Cockling in the Wash Momentum
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Visit us online for news, features and media nostalgia KELSEY KELSEY 30 July 2020 Issue 5525 £3.30 media KELSEY KELSEY fishingnews.co.uk TURN TO PAGE 2 FOR THE FULL HELP TO FIND CV AID REPORT N Sea herring season gathers Cockling in the Wash momentum Pathway approaching Peterhead last week with a shot of herring. (Photo: Ryan Cordiner) The North Sea summer herring fishery is expected to move up through the gears early next month, with more midwater vessels from North East Scotland starting to fish, reportsDavid Linkie. Following the end of the early-season maatjes fishery in June, boats are now fishing MSC-accredited North Sea herring for the fillet market. Good marks of larger herring are now being reported down the east side of Shetland, where a number of Dutch- Jo Bert LO 243 settles on to the bottom as the sea recedes from the Wash and German-registered freezer trawlers cockle beds, as the first crewmen start hand-raking... have been fishing in recent weeks. The Peterhead midwater trawler The hand-raked Wash cockle fishery and concern has been expressed that Pathway landed two shots of herring opened on 22 June with a TAC of it is the precautionary principle, rather into her home port last week after 3,636t, to the relief of local fishermen, than the actual needs of overwintering fishing to the northeast of Skerries. as it was feared that due to coronavirus birds, that threatens its long-term A number of Fraserburgh boats were restrictions, the necessary survey work future. expected to leave harbour this week could not be undertaken this year. Fishing News spent a day on the for their first trips. Shetland crews are … before carrying a basket of cockles across But the fishery was already heavily Wash sands to find out more. Turn to expected to remain ashore until later in the sand to a dumpy bag. restricted by environmental protections, page 8 for our in-depth feature. August before targeting roe herring. THE LAW HAS CHANGED TO MAKE COMMERCIAL FISHING SAFER. Visit homeanddry.uk and make sure you get back #HOMEANDDRY FN-HomeAndDry-FCBanner_AW.indd 1 30/06/2020 15:27 2 NEWS Visit us at fishingnews.co.uk and on Twitter @YourFishingNews 30 July 2020 Single contact to access CV support cash Federations and Mission simplify ‘daunting’ process The national fishing federations “In these difficult conditions, it and Fishermen’s Mission have is our collective intention to ensure joined forces to try to ensure that that fishermen – and their families all fishermen and vessel operators – are guided to available sources are aware of all financial help that of support where and when it is is available during the coronavirus fallen through the gaps’. They add needed. crisis and are able to access it easily. that they will not hesitate to seek “If, in order for this to happen, Warning that there are still further government intervention if we need further government tough times ahead even though the this proves necessary. intervention, we will not hesitate crisis has begun to ease, they say The organisations say that to make that case. Our intention that an array of government, private the extreme emergency is slowly with this initiative is to ensure, as and charitable support agencies receding, although there is a risk far as possible, that appropriate exists to support those in the fishing of a second wave as lockdown assistance is available to everyone sector who are facing genuine measures are relaxed. who needs it, and to ensure that difficulties. “Markets are tentatively we return to being the strong, But in a joint statement, the returning, but not in all areas. Some resilient industry we were before NFFO, SFF and Fishermen’s will take a long time to fully recover. this crisis, and that we can be Mission say that navigating these Having survived the last few difficult again.” different agencies to find the right months, the focus is now on how to David Dickens, chief executive kind of support can be ‘daunting’. get through the slow and possibly of the Fishermen’s Mission, said: They say: “There is now an prolonged recovery period. “This has been one of the busiest urgent need for a single point of “This is at a time when financial times in the history of the work of contact to be established so that resilience for businesses and crew the Fishermen’s Mission. We have fishermen can be directed to will be low. With no reserves put worked closely, for many years, the support appropriate to each aside, large parts of the industry are with the NFFO and SFF, and it is “Aye, it’s sad... they applied for a grant from the Fishermen’s individual case. highly vulnerable. The challenges vital that all fishermen understand Mission, but for some reason they didnae qualify.” “The Fishermen’s Mission has of debt management as government that we are here to help with any agreed to operate a ‘one-stop shop’ support schemes end will affect issues that they may be facing. time for many in our industry, and Since the beginning of for all matters relating to welfare many fishermen and their families.” “We have port staff covering indeed continues to be so for some, the Covid-19 restrictions, the and the wellbeing of both active The groups say it is important the whole of the UK coastline, as the recovery from the Covid Fishermen’s Mission has accessed and retired fishermen and their that those who have fallen through and while currently we may all lockdowns slowly takes shape. It grants totalling more than families. the gaps in the support measures be working from home, we are is important that fishermen can £250,000 to assist fishermen and “It is our hope that the are not left behind. still able to provide an extremely readily access the help and advice their families, as well as providing Fishermen’s Mission becomes They say: “We, collectively feel a effective service. We welcome that they need over the weeks and emotional support and arranging the first point of contact for all responsibility to: this initiative and statement as a months ahead, and this initiative for other services to assist where fishermen when they need this declaration of our commitment to will help to do that.” and when necessary. kind of support, and that this • Identify those at risk from the loss continue to support our fishermen information is widely available to of their business and/or personal and their families.” them,” say the organisations. difficulties NFFO chief executive Barrie They say that they and the • Analyse the nature of the Deas said: “We know that the ‘One-stop’ contact numbers government share a commitment difficulties they are now facing Covid-19 virus and subsequent The Fishermen’s Mission’s contacts for information are: to the whole fishing industry, • Develop and provide adequate lockdown has stripped resilience including fishing businesses and solutions that will help fishermen out from many parts of our Freephone: 0800 6341020 individual fishermen, whether they who are struggling through this industry. The very least we can do Landline: 01489 566910 work as owner-operators, as self- unprecedented and challenging is provide an adequate safety-net employed share-fishermen or under time. for those who find themselves in Email: [email protected] employment contracts. difficulty. Having a single contact They acknowledge that “We anticipate that the next few point will, we hope, ease access Via its website: fishermensmission.org.uk by using the ‘Need Help’ governments across the UK months will be tough. There is both to the support systems that are button. quickly delivered significant economic and financial uncertainty, available.” financial support. But, they say, as well as fear and concern about a Elspeth Macdonald, chief The Fishermen’s Mission also has a strong presence on Twitter @ this has been ‘broad-brush’, and second wave, should the pandemic executive of the SFF, said: “This thefishmish and Facebook, where it can receive direct messages. ‘inevitably, some fishermen have return in force. has been an extremely difficult MAIB chief calls on Fishing vessel investigations in 2019 fishermen to wear PFDs 3 February: Capsize and sinking of 4 August: Stranding of the Spanish- Six fishermen lost their lives in work, mainly as a result of He said that many the UK-registered Investor OB 569 off owned UK-registered Coelleira OB 93 2019, the same number as in fatalities and vessel losses. longstanding recommendations Ardnamurchan Point, Scotland on Ve Skerries, a low-lying reef off the 2018, according to the annual He said that while the made to the MCA had finally west coast of Shetland report of the Marine Accident loss of six lives appears low, been actioned, including a 27 March: Fatal man-overboard from Investigation Branch (MAIB). given the small percentage number aimed at reducing the UK-registered Sea Mist BF 918 off 18 August: Flooding and sinking of the Three of the men who were of professional fishermen it the fatality rate in the fishing Macduff UK-registered Ocean Quest FR 375 lost died in the water, and none represents, it is still ‘a very high industry. while 75nm northeast of Fraserburgh. were wearing lifejackets. fatality rate compared to other “Working with the FISG, 29 April: Fatal accident onboard the All crew were rescued safely Captain Andrew Moll, UK industries’. the MCA has now developed UK-registered Artemis FR 809 while chief inspector of marine Captain Moll said that the a Fishing Strategy that berthed alongside in Kilkeel 23 September: Capsize of the accidents, said this was of great Fishing Industry Safety Group addresses a number of MAIB UK-registered Anna-Marie II WK 837 concern, and that based on (FISG) had made great efforts recommendations that targeted 28 June: Fatal injury to a crewman near Brora in notheast Scotland, with recent figures, ‘embedding this to promote the wearing of PFD wear and accidents to onboard the UK-registered Olivia the loss of one life behavioural change could halve personal flotation devices persons,” said Captain Moll.