nifca news winter 2025
welcome As we reflect on the past year, we are incredibly proud of what NIFCA has achieved, these successes have been made possible by the dedication of our staff and the invaluable support and expertise of our wider membership. Together, we have continued to make meaningful progress in fisheries management and marine protection. During 2025, fisheries and the marine environment have featured prominently in both local and national news. New UK–EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement measures have been agreed, public interest has grown following the release of Attenborough’s Oceans documentary, and major consultations on offshore MPAs and bottom-towed gear have highlighted the increasing pressures facing the fishing industry, including the ongoing “spatial squeeze” from offshore marine development. The latest ICES stock advice for key species also sets out a challenging outlook for fishing opportunities in 2026. Despite this wider uncertainty, local management has remained our focus. Collaboration with the fishing industry has been central to our shellfish data collection programmes, the roll-out of a pilot Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM), and trawl gear trials aimed at reducing seabed impacts. We are grateful to all the fishers who have worked with and supported NIFCA throughout the year. Our Recreational Sea Anglers have been contributing to citizen science through the bass scale project increasing our knowledge on key species. As National Fisheries Management Plans progress, we will continue to work closely with industry to support the transition into implementation in 2026. Our partnership working has also remained strong during the year, we have strengthened IFCA visibility through improved communications and engagement with local MPs. Internationally, we showcased the IFCA model to the Norwegian Fisheries Directorate and supported the hosting of the Ghanaian Fisheries Department in collaboration with MMO partners.
As we look ahead, we look forward to engaging with many of our stakeholders throughout 2026. Thank you for your continued support, and we hope you enjoy this winter edition of our newsletter.
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