Latest news with #DevonandSevernInshoreFisheriesandConservationAuthority
Powys County Times
7 days ago
- General
- Powys County Times
Octopus boom in British waters is a concern, say scientists
An 'explosion' of octopuses in UK waters has encouraged regulators to and fishing industry specialists to meet today (May 28). Over the last few months, fishers along the southwest coast of England have seen an increase in the number and size of common octopus. Alan Steer, a crab fisher based in Devon, told Sky News: 'As of February this year, there was just a massive explosion in the population of octopus.' He added: 'We went from catching nothing to catching 1,000 kilograms a day.' 'Explosion' of octopus in British waters is cause for 'concern' Steer explained that each octopus weighed between 2.5kg and 3.5kg. Sky News explained: 'The octopus is a valuable catch, fetching more at the fish market than the crab that many local fleets are designed to fish for. 'And it's just as well, because the eight-limbed creatures are also devouring local crab and lobster species, leaving some fishers empty-handed.' Steer said: 'Since the octopus have turned up now, we are seeing massive devastation to the crab and lobster and scallop stocks in the pots' as he showed empty crab and lobster shells inside them. The crab fisher thinks his crab and lobster catches have dropped by around 70%. While the common octopus is no stranger to British waters, more research is needed to understand why there has been a recent boom, say scientists. It's possible that warmer temperatures and fewer predators (such as tuna, cod and sharks) could have an impact. Native wild animals in the UK The pots have holes for small crabs and lobsters to exit out of but octopus can also get through these holes meaning they're being caught. Sky News explained: 'Previous "blooms" of octopus, recorded in 1899, 1950 and 2022, saw the animals stick around for a season or two, before disappearing in cold winters.' It added: 'The Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) said the escape holes can be closed off if fishers were trying to catch octopus only, in which case they'd have to throw any other catch back into the sea.' The IFCA's deputy chief officer, Sarah Clark, said the increase in octopus is a 'concern', saying: 'We're going to be trying to gather as much information about octopus and what we do in the next coming months, years, if the octopus fishery remains within the South West. 'And that's obviously a big 'if', because we don't know if the octopus will be here again next year.' Today, the support fishers need will be determined as a result of the meeting with the future involving more meetings that will focus 'on collecting data, the impact on other species and how to determine whether the octopus are here to stay.' 'Dr Zoe Jacobs, from the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), said the recent 'marine heatwave', which has seen water temperatures 2.3C higher than average, might be behind the reported early sightings of barrel jellyfish, increased numbers of seabass and pods of dolphins spotted in shallow inshore regions,' Sky News explained.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Volunteers issue stark warning after removing 1,300-foot item from ocean: 'One of the worst ones we've done'
Volunteers discovered a gruesome scene of trapped, deceased wildlife in a large mess of abandoned fishing nets and fishing gear underwater at the Plymouth Sound National Marine Park in Plymouth, England, BBC reported. The large entangled mess, caught on underwater rocks and kelp, took the volunteer group over five hours to remove. In late April, Fathoms Free, a U.K. volunteer marine conservation group, received concerning reports from the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority, as well as members of the public, about a concentrated mass of ghost fishing gear (abandoned fishing gear) in the Plymouth Sound. When their volunteers set out to retrieve and remove the mess from the water, they discovered that the underwater net was more massive than expected. According to the BBC report, the menacing net spanned 1,300 feet long — the length of just over four standard American football fields. In this mess, the volunteers discovered trapped, deceased, and decomposing marine life, including dozens of lobsters, spider crabs, cat sharks, bull huss sharks, and wrasse fish, as well as sea birds that got caught diving for the trapped fish. "It was honestly one of the worst ones we've done in quite a long time," said Luke Bullus, Diving Officer and Trustee for Fathoms Free, per BBC. Ghost fishing gear, or abandoned fishing nets and fishing gear, may be out of sight and out of mind for the fishermen and commercial fisheries that use them. Still, they pose a great danger to both human health and marine life. Abandoned plastic fishing gear contributes to ocean pollution, which includes plastic bags, bottles, and other plastic debris. These break down into microplastics that contaminate the ocean water and are ingested by marine life. Research has found that coastal communities have higher incidences of disability, potentially influenced by increased microplastic exposure from the water and seafood diet. When marine litter is trapped in matted nets of abandoned fishing gear, it can suffocate trapped fish and other marine life that accidentally swim into the mess, effectively sealing their fates. Should the government be paying people to hunt invasive species? Definitely Depends on the animal No way Just let people do it for free Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. One diver and ecotourism leader in Hawai'i ranted to social media after stumbling across ghost fishing gear in Hawai'i's beautiful waters. The patch of abandoned gear was too heavy for her group to remove, so they had to call on additional help from the appropriate authorities. Plenty of volunteer organizations similar to Fathoms Free hold beach cleanup events to help clean up litter from the beach and the oceans. If you have some extra time and want to clean up your community, find local climate groups in your area and spend the day beautifying your corner of the planet. A notable collaboration between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the World Surf League introduced a Nets for Change initiative that helped repurpose abandoned fishing nets retrieved off the Brazilian coast into basketball nets used on basketball courts in Brazil. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Dozens of birds and fish die in 400m abandoned net
Volunteers have spent five hours removing a 1,300ft-long (400m) abandoned fishing net from Plymouth Sound National Marine Park. The net, which had trapped and killed dozens of fish, seabirds, crabs, and lobsters, was found at Drake's Island. Birds are thought to have drowned after getting entangled as they dived for fish trapped in the net, which was retrieved on Monday. "It was honestly one of the worst ones we've done in quite a long time," said Luke Bullus of Cornwall-based charity Fathoms Free. The so-called ghost fishing gear - nets or other fishing gear lost, discarded or abandoned in the sea - was reported to Fathoms Free by concerned members of the public and the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority. The team discovered the net was much larger than anticipated, stretching hundreds of metres underwater and entangling various marine life, including shags and an oystercatcher. There were dozens of lobsters, dozens of edible and spider crabs of all sizes, wrasse, cat sharks, bull huss, and countless decomposing fish that were unidentifiable due to the condition they were in, acting as bait to the other marine life in the area. No larger marine mammals such as seals or dolphins were found in the net. The net's extensive length and entanglement with rocks and kelp made the task particularly challenging, said Mr Bullus. He also admitted it was an emotional as well as physical task for all involved. "The birds are quite hard-hitting because they would have drowned as they dived down to fish that they saw tangled in the net," he said. The net's extensive length and entanglement with rocks and kelp "really tested the team's skills, experience, and stamina", he said. More than 500,000 tonnes of fishing gear is estimated to be lost or abandoned every year in the world's seas and oceans, according to a report by conservationists Global Ghost Gear Initiative in 2020. Plymouth Sound is the UK's first national marine park, a project which aims to engage the city's residents and businesses with the marine environment. Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ Millions of pounds allocated for marine park What's 'ghost gear' and how is it affecting sea animals? Abandoned fishing gear endangering marine life Fathoms Free Plymouth Sound National Marine Park
