Marine Life & Conservation
UK fisheries urgently need improvement
The Marine Conservation Society has released its biannual update to the Good Fish Guide, the charity’s one stop shop for sourcing ocean friendly seafood.
Seafood is rated Green (Best Choice), Amber (needs improvement) or Red (Fish to Avoid). The ratings consider how and where it was caught or farmed, painting a picture of the impact of our seafood.
With some UK species going straight onto the charity’s ‘Fish to Avoid’ list, it could not be clearer: UK governments must urgently deliver better management if sustainable
Gareth Cunningham, Head of Fisheries and Aquaculture at the Marine Conservation Society said: “As a newly independent coastal state, and on a global stage in the run up to COP26, we have the opportunity to show real leadership and be the first nation in the world to set a course to deliver sustainable fisheries.
“All UK Governments must ensure that fisheries management takes a holistic approach, recognising that the UK’s waters are changing due the impacts of climate change. Whilst some species may flourish in warming waters under the right management, others will not fare so well.”
A total of 21 ratings on the charity’s Good Fish Guide worsened, including
Some new species added to the guide went straight to the red list, including UK-caught squid, which currently has no management in place to help protect stocks. American lobster is also a Fish to Avoid, (unless MSC-certified) owing to poor management and concerns about bycatch of the critically endangered northern right whale. All cod populations in UK seas are at low levels, and most are declining further. All ratings for cod, one of the UK’s favourite fish to eat, either failed to improve, or got worse.
Bycatch of seabirds, porpoise, and sharks in the southwestern UK, endangered golden redfish in the Arctic, and cod in the North Sea and Irish Sea, are all of major concern to the Marine Conservation Society. The accidental capture of various marine animals has affected the Good Fish Guide’s ratings for species including haddock and coley in the Arctic.
Charlotte Coombes, Good Fish Guide Manager, said: “The latest ratings update for the Good Fish Guide really highlights the impact of poorly managed fisheries on the state of our seas, with so many new ratings going straight onto our Fish to Avoid list. However, there are glimmers of hope, with 20 ratings improving in the latest update, showing that where good management exists, we can recover our seas.”
On the charity’s Guide, 20 ratings improved, including English Channel sprat and North Sea whiting. Farmed scallops in England join Scottish farmed scallops on the Best Choice list, thanks to their low environmental impact. Hand-dived scallops from Lyme Bay also make a new entry onto the charity’s Best Choice list.
Gareth Cunningham: “There are clear opportunities to improve UK fisheries. Through adoption of fully documented fisheries and Fisheries Management Plans, UK seafood could be made sustainable for many years to come. Our ratings provide yet more evidence that the UK Governments must act now, or risk tipping the balance too far.”
What does ‘good management’ look like?
European Hake is now green rated on the charity’s Good Fish Guide, but in the early 2000s stocks of the fish were at an all-time low. With high catches and very little management, European hake was a red-rated Fish to Avoid.
Recognising this, catch limits and a Fishery Improvement Project were brought in. Not only have stocks now recovered, but hake fisheries have improved their environmental credentials by swapping bottom towed nets for static nets with ‘pingers’, to deter porpoises from the area, helping to reduce the risk of accidental bycatch.
The charity calls for more data
Without fully documented fisheries, it’s impossible to make informed recommendations on catch limits and wider management measures. The Marine Conservation Society has repeatedly called for the implementation of Remote Electronic Monitoring with cameras (REM), on all fishing vessels as set out in the Fisheries Act, 2020. Disappointingly, Westminster is yet to take action.
REM would help in identifying high levels of bycatch, and ensure management is appropriate and effective. The charity is calling for Fisheries Management Plans to be put in place across the UK for all commercially caught species, with species on the red list, like cod, herring and squid, given urgent attention to help reverse their fortunes.
Visit the Good Fish Guide website, www.goodfishguide.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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