Northumberland Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (Northumberland IFCA)

Lead Contact Details

Name: Northumberland IFCA
Email: nifca@nifca.gov.uk
Tel: 01670 797676

Status

A joint committee of Northumberland County Council and North Tyneside Council

Geography Area Covered

Scottish borders to the River Tyne out to 6 nautical miles, including rivers and estuaries up to their tidal limit

Membership Details

The partnership governance groups this organisation is represented on are:

• Management Partnership
• Steering Group

Marine Protected Areas

The Northumberland IFCA operates, or has management which influence, on the following inshore marine protected areas between Fast Castle Head and the River Tyne:

• Berwick to St Mary’s MCZ
• Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast SAC
• Tweed Estuary SAC
• Northumbria Coast SPA
• Lindisfarne SPA
• Farne Islands SPA
• Coquet Island SPA
• Northumberland Marine SPA
• Aln Estuary Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ)
• Coquet to St Mary’s MCZ

Responsibilites

Management Actions

Northumberland IFCA  has the following management measures in place to ensure its functions and regulatory powers are carried out in a manner that achieves the conservation objectives for the inshore marine protected areas in which it operates:

• Understand the effects of local inshore fisheries on protected marine habitats and species, and use byelaw provisions to support the achievement of conservation objectives.
• Complete Appropriate Assessments for all commercial fisheries to assess their impact on European protected habitats and species in the district, and implement management measures where necessary.
• Enforce byelaws designed to protect designated marine habitats and species.
• Work in partnership with the Environment Agency, River Tweed Commission and Marine Scotland to ensure effective cross-border management of migratory and sea fisheries.
• Maintain the shellfish pot limitation scheme in Northumberland and manage pot fisheries at a sustainable level.
• Monitor the levels of all fishing activity in the district, including recreational fishing and hand gathering, to support sustainable fisheries management.
• Recognising the different rights that apply to recreational and commercial bait digging, explore the possibility of a management regime that separates the two
• Work with local sea bait trade outlets to educate them on the law regarding commercial digging, particularly within marine protected areas.
• Continue the annual survey of the mussel beds at Fenham Flats.
• Raise awareness among fishers about the sensitivities of the local marine area, and develop and promote good practice.

Data, Information and Mapping

Northumberland IFCA  holds the following data that could be of interest to other partners who are responsible for managing marine areas:

• Seagrass survey report 2017
• Mussel bed survey reports (2016 onwards)
• Aln Estuary MCZ fish surveys (2012 onwards)
• Druridge Bay fish survey (2015)
• Beadnell Bay fish surveys (2016 and 2017)
• Long Nanny Burn fish surveys (2016 and 2017)

Reports are available on the publications section of the Northumberland IFCA website