The Fisheries Industry Science Partnerships (FISP) scheme, part of the £100m UK Seafood Fund, will open its next round on 1 August. Bidding will be open until midday on 5 September. A final round is also planned for later in the year opening 21 November and closing at the end of December. The UK Seafood Fund has been extended to 2025 so applicants will be able to apply for funding for two-year projects with a maximum value of £1 million (or £500,000 per year).We will also retain a separate opportunity to bid for projects up to £150k, as has been offered in both previous rounds We have also expanded our list of eligible research projects to include research on wider factors which impact fish stocks, such as offshore wind farms and climate change. You will be able to access the opportunity through our gov.uk page once the scheme opens. For further details on the scheme, please visit here. You can also read about successfully awarded FISP projects here.    

Defra have today launched a 3 month consultation  on HPMA which can be accessed at: Consultation on Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) – Defra – Citizen Space This includes the candidate site, Allonby Bay in Cumbria. A factsheet is provided in relation to each site. Defra. are planning public meetings in relation to each site. Cllr Markley has suggested some possible venues in the Allonby Bay area. The consultation will be put on the website and may be circulated to anyone interested.  

Call to all Byelaw 3 permit holders and relevant stakeholders to consult on mussel minimum landing size. At the Technical Science and Byelaw meeting held on the 10th of May 2022, the Authority was asked to consider a reduction to the current minimum landing size (MLS) of mussels (Mytilus edulis) in the District from 45 mm to 40 mm. The purpose of this consultation is to determine the thoughts of Byelaw 3 permit holders and relevant members of industry on a potential reduction in the MLS of mussels. It also offers the opportunity for industry members to provide the Authority with any additional information they believe to be relevant to this matter. We ask that all relevant members of industry complete the questionnaire provided, and return their responses to the Authority by the 17th of July.  The consultation questionnaire is provided below: Click here to complete the Questionnaire through our website Mussel MLS Questionnaire (doc) All responses will be anonymized and presented as aggregate data. Questionnaires can be returned by post to: Science North Western IFCA 1 Preston Street Carnforth LA5 9BY Or, by email to: [email protected]. If you have any queries regarding the questionnaire, please contact the science office…

Retained REGULATION (EU) 2019/627 of 15 March 2019 laying down uniform practical arrangements for the performance of official controls on products of animal origin intended for human consumption in accordance with Retained Regulation (EU) 2017/625 of the European Parliament and of the Council and amending Commission Regulation (EU) No 2074/2005 as regards official controls. Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 S.I. 2013 No 2996 Pursuant to the power conferred on it by Article 18(6) and Article(8)(b) of Retained Regulation 2017/625, and Article 62 of Retained Regulation 2019/627, being satisfied that the results of sampling show that the health standards for molluscs are exceeded As Competent Authority for the purposes of the above EC provision by virtue of regulation 4 of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 S.I. 2013 No 2996: Barrow Borough Council has temporarily closed the production areas identified in the Schedule to this notice for the production and harvesting of mussels by Food Business Operators until further notice. Signed: Dated this 22nd day of June 2022 Sarah Mason Environmental Health Officer On behalf of Barrow Borough Council SCHEDULE Areas in which the production of mussels by food business operators is prohibited by reason of this…

We are pleased to inform that Byelaw 4 Potting Permit Byelaw 2020 has been signed off by the Secretary of State on the 6th of June. As of the 6th of June, the following byelaws in the NWIFCA District have been revoked: Cumbria Sea Fisheries Committee Byelaw 8 Berried Lobsters 16 April 1993; Cumbria Sea Fisheries Committee Byelaw 25 Requirement for escape Gaps in Pots, Creels and Traps 20 October 1997; North West Sea Fisheries Committee Byelaw 31 Protection of V-notched lobsters 16 December 1997; Cumbria Sea Fisheries Committee Byelaw 26 Permit to Fish for Lobster, Crab and Whelks 20 January 2007; and North West Sea Fisheries Committee Byelaw 30 Fishing for Lobster, Crawfish, Crab, Prawn and Whelk 20 April 2007. NEXT STEPS Commercial applicants All those who received confirmation from NWIFCA via letter that they had provided the required information for a Category 1 permit, should now contact the Whitehaven office for payment. Once payment has been received a letter confirming your payment and a copy of your permit will be sent imminently. Tags will be available two weeks after payment. You will receive notification when they have arrived and an invite to arrange a time slot for picking…

  Morecambe and Heysham Sea Cadet’s RIB along with all their boating equipment has been stolen from Halton Training Camp. The hull has since been recovered but the equipment is still missing. The stolen equipment includes: 60 Yak Curve Buoyancy Aids 1 Mercury 40hp Outboard Engine 2 Suzuki 60hp Outboard Engines 1 Boat Trailer 2 Rowing Oars  

Invitation to Owners of Registered and Licensed Fishing Vessels to Apply for Permits The NWIFCA Potting Permit Byelaw 2020 was submitted to Defra for final sign off on 15th February 2022, having been through the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) quality assurance process with the recommendation that the byelaw is confirmed by the Secretary of State. It is likely that the byelaw will be confirmed in the following month/s. NWIFCA is inviting stakeholders who commercially fish with pots from a registered and licenced fishing vessels to apply for a Category 1 permit using the application form below. The NWIFCA is continuing to carry out the administrative exercise prior to the byelaw being signed to ensure the byelaw can be practically implemented as swiftly as possible once the Secretary of State confirms the byelaw. No payments will be accepted until the byelaw is confirmed, at which point providing all the requirements for obtaining a permit have been met, applicants will be contacted to make payment. All permits will be valid for the period 1 October to 30 September the following year. Upon confirmation of the byelaw, the first permit shall be valid for the remainder of the first 12 months to 30…

Invitation to Those Who Fish Recreationally With Pots to Apply for Permits The NWIFCA Potting Permit Byelaw 2020 was submitted to Defra for final sign off on 15th February 2022, having been through the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) quality assurance process with the recommendation that the byelaw is confirmed by the Secretary of State. It is likely that the byelaw will be confirmed in the following month/s. NWIFCA is inviting stakeholders who recreationally fish with pots to apply for a Category 2 permit using the application form available at the bottom of the page. The NWIFCA is continuing to carry out the administrative exercise prior to the byelaw being signed to ensure the byelaw can be practically implemented as swiftly as possible once the Secretary of State confirms the byelaw. No payments will be accepted until the byelaw is confirmed, at which point providing all the requirements for obtaining a permit have been met, applicants will be contacted to make payment. All permits will be valid for the period 1 October to 30 September the following year. Upon confirmation of the byelaw, the first permit shall be valid for the remainder of the first 12 months to 30 September, and…

To reduce the risk of bird entanglement in fishing nets the NWIFCA recommends that the following Code of Practice should be followed: No netting of any type in the area highlighted in the map below during the period 14th March to 25th July** If you do accidentally catch a bird in your net outside of the area or in any non-netting gear within the area ensure that you contact the NWIFCA by email at [email protected] or by phone on 01524 727970 (option 3) with details of the capture including location, number of birds and species The sea around St. Bees Head is important for many species of birds which nest on the cliffs and feed on fish in the area. Some of the birds are susceptible to becoming accidentally entrapped by nets and disturbed by vessel movement. At particular times of year (around the breeding season) these birds are at especially high risk. Nobody wants to see birds caught in fishing gear, including those fishing the gear. Apart from the obvious damage to those individual birds, it can cause distress to the public and lead to a damaging perception of fishing. Note: St Bees Head is part of the Cumbria…

Cefas are currently investigating the health of the edible crab population around the English coast, and would welcome your expert input by asking you to complete their survey. Please find the link below.   Edible Crab Health Survey (office.com)    

On 7th February 2022 at Lancaster Magistrates, Mr Daniel Bell of Warren Grove, Heysham was found guilty in absence and ordered to pay a combined total of £3,000 for fishing within Heysham Bass Nursery Area.  A byelaw banning fishing and possession of fishing gear within Heysham Bass Nursery Area was introduced in 2013 to protect the juvenile stocks of sea bass which gather in the warm waters of the power station outflows.  On the morning of 16th November 2021 Mr Bell was caught fishing by fisheries enforcement officers within the closed area of Heysham Bass Nursery Area. In the afternoon, Mr Bell returned to the area to continue fishing and was intercepted by Inshore Fishery and Conservation Officers attempting to flee the area having discarded his fishing gear.  Mr Bell was ordered to pay a fine of £500 for the morning offence and a fine of £500 for the afternoon offence, costs of £1,850 and a victim surcharge of £150.  Joseph Moulton, Head of Enforcement said:  “We welcome the guilty verdict however our efforts to enforce the closure will continue. Over the last three years over £12,500 in fines, fixed administrative penalties and costs have been issued for fishing within…

Today, the UK Government, Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland, Scottish Government, and Welsh Government are launching a public consultation on the Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS). A key component of the Fisheries Act 2020, the Joint Fisheries Statement sets out the legally binding policies the UK Government and Devolved Governments will follow, at a UK level and individually, as they work together to deliver world-class sustainable fisheries and aquaculture management. The consultation, running from 18 January to 12 April 2022, will welcome views from industry and environmental stakeholders, the public and all those interested and affected by the proposed policies. The Joint Fisheries Statement sets out policies from the respective governments for achieving, or contributing to achieving, the eight objectives outlined in the Fisheries Act 2020 which will help to achieve the UK’s vision for clean, healthy, safe, productive, and biologically diverse oceans and seas. In line with the Fisheries Act’s objectives and international obligations, the Joint Fisheries Statement sets out how the UK will adopt an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management and includes a commitment to mapping and protecting our blue carbon resources. It recognises the importance of fishing and aquaculture, and the benefits it…