The Association office has recieved a brochure containing all kinds of fishing gear and a new range of 'Flexi-Tubs' - a range of flexible buckets available in four sizes and three vibrant colours ideally suited to carry and tip your catch and bait. The Association has a sample in the office - should any of you wish to see it please just pop in. We can then give you more information on how to order the products.

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A catalogue of new Worwear has been recieved in the Association office which has an extensive range of Jackets, trousers, bibs and lifejackets. Also inluded in the brochure is the 'Secubib'- removable braces and integrated lifejacket for safety.

Any members wishing to recieve a copy of the brochure, please contact the office. Should there be enough interest from members we should be able to negotiate a competitive price on your behalf.

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The Marine Fisheries Agency (MFA) have asked that all fishermen be made aware of possible sanctions to vessel owners where the VCU allocation to their vessel does not correspond to the vessels actual specifications.

Fisheries officials have been patient in giving vessel owners ample opportunity to correct this imbalance - therefore continued disregard for this issue could lead to serious repercussions.

Any member not having accurate information on his fishing licence is recommended to rectify this situation at once.

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The following information relates to the entitlement and procedures for reclaiming excise duty on 'Red Diesel' fuel used in vessels used to make 'Marine Voyages'.


Vessels which are eligible to claim relief are those used to make a marine voyage - but not private pleasure craft. Included in eligible vessels are all UK fishing boats.

For further details on what is classed as a 'Marine Voyage' and all the information needed to make a claim please click Here to go the HM Revenue & Customs site and find all the information you need. Alternatively contact the office and we will guide you further.

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In the hope of reducing the number of incidents that occur as a result of faulty or inadequate bilge level alarm systems on board fishing vessels, Seafish Marine Services conducted an investigation into the efficiency of various bilge level alarm systems and technologies. Seven different systems were tested during the project covering a range of technologies used for the detection of high water in the bilge of a fishing vessel.

The project has now ended and a final report has been posted online. We are hoping that this report will allow fishermen to make an informed decision when choosing a bilge alarm system.

The report can be viewed by clicking HERE

Alternatively, for a hard copy please contact the office and we will forward one to you.

Seafish Marine Services and the RNLI have also recently conducted trials on a number of different liferafts and HRU's - the results of these trials will be published in the near future.

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International Smart Gear Competition 2007 - call for entries.

£15,000 Grand Prize
TWO £5,000 RUNNER-UP PRIZES
PLUS £2,500 from Seafish for a winning UK entry

WHAT IS YOUR INNOVATIVE IDEA FOR REDUCING BYCATCH?
ENTRY DEADLINE: 31 JULY 2007

WWF and partners created the International Smart Gear Competition to inspire innovative, practical, cost-effective ideas that allow fishermen to fish 'smarter' - to better target their intended catch while reducing bycatch.

The competition is open to all - fishermen, professional gear manufacturers, teachers, students, engineers, scientists and individual inventors.

Click here for entry materials

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The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has recently published a guidance note reminding vessel owners and others of the need to ensure that safe means of access are provided to fishing vessels and other small vessels.

The person responsible for the provision of the access (usually the skipper/owner) should, as required by both Merchant Shipping and HSE legislation, carry out a risk assessment to identify potential hazards and implement appropriate safety precautions to mitigate the risk to an acceptable level. Wherever possible, the person responsible for the provision of the access should deal with hazards in a way that removes them completely.

IT IS VITAL THAT YOU READ THIS DOCUMENT AS FAILURE TO COMPLY COULD RESULT IN A VESSEL BEING PREVENTED FROM LEAVING PORT.

Please click here to read the guidance note in full.

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Does working out your tax give you a headache? Do you dread the tax bill? Don't fear help is at hand!

HM Revenue and Customs has set up a scheme to help fishermen put aside money from each catch so that they can pay their tax and National Insurance on time and automatically when it becomes due.

The scheme aims to simplify your tax bills and gives you access to other benefits including tax credits, and financial services such as loans and mortgages.

Membership of the scheme is voluntary and to sign up fishermen will have to:

· Sign a mandate form which allows HM Revenue and Customs to open a bank account in their name and the boat owner to pay a slice of their earnings into the account.
· Sign a direct debit authority which allows HM Revenue and Customs to take the money from the account in payment of tax and National Insurance.

As part of the scheme, sea going share fishermen can claim a seakit tax allowance, currently £700 tax-free in a year. This covers personal expenses such as bedding, boots, oilskins, protective clothing, gloves, knives and stones.

If anybody is interested in the scheme then please contact the office for further information.

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As of the 1st February 2007, the following new procedures relating to Maritime Safety Information (MSI) Broadcasts will come into effect:

• New weather information will be available every 6 hours and made available through 8 daily broadcast schedules.
• New gale warnings, strong wind warnings and navigational warnings will be broadcast on receipt.
• Broadcasts will be made in local time throughout the year.

Revised schedule for MSI broadcasts as from 1 February 2007:

Local Time/Broadcast
0150 - New Inshore Forecasts plus previous outlooks, Gale warnings
0450 - Repetition of previous broadcasts plus new Strong Wind warnings
0750 - New Inshore Forecasts and outlooks, Gale Warnings, Shipping Forecast and Navigational Warnings
1050 - Repetition of previous Inshore Forecasts and outlooks, Gale Warnings plus new Strong Wind Warnings
1350 - New Inshore Forecasts plus previous outlooks, Gale warnings
1650 - Repetition of previous broadcasts plus new Strong Wind warnings
1950 - New Inshore Forecasts and outlooks, Gale Warnings, Shipping Forecast and Navigational Warnings
2250 - Repetition of previous Inshore Forecasts and outlooks, Gale Warnings plus new Strong Wind Warnings

Areas Covered:

Shipping forecast Irish Sea
Gale warnings Irish Sea
Inshore forecasts St David's Head to The Great Orme
The Great Orme to the Mull of Galloway
Navigational Warnings St David's Head to the Mull of Galloway


Broadcast aerials and VHF channels used:

Initial announcement will be broadcast on VHF channel 16 using the Great Orme and South Stack aerials. Working frequency broadcasts will be:

• Great Orme (For the North of Anglesey) VHF channel 86
• South Stack (For the South of Anglesey) VHF channel 23

Further information can be found at : http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga-hmcg_rescue/mcga-hmcg-sar/hmcoastt-sar-safety.htm

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