The UK's marine reserves are nothing but paper parks

Introduction to the Sussex fishery

Around 300 fishing boats used by 600 fishers are registered in the Sussex seas and there are also more than 40 commercial sea angling vessels. The fishers boats are located at Chichester, Selsey, Bognor, Littlehampton, Worthing, Shoreham, Brighton, Newhaven, Eastbourne, Hastings, Rye and Dungeness. Over 70 species of fish and shellfish are landed from the Sussex inshore fishery, these include (significantly) cod, whiting, sole, plaice, crab, lobster, cuttlefish, scallops and whelks.

Most of the boats (90%) are under 10 metres in length and set out and return on the same day. Larger offshore vessels use Shoreham and Newhaven Ports as a base. In Worthing and Hastings the boats are launched from the beach and in Selsey they are moored offshore unless the weather is severe. The rest are located in harbours or moored for example, on the River Adur near Shoreham or the River Arun in Littlehampton.

About 80% of the boats use static gear (non trawling or dredging) with the other 20% using both static and mobile gear. 6000 tonnes of fish were landed into Sussex Ports in 2007.

The Sussex Sea Fisheries Committee (SSFC) annual report 2007 and web site, provides a useful summary of the fishery, legislation, activities and projects affecting the Sussex fishery ;

Fishing Methods and maps, including where different fishing takes place in Sussex

Marine Conservation Society guide to different fishing methods

Scottish Fisheries booklet explaining how different fishing methods work

The sub page why is it sustainable explains the likely environmental benefits of the inshore fish

More detail from different locations

Hastings

Fishy Business in Hastings

Hastings Fishermen's Protection Society

Littlehampton

Littlehampton Lobsters

Projects and opportunities affecting the inshore fishery

Projects and initiatives that are seeking to help develop sustainable fisheries in the UK can be found on the sustainable fish projects page.

Their are a number of designated wildlife sites in the Sussex seas, which may get better protection with forthcoming marine legislation, details on the designated sites page. 

Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) are to be established as part of an act of parliament. Local groups will be set up to identify where these areas will be. A group for Sussex should have a wide range of interests represented. These areas may include 'no take' zones. More information can be found at Defra.

The Marine Conservation Society (MCS) invites you to vote on sites and suggest your own, visit MCS for more information.

Information

Fishing Focus, the magazine from Defra and the Marine Fisheries Agency; latest edition

European legislation; Technical legislation to protect juveniles of marine organisms

Fishing methods (Images of nets below)

Trawling nets are made from tough materials that can withstand great weight and abrasion from the sea floor. Those shown below are found at Lyme Regis. These nets are pulled through the water faster than fish can swim and so activley trap the them. Lighter trawls that are pulled up regularly can allow much of the unwanted fish (called bycatch) to be returned alive to the sea. The large metal items shown below (also at Lyme Regis) are designed to scrape along the sea floor and keep the nets wide open, these are known as otter boards.

The static nets are made from finer material much like fishing line and are designed to trap fish in one way or another. These are called fixed nets (or fixed engines in the fisheries rules) and many are passive in that they are left at sea to trap fish swimming into them. Some are more active in that they are set around fish and then hauled in. The buckets of nets are found at Brighton Marina.

TAKE ACTION FOR FISH SAKE

Buy local inshore
day caught fish

Avoid otter, beam and pair trawlers

Avoid fish breeding seasons

Try some alternative fish to help create new demand

Ask for MSC labelled fish

Look for Fish4Ever tinned fish

Buy cat food made from sustainable fish

Ask fish & chip shops to join the mackerel mission

Download the Fish Fight app

If your business uses locally caught fish, from small boats that do not beam, pair or otter trawl, then the 'Coast Friendly' Initiative may be for you! Click here to find out about the trial that you could be part of.

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