During May, the Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NIFCA) made its annual appearance at the Amble Puffin Festival, an event celebrating the region’s marine life.

Each year, NIFCA supports the festival to connect with the local community and share insights into our work in managing and conserving Northumberland’s inshore waters.

Our officers Vicky Rae and Richard Willis manned NIFCA’s booth, which was a hub of activity, offering interactive displays and educational materials. Visitors learned about sustainable fishing practices, habitat protection and marine biodiversity. The NIFCA team provided information on key topics including sustainable fishing practices, minimum size limits and research work undertaken as well as ways anglers can contribute to the data held on finfish by entering our species challenge competition.

Habitat protection was also a key area, covering the safeguarding of critical habitats such as seagrass beds and rocky reefs and marine species conservation.

Hands-on learning and engaging with the community

Children enjoyed fish identification games, fostering early interest in conservation. The festival also facilitated discussions between NIFCA officers and local fishers, helping to promote collaboration and mutual understanding.

NIFCA’s annual participation in the Amble Puffin Festival not only educates the public but also strengthens community ties, reinforcing the collective effort to protect Northumberland’s marine heritage.

Festival facts

The Amble Puffin Festival celebrates everything Puffin at the best time of year to see the Coquet Island puffins, as they prepare to take care of their newly hatched pufflings.

The festival takes inspiration from a colony of approximately 30,000 puffins that nest on the RSPB seabird sanctuary of Coquet Island, just a mile off Amble. Puffins are very sociable birds that like to nest in burrows in the soft sandy soil on the island, which equates to more than 15,000 burrows.

Coquet Island has been an RSPB nature reserve since 1970 and is also the sole UK nesting colony of roseate terns. The island is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and therefore protected all year round, to safeguard the fragile habitat.

Please note that our next Quarterly Meeting will be held at the NIFCA Office, 8 Ennerdale Road, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 4RT on Monday 22nd July 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

Northumberland’s fisheries management landscape is undergoing significant changes as key figures retire and new faces step up to lead the charge in marine conservation and sustainable fishing practices.

After an illustrious 15-year tenure, Les Weller, Chair of the Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NIFCA), has announced his retirement. Les leaves behind a legacy of unwavering dedication to sustainable fisheries management and the preservation of marine ecosystems. His departure marks the end of an era characterised by tireless advocacy and impactful leadership.

Replacing Les at the helm is Amelia Henderson, a respected recreational angler and staunch advocate for marine conservation. Amelia has been a volunteer member of NIFCA since 2022 and is Secretary of the Bedlington Sea Angling Club. She brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to environmental stewardship to her new role. Her appointment signals a continuity of NIFCA’s values and a renewed focus on collaborative efforts to protect North East coastal waters and marine biodiversity.

Commenting on Les’s retirement and Amelia’s appointment, Mark Southerton, Chief Officer of NIFCA, expressed gratitude for Les’s exemplary public service.

“Les has been a steadfast pillar of support for NIFCA, embodying our values of dedication and passion for marine conservation. His leadership and support have been instrumental in our achievements over the past 15 years, and he leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire us.”

Incoming chair Amelia expressed her commitment to building upon Les’s legacy by fostering collaboration among stakeholders, fishing communities and conservation groups.

She said: “I am deeply honoured to follow in Les’s footsteps and eager to embark on this new journey. I am committed to working hand in hand with all of our stakeholders to preserve our coastal waters and uphold our rich marine biodiversity.”

In addition to the change in leadership, NIFCA also welcomes new members to its ranks. Jim Stephenson, a commercial fisher and NIFCA member for more than 28 years, has retired from his position.

He will be succeeded by Brian Douglas, bringing fresh perspectives and expertise to the Authority’s endeavours. Furthermore, Guy Renner-Thompson has been nominated to serve as vice chair, further strengthening NIFCA’s leadership team.

“Jim Stephenson has been a cornerstone of NIFCA’s efforts for over 28 years, and we are immensely grateful for his dedicated service to our community,” added Mark.

“As a lifelong commercial fisher, Jim’s expertise and passion for our coastal waters have been invaluable. His commitment to sustainable fishing practices and marine conservation has left an indelible mark on our organisation. We extend our heartfelt thanks to Jim for his public service and wish him all the best in his well-deserved retirement.”

As NIFCA transitions into this new chapter, it remains steadfast in its mission to promote responsible fishing practices, safeguard coastal habitats and ensure the sustainable management of the coastal waters in its district.

With a dynamic blend of experience, dedication, and passion, the Authority is poised to tackle the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead in the world of marine conservation and fisheries management.

The members of Northumberland IFCA at the Quarterly Meeting on the 22nd April, 2024 voted in favour of the ‘Netting’ byelaw. The byelaw updates and revokes the “Fixed Engines” byelaw in order to:

• simplify the regulation,
• address the limited protection within estuaries and intertidal areas,
• regulate other types of netting rather than just fixed engines, and
• include a provision which requires a permit for netting in the NIFCA district.

Now we will begin the process of the statutory consultation on the byelaw. The full byelaw and impact assessment can be found on the consultations section of the NIFCA website (www.nifca.gov.uk).  Any person wishing to object or comment on the confirmation of the above byelaw must make representation in writing before 30/06/2024 to the Marine Conservation Team, Marine Management Organisation, Lancaster House, Hampshire Court, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 7EH or: ifcabyelaws@marinemanagement.org.uk and must send a copy of such written representation to the Chief Officer at Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority at 8 Ennerdale Road, Blyth, Northumberland, NE24 4RT or nifca@nifca.gov.uk.

The current Fixed Engine Byelaw remains in place until the new byelaw is confirmed by the Secretary of State.

A commercial fisherman from Holy Island, Mr Paul Douglas, was fined £2,690 by magistrates at the Quayside Law Courts in Newcastle on Friday, May 10th. The fine comes as a consequence of breaching national fisheries legislation aimed at protecting key species along the Northumberland Coast.

This related to incidents in November 2023 and January 2024 when Mr Douglas retained egg bearing Lobsters.

The case was brought against Mr Douglas by the Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NIFCA) who manage the inshore fishery along the Northumberland and North Tyneside coastline.

During the hearing, Andrew Oliver of Andrew Jackson Solicitors prosecuting on behalf of NIFCA, informed the court that on both the 16^th of November 2023 and the 16^th of January 2024, enforcement officers from NIFCA had conducted inspections on Mr Douglas’s catch and vessel.

Mr Douglas, the owner/skipper of the commercial fishing vessel Scarlet Cord R7, was found to have had prohibited egg bearing lobsters in his catch on both occasions, tests later performed on one of the lobsters showed that although there was only a limited number of eggs still present, the remainder that would have also been attached had not naturally hatched.

Mr Douglas had committed two offences,

• He, on the 16^th of November 2023 had fished for and retained two berried lobsters, contrary to the Lobster and Crawfish (Prohibition of Fishing and Landing) Order 2000 and the Sea Fish Conservation Act 1967.
• He, on the 16^th of January 2024 had fished for and retained two berried lobsters, contrary to the Lobster and Crawfish (Prohibition of Fishing and Landing) Order 2000 and the Sea Fish Conservation Act 1967.

Mr Douglas, represented in court by Richard Arnot of Ward Hadaway Solicitors pleaded guilty to both offences. The Bench issued Mr Douglas a Band D fine of £960 and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £384 along with prosecution costs of £1,350.

Nick Weir, lead enforcement officer for NIFCA, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating: “The Authority is pleased that the court recognises the importance of enforcing conservation measures within our district. The shellfish fishery is vital for Fishers in the district and allowing lobsters to breed successfully helps to ensure stocks can be maintained”.

“Fishing in Northumberland is an economically sensitive activity and of great social importance to our local heritage and character. Our byelaws in conjunction with national legislation, balance the social, environmental, and economic needs of our stakeholders to promote healthy seas, sustainable fishing, and a viable industry”.

You are invited to take part in a research study looking to understand mental health in the commercial fishing industry. 

This research is funded by the University of Exeter and the Seafarers’ Charity and hopes to understand the state of mental health in the fishing industry and the current stressors facing fishermen. This information will help the project to make recommendations to government and other organisations about how to support coastal communities.

This survey is for ALL commercial fishermen in England, not just those with mental health concerns. We would like you to take part if you are happy and healthy and/or if you have mental health concerns. If you participate in this survey there is the option to be entered into a prize draw for £200. Please see the attached poster for more information.

Please use the following link to access the survey:

https://exe.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7afn9yuX1jxkkKi

For any further information, please contact Skylar Collins at sc1286@exeter.ac.uk