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Within weeks of receiving government support to diversify their fishing industry, local fishermen had successfully caught their allocated quota of 100 tonnes of herring in Manx waters.
Earlier this year, three local teams were awarded financial support from the Department for Environment, Food and Agriculture under the UK’s new quota rules.
Clare Barber, UK Environment, Food and Farming Secretary, said:
“It’s a real success story.”
The recent catches have fuelled optimism across the industry that a Manx fishery could become viable for the first time in 25 years, especially given that catch quotas could be quadrupled by 2026.
Isle of Man fishermen allowed to fish herring freelyThis practice had been going on for centuries before quotas were introduced under the EU Common Fisheries Policy in the 1980s.But by the time fish stocks recovered, the islands had been largely excluded, forcing most fishermen to focus on scallop fishing.
So far this year’s catch of the oily fish has been sold fresh to local restaurants, or salted and frozen for use as bait to support the island’s crab and lobster industries.
Local fishermen typically import around 200 tonnes of herring from Scotland each year for bait, which is usually caught in Norwegian waters and shipped hundreds of miles to the Isle of Man. Manx-caught fish will significantly reduce associated transport emissions, halve bait costs and save Isle of Man businesses around £250,000 a year.
Minister Barber said:
‘Manx fishermen have demonstrated their ability to exploit this quota And thus received long-term distribution.
“A lack of certainty meant that markets for this year’s Manx herring catch could not be established both on and off the island, but we now see that the future is full of opportunities for fishermen, producers and those who want to enjoy this delicious and sustainable catch.
“Having the local herring fishery functioning properly in the coming years will also reduce pressure on other fish stocks, such as scallops.”
David Beard, Chief Executive of the Isle of Man Fish Producers Organisation, said:
“We have clearly shown that with the technology we have, we can be successful. We can now look to developing new markets, which is a very exciting time.”
“This cruise saw perfect coordination between the Isle of Man Government, MFPO fishermen and local seafood processors. It was fantastic.”
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