English non-quota fisheries are diverse and dynamic, targeting various species with different fishing methods, often changing seasonally. These fisheries are crucial for coastal communities and local economies, yet they lack sufficient research, regulations, and stock assessments. Managed by Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), these fisheries balance conservation with economic benefits. Despite their importance, some fisheries, like the common cuttlefish fishery, lack specific regulations. With rising landings and increasing economic value, common cuttlefish, particularly in Devon and Cornwall, are vulnerable to overfishing due to their complex lifecycle and lack of regulatory measures.
Apocalypse Now: The True Cost of Overfishing
Political decisions over recent decades have brought many of the UK’s fish populations, and the fisheries dependent upon them, to the point of collapse. At the heart of this failure lies continues and extensive overfishing.
15 September 2026