The Yorkshire Coast is an epicentre of the North Sea, where cold northern coastal waters combine with warm southern currents , generating nutrient rich upwelling’s that support complex habitats and a diverse range of marine species.
These enriched waters have long supported our coastal communities, where fishing is established as a keystone of local employment. Yorkshire is notably proud of its local maritime heritage, with images of the fishing industry characterising quaint seaside villages like Staithes through to coastal resorts such as Scarborough and Bridlington. Since the early 1980’s with the decline of the regions classical trawl fleets, an emergent and buoyant shellfish fishery has continued to develop within Yorkshires waters, which has now firmly established itself as one of Europe’s largest fisheries.
Yorkshire Wildlife Trust supports, funds and manages projects in partnership with local fishing industry members promoting the adoption of measures which minimise impacts on the marine environment. These projects range from diversification into new species, such as squid and sole, through to innovative research projects improving equipment selectivity or bycatch reduction. We also support local fishermen and merchants developing provenance schemes that provide the right tools, branding and information to inform consumers and promote Yorkshire’s seafood produce.
(c) David Hunt