UK consultancy offers new service to protect marine fisheries

More fish equals more anglers and that means bigger profits.

So why is there a lack of engagement to drive this change from the recreational fishing industry?

In the UK, at least, one new consultancy is determined to take on the task by doing the ‘legwork’ on behalf of over-stretched tackle businesses by dealing directly with decision-makers.

‘Ocean’, by David Attenborough, achieved a groundswell of public outcry, as only David Attenborough ever manages when it comes to raising awareness about the plight of our natural world. The UK Government, heading towards the United Nations 2025 Oceans Conference, was in no position to ignore it, so it launched one of the most significant consultations for UK oceans in generations.

Enter the Marine Protected Areas Stage 3 Consultation, or as it is more frequently referred as, the MPA bottom trawling ban consultation.

“The consultation welcomes everyone’s comments on why it is important to offer protection against this most destructive means of commercial fishing in such sensitive areas,” said Grant Jones (main image), Lead Consultant at YourAngling Voice. “Specifically, it proposes the banning of bottom trawling in 41 different Marine Protected Areas.

“Despite the consultation opening in June, the silence from the recreational angling trade, especially those with a big stake in marine recreational fisheries, is concerning. This is a great opportunity to provide vital protections for a future thriving fishery, leading to more fish, more anglers and therefore bigger profits. What greater motivation does the industry require?”

YourAnglingVoice, an independent marine advocacy consultancy, is offering to do the legwork for individuals or organisations who want to get their voice heard. With petitions and copy/paste-style responses being typically dismissed in such processes, it offers bespoke consultation responses tailored to the responder. “Effectively, any angling business can now consider outsourcing for a full advocacy service, with responses and content produced in their own name, specific to their needs,” said Jones.

Beyond this current consultation, there is still time to get involved with a number of others, says Jones.

This includes the Marine Strategy Consultation. The Government’s own assessment has shown that less than 50% of marine fish stocks are demonstrating a ‘good environmental status’, with only a 9% improvement in the last decade. Jones said: “The plan is more of the same and the Government simply must be told this is not good enough.”

The consultation on marine licences presently sees the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, the national body for commercial fishers, as a de-factor statutory consultee on all marine planning applications. “There is not an equivalent seat for recreational anglers, but there could be with enough engagement in the consultation,” said Jones.

“A couple of ‘calls for evidence’ are also incredibly pertinent to the recreational angling trade. The first calls on how the private sector can play a greater role in nature recovery. Given the recreational industry offers a greater economic return (by a massive margin) per fish mortality than the commercial sector, then investment in growing the share that recreational fisheries have in the quota of each stock will immediately support recovery.

“That’s calling for direct investment in more anglers and more angling. For you? More profit!

“Another call for evidence is even more striking. The recently announced £360million Coastal and Fisheries Fund needs to be shaped, with no set expectations on how it will be spent and delivered. It is seeking ideas, and now is the critical time to champion the opportunities to invest in growth for recreational fisheries and the many jobs it supports.

“Outside of governmental consultations and calls for evidence, even the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is conducting a public consultation. This looks at how it applies its criteria for providing sustainability certifications and its highly sought after ‘blue tick’. Of note, it intends to look into how it assesses ‘inseparable species’, or ‘bycatch’ as it is more commonly referred to.

“So with the right consultation responses the dire impact the Cornish gill net hake fishery has on pollack, bass, porbeagle shark and spurdog could finally be addressed, without it hiding behind a blue tick for sustainability that gives no consideration of stocks beyond the hake itself.

“There has never been a summer where the angling trade can have their voice heard as loud as now. There’s also never been an easier time to get that voice heard, simply by engaging YourAnglingVoice.

“So if your business aspires to have more customers, delivered by a greater volume of anglers, can you afford to be silent when key input is actively being sought? The time to be heard is now. Don’t wait and certainly don’t complain if fish stocks diminish whilst the trade stood by doing nothing about it.”

More details can be found at youranglingvoice.co.uk or by emailing enquiries@youranglingvoice.co.uk