Marine Life & Conservation
Fishing levels continue to be set too high, says Marine Conservation Society
Following the annual fisheries negotiations at the European Council of Ministers in Brussels to decide the catch levels for fishing in EU waters, the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) says it’s particularly concerned about the lack of progress on some stocks ahead of Brexit and the continued lack of improvement in the seabass stock.
MCS says that this year a number of stocks will continue to be fished above levels advised by scientists – some of which are found in UK waters including haddock in the Southern Celtic sea and English Chanel, herring in the Irish sea, Celtic sea and off the South West of Ireland and whiting stocks in the West of Scotland and Irish sea, where a zero catch is advised by scientists.
MCS says that seabass remains a significant concern and the charity is pleased to see that further measures are being applied to limit the catch of the stock.
Last year the hope was to cut commercial catches by 50% but it is assumed that only a 17% cut was achieved. To allow the stock to increase by 10% next year, scientists have advised that total catches – targeted, recreational and by-catch – should be no more than 470tonnes. Spatial measures such as moving on from an area where seabass are being caught or improved selectivity of gears could provide additional reductions in catches.
The reformed Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) requires all harvested stocks to be fished at sustainable levels by 2020 (at the latest) and while there’s been a shift towards setting fishing opportunities in line with scientific advice this progress has been slow.
Debbie Crockard, MCS Senior Fisheries Policy Advocate says:
“The number of fish stocks managed at sustainable levels has been increased to 53 which is 9 more than last year but the reality of the situation is that to meet the 2020 deadline we need to act urgently to further align fishing opportunities with how much we can sustainably remove.”
Debbie Crockard says that if Brexit goes ahead as planned, the UK will no longer be part of these discussions after 2019, making this our penultimate December council.
“We’ll be negotiating as an independent Coastal State to agree our share of North Atlantic stocks which span UK, EU and other coastal states waters (such as Norway). So it’s absolutely vital the UK governments ensure that fishing levels are sustainably set particularly if we are to meet the ambition of the Secretary of the State for the Environment who has made strong statements promising a green Brexit and sustainable fisheries.”
The combined issues around plastic pollution, overfishing and climate change make it even more essential that we manage our seas in a way which restores and maintains their biodiversity to ensure their ability to adapt to threats is not impeded. Setting fishing levels in line with scientific advice to allow stocks to recover, improve and be maintained at healthy levels is essential in underpinning a long-term sustainable fishing industry.
“We need to step up to the plate, the UK will have sole responsibility for making sure the seas around our coasts are healthy and sustainable. We need to take that responsibility seriously. Now,” says Debbie Crockard.
For more about the work of the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), please visit www.mcsuk.org.
After a two-year tour of UK art galleries, community spaces and aquariums, the Shark Trust’s acclaimed Oceanic31 exhibition takes its final bow at the Royal Geographical Society later this month. And the unique collection of artwork, depicting 31 species of oceanic sharks and rays, donated by 31 artists, is now open for bids from art lovers and shark enthusiasts. The online auction, launched today, will close on the 7th December at 8pm (BST). The money raised will support the Shark Trust Oceanics Programme.
People can now bid on 27 of the artworks by visiting this website:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
It is a chance to own a beautiful piece of original art and to support the Shark Trust. The timing of the auction also means that these would make a very special Christmas gift for any shark-lover.
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- Bigeye Thresher Shark by Janina Rossiter
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- Carcharodon carcharias by Jimmy Higgs
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- Croc VR 2030 by Tom Mead
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- Oceanic Whitetip by ATM
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- Silky Street by ScapaJoe
The diversity of pieces mirrors that of the sharks and rays they represent. You can bid on paintings, digital creations, sculptures, mixed media and more. You can pick your favourite artist or species of shark. Or you can select the perfect artwork to make a statement in your home or office. Whichever you choose, you will be supporting the work to protect these amazing animals.
One of the pieces of art has been selected to be auctioned live by Steve Backshall at the For the Love of Sharks event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on the 29th November. In addition to this, two further pieces will be raffled at this event, giving people a chance to win an incredible piece of shark art. For the Love of Sharks is the Shark Trust’s flagship evening. A night to celebrate sharks. Steve Backshall is the headline speaker at this event that will see other prominent shark advocates join him on stage.
Tickets for the event can be snapped up here:
https://thesharktrust.org.uk/Event/flos24
Those that would like to see the Oceanic 31 exhibition have one final chance. It is being displayed at the Pavilion at the Royal Geographic Society from 26th November until the 7th December. Entry is free.
Find out more here:
https://www.rgs.org/events/upcoming-events/oceanic-31
Paul Cox, Shark Trust CEO, Said “This exhibition has given us the opportunity to reach out to a new audience. And inspire more people with the wonderful sharks and rays on which our Big Shark Pledge campaign is based. We are immensely grateful to the 31 artists who have worked so hard to create these works.”
Bid for your favourite Oceanic 31 artwork here:
https://superstars-auctions.com/sharktrustauction
Banner Image: Smooth Hammerhead by Alicia Hayden
Until 28 November, prizes worth a massive £10,000 – including experiences, products and tuition – feature in a line-up of items that can be won for £5 in an online prize draw to celebrate Bite-Back Shark & Marine Conservation’s 20th anniversary and help generate crucial funds for the future.
Top of the list of prizes is the chance to spend time with adventurer and wildlife expert Steve Backshall, a workout session with Nat Geo star Aldo Kane, a kayaking trip alongside white-water expert and diver Sal Montgomery and a Zoom call with ‘shark whisperer’ Cristina Zenato.
On top of that, some of the most admired companies in the diving and scuba industry have been quick to support the charity with fabulous prizes that make the £5 ticket price worth more than just a flutter.
Master Liveaboards, BSAC, Midlands Diving Chamber, Go Freediving and Blue Shark Snorkel have all generously donated experience prizes, while celebrated photographer Alex Mustard has donated a print and artists Scott Gleed and Olivier Leger have donated a sculpture and illustration to help boost the fundraising pot.
Fourth Element has donated Ocean Positive gear and LA watch company Nodus has gifted the charity a stunning dive watch. For land lovers, the charity has included a five star London hotel stay at Bankside Hotel plus a family visit to Longleat Safari Park in the roster of prizes.
Campaign director for Bite-Back, Graham Buckingham, said: “We’ve been overwhelmed with support from companies and individuals that we truly admire and who have supported us on our 20 year journey and we’re truly grateful to them all. While we feel incredibly proud of our achievements over the past two decades – and we are super excited about the next chapter – this prize draw isn’t a vanity project. It represents a real lifeline to our work and important advancements in the global protection of sharks. So we hope divers, dive clubs and even bargain hunters grab some tickets to make this a massive success.”
The charity hopes that the prize draw will generate crucial funds to launch a brand new, ground-breaking, campaign to enrol the public and increase support for the protection of sharks around the world.
To enter the competition visit www.bite-back.com/prizedraw. The prize winners will be announced on 1 December 2024.
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