Hull trawler Farnella to retire from fishing leaving single ship in city fleet

Twelve crew members will lose their jobs on the Farnella

Hull's deep-sea trawling fleet will be down to its final vessel after the retirement of its sister ship was announced with the loss of 12 jobs.

UK Fisheries, owners of the Farnella, blamed the government claiming it had failed to negotiate workable UK fishing rights after Brexit.

Chief Executive Jane Sandell described the decision as "heart-breaking".

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it was in quota negotiations with Norway.

The Kirkella will continue to operate but Ms Sandell said its future was "incredibly uncertain".

She said that UK negotiators had to "actually negotiate a decent deal" with Norway over quotas for Arctic fishing grounds adding that the previous deal negotiated last year was "not a success" as it only provided for 500 tonnes of cod.

"We came out of the EU we had three vessels operating in the distant waters and by the end of this year will we now be down to one," she said.

"I've laid off 72 crew in that time."

UK Fisheries Jane Sandell said the future for its other trawler the Kirkella was "incredibly uncertain"

Hull was once home to the UK's largest deep-sea fishing fleet in an industry that employed thousands of people before a massive decline following the Cod Wars with Iceland during the 1970s.

According to the Sea Fisheries Statistical Table, Hull's trawlers landed 197,000 tonnes of fish in 1970, but by 1981 that figure had fallen to 15,000 tonnes.

Ms Sandell said that the company had reduced its capacity over the years to reflect the changes in the fishing industry

"We've had no reward for this," she said.

"We've just been kicked in the teeth again and this is result."

She added that she was trying to find alternative employment for the crew members who are losing their jobs.

"It's just before Christmas and that's just the worst time of year to do anything, but because of the way the quota year falls that's the only logical time to do it," she said.

A spokesperson for Defra said: "We are in negotiations with Norway on fishing arrangements for 2023 and are seeking a fair and balanced outcome for the UK.

"We are also acutely aware of the impact global shocks, including the conflict in Ukraine, are having on food prices and businesses such as fish and chip shops. We continue to work with industry to address the issues they are facing."

It added that UK Fisheries was one of the biggest benefactors of the current arrangement with Norway, receiving "more than £1m worth of fishing opportunities" in 2022.