9 April 2013

Derek Cardno, SFF Marine Safety & Training Officer, is in Riga in Latvia this week for the Fishing Industry Safety and Health (FISH Platform) conference.

FISH Platform provides for the needs of the fishing industry on a joint approach to improve the safety and health of fishermen and reducing accidents in the industry as well as the harmonisation of EU fishing training and certification.There will be 10 northern European fishing industries represented at this week’s conference.

8 April 2013

The northern hake stock is in robust health, according to an analysis of its status by the NAFC Marine centre in Shetland.

The spawning stock biomass (SSB) of the northern hake stock increased rapidly after 2006, following two decades of relative stability. The SSB in 2011 was more than four times larger than in 2006 and more than three times the long-term average.

The fishing mortality rate (F) for the northern hake stock fell after 1995, and especially after 2005. The value of F in 2010 was less than half that in 2005.

5 April 2013

Haddock, cod and whiting stocks on the West coast of Scotland are increasing in size, according to the NAFC Marine Centre report Trends in Scottish Fish Stocks.

The NAFC’s report is a collation and summarisation of information published by the respected scientific body, the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.

3 April 2013

A new report from the NAFC Marine Centre in Shetland shows that despite past declines, the abundance of most whitefish stocks of interest to Scottish fishermen has increased in recent years, in some cases by substantial amounts. At the same time fishing mortality rates - the proportion of fish that are caught each year - have fallen sharply.