Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NIFCA) has successfully prosecuted a recreational shellfish gatherer for breaching one if its byelaws.

On the 10^th of November 2022, at North Shields Magistrates Court, Mr Michael William Denton of Newbiggin by the Sea pled guilty to the breach.

Andrew Oliver of Andrew Jackson Solicitors prosecuting on behalf of NIFCA, which manages the inshore fishery along the Northumberland and North Tyneside coastline, informed magistrates that on the 12^th of May, Mr Denton was observed and recorded fishing with shellfish pots within the NIFCA district.

Mr Denton, a crew member on a commercial fishing vessel, was aware of the fisheries legislation and was fishing from his own recreational boat without the required NIFCA Recreational Shellfish Permit.

Mr Denton, represented by Paul Dunn of Lawson and Thompson Solicitors was found to have been negligent and to have caused harm to the fishery. He was fined £200 and ordered to pay £200 costs and a victim surcharge of £43.00.

Nick Weir, Lead Enforcement Officer at NIFCA, said: “The Authority is happy with the court’s findings and its recognition of the importance of the work we do. Fishing for shellfish in Northumberland is vitally important to commercial fishers and a source of great enjoyment for responsible recreational gatherers.

“I would advise anyone who wishes to fish or gather shellfish to visit our website or contact our office to check that what they are doing is within our byelaws. The byelaws exist to balance the social, environmental and economic needs of our stakeholders in order to promote healthy seas, sustainable fishing and a viable industry.”

Please note that our next Quarterly Meeting will be held at East Bedlington Community Centre, 16 & 17 Station Road, Bedlington Station NE22 7JN, on Monday 24th October 2022 at 1pm.

Agenda items include:-

IFCO Reports on activity in the district, Environmental Report and update on NIFCA research, surveys and projects and a presentation on behalf of the local Marine Nature Partnership.

If you would like to attend, please email nifca@nifca.gov.uk

NIFCA has completed its response to the consultation and a copy can be seen here:-

NIFCA Lindisfarne HPMA Consultation response

NIFCA and Newcastle University will be at the Harbour Office (top floor), Seahouses on Monday 8th August from 10am-2pm to discuss the proposed HPMA pilot areas. Researchers from Newcastle University will be there too ready to interview anyone who would like to make statement about how the proposed HPMA will affect them (as part of a Rapid Impact Assessment Study, led by Dr Sarah Coulthard, Newcastle University).

Please stop by and chat to us if you have any questions or need assistance with responding to the Defra consultation:

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/hpma/consultation-on-highly-protected-marine-areas/

A reminder that the NIFCA Chair has called an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Authority to discuss Defra’s consultation regarding the proposed HPMA in Lindisfarne.

The event is open to everyone on the evening of Thursday 21^st July. Join us at 5pm at The Hub, Stone Close, Seahouses, NE68 7YL. No need to book but feel free to contact us for more details on 01670 797 676 or at nifca@nifca.gov.uk.

Please see link to Agenda for the meeting below:-

Agenda – EGM 21 July 2021