Isle of Man fishermen thrilled at 'landmark' herring catch

The newly-caught herring has been distributed to local producers

A group of Manx fishermen who have begun to catch herring around the Isle of Man, the first to do so for 25 years, have said it feels "amazing".

The first boat has started landing the fish following a post-Brexit deal between the UK and the Manx government.

Boat owner Adie Kinrade said the return of herring fishing was a "little piece of history" as the fishery had been "huge" in the island's past.

Environment Minister Clare Barber said it was a "landmark" moment.

"The quotas are a once-in-a-generation opportunity and I can't wait to see more Manx boats fishing for herring in the coming years," she added.

An initial 100-tonne limit for 2023 is set to be increased in the coming years so more boats can take part.

David Beard of the Manx Fish Producers Organisation said the new quota for the oily fish would help the fleet diversify away from shellfish.

'Depleted stocks'

Mr Kinrade's boat, Our Sara Jane, was the first to catch the fish in commercially-viable amounts using new net equipment funded by the government.

Skipper Melvin Reid, who has been fishing for forty-four years, said it was "amazing" to catch herring as "all I have ever done is scallops and queenies".

The Manx herring fleet had existed for centuries, with as many as 350 boats at sea and thousands of people employed during the late 18th century.

A quota-system was introduced in the 1980s under the EU Common Fisheries Policy when stocks had depleted, and many turned their efforts to scallops.

The UK gained a bigger portion of Irish herring quotas following Brexit, part of which was then shared with the Isle of Man.

A new quota for langoustines is also due to become available to Manx boats in 2024.

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