News Archive – 2023
News Archive – 2022
News Archive – 2020
News Archive – 2019
News Archive – 2018
News Archive – 2017
News Archive – 2016
News Archive – 2015
News Archive – 2014

Credit for newspaper image at top of page: Copyright: flynt / 123RF Stock Photo