The IFCA General Member recruitment campaign is now live. The MMO will be seeking to appoint to fill current vacancies and create a reserve list for upcoming vacancies.

As a voluntary member of an IFCA committee you will work in a team with others, helping to ensure that:

• the use of sea fisheries resources is carried out in a sustainable way and is balanced with the need to protect the marine environment or promote its recovery from, the effects of exploitation
• the different needs of those engaged in the exploitation of sea fisheries and marine resources are balanced
• the conservation objectives of marine conservation zones are achieved

The closing date for applications is 24 January 2022. For more details or to apply, please follow this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/exciting-opportunity-to-manage-inshore-fisheries-and-conservation-ifca

Please note that our Christmas 2021 opening times are as follows:

Thursday 23^rd December: Open AM, 

Friday 24^th December: Closed, 

Tuesday 28^th December: Closed, 

Wednesday 29^th December: Open AM,

Thursday 30^th December: Open AM,

Friday 31^st December: Closed,

Monday 3^rd January 2022: Closed. 

Normal office hours resume Tuesday 4th January 2022

The APPG on Fisheries is supporting the compilation of a report that will cover the experiences of members of the UK’s fishing industry in light of Brexit. We are looking to collate responses from various members of the fishing industry (including supply chain, processors, exporters), and would really appreciate your input.

The Secretariat have provided the following prompts:

• How has Brexit affected your livelihood?

  • Has the turnover of your business changed?

  • Have you found changes in the availability of labour?

  • If you are involved in exports, have you seen any financial or regulatory impact since the start of January?

• Have any of the impacts been unexpected? If so, which and in what way?

• What key changes do you want to see to improve or protect your livelihood in the future?

All responses will be anonymised.
Please send responses or any queries to the APPG Secretariat at secretariat@fisheriesappg.org by 4 January.

The MMO has announced the following: 

In order to continue to export fisheries products to the United States (US), and to assist conservation efforts in mitigating marine mammal bycatch, the UK needs to comply with international standards for the conservation of marine mammals.

This means that there is now a mandatory requirement under fishing vessel licence conditions, whereby fishers will need to report any bycatch of marine mammals to the MMO, within 48 hours of the end of the fishing trip.

This can be done by completing the template below and sending this to the MMO using the following email address or postal address;

MMO Statistics Mailbox – statistics@marinemanagement.org.uk Or MMO Statistics, Lancaster House, Hampshire Court, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 7YH

The information supplied by fishers will be used to report on incidental injury, mortality or bycatch of marine mammal species at an aggregated level to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in order to comply with the above reporting requirements.

SECTIONS 155 & 156

MARINE AND COASTAL ACCESS ACT 2009

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the above legislation, Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NIFCA) intends to apply to the Minister for the Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs for confirmation of the “Dredges” (2021) byelaw which was made by NIFCA on 25^th October 2021.  The byelaw confirms a prohibition throughout the Authority District of the use of a dredge for exploitation of sea fisheries resources and a fishing vessel registered in accordance with Part II of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995 (C21) and the regulations made under that Act transiting through the district must have all dredges on board lashed and stowed.

Upon the Dredges (2021) byelaw being confirmed by the Minister and coming into legal effect, the current Byelaw 2 Dredges will be revoked.

A full text of the byelaw and associated Impact Assessment can be inspected at or obtained from Northumberland IFCA offices: 8 Ennerdale Road, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 4RT or telephone no. 01670 797 676 and viewed on the Authority website at www.nifca.gov.uk.

Any person wishing to object to or comment on the confirmation of the above byelaw must make representations in writing before 7^th January 2022 to the Marine Conservation & Enforcement Team, Marine Management Organisation, Lancaster House, Hampshire Court, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 7YH or: IFCAbyelaws@marinemanagement.org.uk and must send a copy of such written representation to the Chief Executive at Northumberland Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority at 8 Ennerdale Road, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 4RT or nifca@nifca.gov.uk