Please note that our next Quarterly Meeting will be held at Old Committee Room 1 (Block 5), County Hall, Morpeth, Northumberland NE61 2EF on Monday 22 January 2024 at 1pm.
The meeting is open to all. If you have any queries or would like to attend, please email nifca@nifca.gov.uk.
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Please note that our Christmas 2023 opening times are as follows:
Monday 25th December: Closed
Tuesday 26th December: Closed
Wednesday 27th December: Closed
Thursday 28th December: Open 9am to 12.30pm
Friday 29th December: Open 9am to 12.30pm
Monday 1st January: Closed
Normal office hours resume Tuesday 2nd January 2024
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An article in this week’s Fishing News summarises the work by Sarah Coulthard on behalf of NIFCA to explore fisher’s ideas about what should be in a national crab and lobster Fisheries Management Plan (FMP). Thank you to Sarah and all of the fishers who gave their time during the interview. The work provides a valuable insight into the fishing industry throughout Northumberland and information will be invaluable to NIFCA’s FMP response. The article can be read in this weeks Fishing News here and the full report can be found here.
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Defra are considering new spatial management measures to provide additional resilience and protection for the North Sea sandeel stocks to reduce the impacts of industrial sandeel fishing on the wider ecosystem. They would like views from stakeholders on options for the future management of sandeels in UK waters. You can respond to this online via the link below, the consultation closes on 30th May 2023. Please contact the NIFCA office if any further information or assistance is required.
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Dear Fisher,
NIFCA in collaboration with Newcastle University are conducting a survey to gather views from potters in the NIFCA region on the national crab and lobster fisheries management plan which is due to be released to public consultation in early summer this year. One proposed measure in the plan that we are aware of is an increase in the minimum landing size of lobster from 87mm to 90mm. The full detail of the proposed FMP will be released at the point of consultation.
We would like to be as ready as possible for the consultation with a regional response that is inclusive of as many fishers as possible and so are seeking views on what should be included in the FMP and, more specifically, your opinion on the proposed increase MLS and how it might affect your fishing.
There are 2 surveys, a short one (5 minutes to complete) and a longer one (approx.. 30 minutes to complete), which covers a wider variety of issues that are relevant to fisheries management.
Please complete either of these (not both) and submit your findings at the below links.
Newcastle University will then process the data and produce a report summarising the views of fishers in this region, which will be available on the NIFCA website and presented back to fishers in person, through the NIFCA fisher forums (by end of April 2023).
All responses are completely anonymous and you cannot be identified by your response.
Please submit your response by 14th April 2023 at which point the survey will close.
If you’d like an in-person or phone call interview to share your views, please email Sarah.coulthard@newcastle.ac.uk.
If you’ve spoken to Beth, Lauren or Sarah (from Newcastle University) about this already there’s no need to complete this survey as it’s the same questions.
Thank you for your time – it’s so important that fishers have a clear voice in the development of these plans.
Short Survey
https://newcastle.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/fmp-short-survey
Long Survey
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North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority are recruiting a Chief Executive Officer.
More information available here: https://www.nw-ifca.gov.uk/news/recruiting-chief-executive-officer/