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Did anyone see that Trawler programme a few years ago when a new £11m purpose built boat was launched in Scotland and on its first commissioning trip, in one haul of its nets it caught 500 tons of Mackerel. Maybe that's where the Mackerel have gone. And what about the hidden factory that was discovered in, I think Peterhead, where there was a wholesale processing plant just handling "black" fish, hundreds of tons of it. I'm afraid our own commercial fleet are no saints, it's just that the European fleet is vastly bigger and pull all the same tricks. Greed, greed and more greed. I've just read an excellent book "Silver Shoals" by Rangely-Wilson which looks at some of the problems. Well worth a read.

My family are based in NE Scotland and fishing was there way of life Fraserburgh and Peterhead was vibrant with fishing boats but have all but left the industry because they couldn’t bear to see dead fish being thrown back instead of adjusting the quotas another way Sad

Thanks very much,I spent the majority of the day assembling Ikea bedroom wardrobe for child no2. Carrie did treat me to steak n chips and a pint at the bakers Arms for lunch. May have to celebrate fully in Alderney if the weather allows.

That was in Shetland if i remember correct. Underground tunnels transporting fish to a secret packing area for distribution. There are many factors leading to over fishing but mainly rule makers and commercials are responsible. I don't think recreational anglers even scratch the surface

Getting back to the facts, the Danish Fleet and several others have been misreporting by up to 1000% on Bycatch, subsides are still being paid to fishers not meeting the regs. One fisher caught 5 times for mis reporting with no sanctions. I know we are no better. The size of fleet and advanced technology they use is factory sized shipping and huge quantities. Ring fence our countries coastline and lets manage our own fleet and not all European fleets. Something went wholesale wrong this year with the Cod stocks, similarly the mackerel in past years. Some one is intercepting them on migration and wiping them out.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-47044101

Surprise surprise, the Danish Fishing Fleet have been mis reporting their catches and by catches. I wonder if they caught all the Cod coming down the East Coast headed our way.😞

Too many sticky fingers in too many big pies !! And the UK Gov can't see wood for trees !!!

Indeed ! A very big thanks for all your committee work. Have an extra slice of cake ! !

it won't mess up fish stocks THEY ALREADY ARE our home fishing fleet has long gone and i don't remember it as large or intrusive as our combined european partners are we i agree bear some responsibility for the present situation but a holiday in a fishing town/harbour/village and you won't see many or any offshore boats. i am 82 and 60 yrs ago as crew fished out of Coverack, NOT ANY MORE i don't even know the boat owners. the harbour is now filled with small pleasure craft the fishing community is no more. the social club on the harbour wall gone. Lifeboat gone (no crew) Their fishing grounds off the Lizard and into the channel are gone and they weren't fished out by locals. our non local fishermen friends haven't just destroyed the grounds they have decimated the local population. I went down to mudeford quay the other day and only knew 3 fishermen. i remember the quay with local boats tied up for most of its length. I was the lifeboat cox/helm from 1970 to1985 and only met 2 old crew i knew. I do really wish you & all who go to sea well. Derek

Hope you had a great day, Ian, only just got back from up't north so, catching up. Looking forward to you buying me that birthday drink in Alderney (different rules around here).

or we can grow some gonads and just go out and catch what we want from where we want it, JUST LIKE WE USED TO. DV

The more you look and learn the more upsetting it is. Presumably if we do ever leave the EU, we will still have exactly the same problems, except we will not hear about them, unless caught by a fisheries vessel in our waters?

The whole EU fishing fleet is out of control and we pay the price !