The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF) held its 50th anniversary dinner in the spectacular Queen Anne Room in Edinburgh Castle last week, with equally stunning Scottish seafood served up to the guests, who included several past presidents of the federation, as…
Back in 1999, while the world was fretting over the ‘Y2K’ bug, a new trade body to promote the seafood industry in Scotland was just getting off the ground – Seafood Scotland. Next year, the organisation, which was set up…
The first two international crew armed with skilled worker visas arrived for work on Northern Ireland vessels last week, after a series of initiatives by the Northern Ireland FPO (NIFPO). Lawrance Prince has restarted work this week aboard the Golden…
NFFO Chief Executive Mike Cohen met Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper, Baroness Vere, the ministers charged with oversight of the MCA, the ministers’ political advisors and MCA staff last Thursday, in a long-planned, and much postponed, meeting, which…
The MCA and the UK Harbour Masters Association both confirmed last week that harbour masters will no longer be asked to provide written confirmation that in their opinion fishermen are fit enough to meet the requirements of the ML5 medical…
Specialist in firefighting and lifesaving equipment Marine Fire Safety (Scotland) Ltd has relocated to a new MCA-approved service station. The business says the move to the 1,300ft2 facility follows a ‘very successful 18 months’ since its launch in Scotland in…
Another deliberate attempt by a foreign vessel fishing close to Shetland to ram or disable a local vessel has seen renewed calls by the industry for robust support from the UK authorities over such incidents. The latest encounter took place…
Winklepicker, merchant, marketeer, processor, auctioneer, chef, restauranteur, podcast host – but despite his earliest aspirations, one of the few roles industry pioneer Jim Cowie hasn’t undertaken is actual fishing. “I had no other interest than being a fisherman,” he told…
Andrew Pascoe, chairman of the South West Handline Fishermen’s Association, doesn’t hold one of this year’s 10 tuna licences for his own vessel, but was one of several members who attended training ahead of the season on all aspects of…
It is said that from small acorns big oaks grow. Nothing could be truer of the Plymouth City Council (PCC) PFD and personal locater beacon (PLB) scheme rolled out by Councillor Tudor Evans OBE. Looe RNLI coxswain and fishermen’s safety…
