Please visit the Angling Trust website for updated guidance following the most recent government lockdown announcement. 

On behalf of the Members, Officers & Staff of NIFCA, can I give best wishes to everyone for a safe & hopefully happy & prosperous 2021. Challenging times still lie ahead of course with covid, at least pending the full roll out of a vaccine, but there is hopefully now light at the end of the tunnel.

With a new Fisheries Act in place we enter a brave new world post Brexit and with a Trade Deal thankfully also in place, we will see over the next few weeks how trade to & from the continent will proceed & hopefully settle satisfactorily, particularly in relation to lobster & crab which are so important to our local fishing industry.

Our officers will be continuing with their work in the district & with the scientific & research work which forms the foundation for the best possible management & maintenance of sustainable stocks in the future.

We look forward to having contact with you as much as possible in the months which lie ahead & whilst our office must remain closed to the public, please don’t hesitate to speak to an officer, telephone or email us if we can be of any help or assistance.

Best regards

Mike Hardy
CEO

Catch up on the latest news, information and Northumberland IFCA’s work!

December 2020 Newsletter

The MMO is looking to recruit several members to regional IFCAs across the UK.
Each IFCA needs members who will take a balanced approach to caring for our seas, assessing the priority and importance of all users and stakeholders. The following IFCA regions are seeking proactive individuals with good communication skills and a demonstrable ability to disseminate IFCA regulations, policies and guidance through their network of contacts to serve as a member.

• Northumberland
• North Western
• North Eastern
• Kent & Essex
• Isles of Scilly
• Cornwall
• Devon & Severn
• Eastern
• Sussex

Andrew Wareing, Director of Digital and Analysis at MMO, responsible for IFCA selection, said:

“These are exciting opportunities for people with experience and a passion for their inshore marine area to play a major part in shaping how their local area is managed. If you want to make a positive difference and help balance economic, social and environmental needs, we would be pleased to hear from you. MMO invite applications from all industry sectors, however we would particularly welcome applicants from the commercial and recreational fishing sectors.”

The deadline for applications is 23:55 on 4 January 2021.

The role is on a voluntary basis although relevant expenses may be reimbursed. You can email ifcarecruitment@marinemanagement.org.uk for more information.

Background

There are 10 IFCAs around the English coastline with responsibility for sustainably managing sea fisheries and conservation within 6 nautical miles from shore. They have the power to make byelaws to protect resources and the environment in their area as well as also enforcing national and European fisheries legislation.

IFCAs are either committees or joint committees of the local authorities that fall within an IFCA district. They are tasked with sustainably managing inshore sea fisheries and conserving their local marine environment. They are made up of representatives from local councils along with people from across the different sectors that use or are knowledgeable about the inshore marine area, such as commercial and recreational fishermen, environmental groups and marine researchers, who offer their time voluntarily.

The Marine Management Organisation, Environment Agency and Natural England also each has a statutory seat on the IFCA. Through their local management and funding structures, IFCAs help put local councils, communities and businesses, and individual citizens in the driving seat, allowing them to play a bigger part in the protection and enhancement of their inshore marine environment.

Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCA)

The MMO is responsible for the appointment of local people with relevant expertise to IFCA committees. Appointees make up roughly half of IFCA committees and are appointed on a voluntary basis. The members of the IFCA contribute their knowledge and experience to provide sustainable management of the inshore marine area of their IFCA district. They guide the IFCA to deliver its mandate under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 and in line with Defra guidance.

We seek to achieve a balanced membership across various interest groups, including those with commercial, recreational and environmental interests. We are also keen to appoint people who represent the economic, social and environmental needs of their IFCA district and who, collectively, bring a variety of relevant interests such as fishing groups (commercial and non-commercial), conservation groups and other parties interested in the work of IFCAs.

Each appointment is made for a period of 3 to 5 years, with the possibility of reappointment up to a maximum of 10 years. It is conditional upon the member following terms and conditions for the appointment. Appointments are made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments and guidance issued by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Appointees must follow relevant IFCA codes of conduct as well as abiding by the terms and conditions of appointment. These are unpaid positions, however meeting allowances and expenses are available to members.

The MMO is looking to recruit several members to the Northumberland IFCA. 

More information on the vacancies can be found HERE.

Closing date is Monday 4th January 2021

Seafarers UK is supporting the Safety Folder, a unique safety aid for professional fishers, as it embarks on a campaign to increase its use by fishing boat owners, skippers and crew across the UK.

Created by Seafarers UK trustee Robert Greenwood, the Safety Folder is a free online resource that aims to support behavioural change to improve safety culture on board fishing vessels of all sizes.

It achieves this in part by making it easier to maintain records and provide evidence to Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) inspectors that risk assessments have been routinely carried out.

The MCA recommends the use of the Safety Folder on the grounds that its use can ‘assist you with preparing for your survey and inspection and may save you time and money by shortening the time MCA spends on your vessel and avoid return visits.’

Since its launch in 2012, the Safety Folder has been adopted by owners of 1,687 vessels with 4,239 crew. 50% of active fishing vessels in the UK are registered users, including 23% of the UK’s under-10m fleet.

The Safety Folder:

• supports conducting and recording risk assessments
• supports compliance with ILO C188 regulations
• keeps track of crew training and certification
• provides automated reminders of expiry dates for equipment certification, servicing and vessel maintenance.

The Safety Folder’s use as a safety management system is endorsed by the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, Northern Ireland Fish Producers’ Organisation, Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and Welsh Fishermen’s Association – Cymdeithas Pysgotwyr Cymru.

Robert Greenwood explained: ‘The grant awarded by Seafarers UK, together with match funding from Trinity House, will support the incorporation, marketing and core costs for the Safety Folder, enabling a shift from a part-time volunteer endeavour to a more formal structuring of the governance and its operations, including the creation of a Community Interest Company.’

‘It will also enable a programmer’s time to be given to website development in order to improve navigation and retrieval of information for users, as well as add a calendar of key dates and automated reminders about equipment safety checks.’

Seafarers UK CEO Catherine Spencer commented: ‘This grant award is the latest example of how our solution focused work in the fishing sector will help raise safety standards and practice for UK fishers. Seafarers UK is getting to the root of problems and working with a range of delivery organisations to improve life for fishers.’

Fishing vessel owners can register to use the Safety Folder at https://www.safetyfolder.co.uk