{"id":9,"date":"2026-04-30T18:49:14","date_gmt":"2026-04-30T18:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nodatanonets.org\/?page_id=9"},"modified":"2026-04-30T20:44:27","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T20:44:27","slug":"9-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nodatanonets.org\/","title":{"rendered":""},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n  .ndnn-wrap {\n    max-width: 1080px;\n    margin: 0 auto;\n    padding: 0 12px 40px;\n    color: #111;\n    font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", sans-serif;\n    line-height: 1.6;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-hero {\n    margin: 0 -12px 26px;\n    padding: 44px 20px;\n    background: #0d0d0d;\n    color: #fff;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-kicker {\n    margin: 0 0 12px;\n    text-transform: uppercase;\n    letter-spacing: .13em;\n    font-size: .72rem;\n    font-weight: 800;\n    color: #9fd3bd;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-hero h1 {\n    margin: 0 0 20px;\n    font-size: clamp(3.4rem, 18vw, 6.6rem);\n    line-height: .84;\n    letter-spacing: -.075em;\n    font-weight: 950;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-hero p {\n    max-width: 780px;\n    margin: 0 0 14px;\n    font-size: 1.18rem;\n    line-height: 1.42;\n    color: #f2f2f2;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-update {\n    background: #f2f4ee;\n    border-left: 6px solid #111;\n    padding: 18px;\n    margin: 0 0 34px;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-section {\n    margin: 0 0 38px;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-section h2 {\n    font-size: clamp(2rem, 8vw, 3.2rem);\n    line-height: .98;\n    letter-spacing: -.06em;\n    margin: 0 0 16px;\n    font-weight: 950;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-section p {\n    font-size: 1.05rem;\n    margin: 0 0 16px;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-standfirst {\n    font-size: 1.22rem !important;\n    line-height: 1.45;\n    font-weight: 500;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-pull {\n    margin: 24px 0;\n    padding: 22px 18px;\n    background: #111;\n    color: #fff;\n    font-size: clamp(1.55rem, 7vw, 3rem);\n    line-height: 1.02;\n    letter-spacing: -.06em;\n    font-weight: 950;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-grid {\n    display: grid;\n    grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(240px, 1fr));\n    gap: 14px;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-card {\n    background: #f7f7f3;\n    border: 1px solid #deded8;\n    padding: 18px;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-card h3 {\n    margin: 0 0 8px;\n    font-size: .78rem;\n    text-transform: uppercase;\n    letter-spacing: .09em;\n    font-weight: 900;\n    color: #315c49;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-card p {\n    margin: 0;\n    font-size: 1rem;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-alert {\n    background: #fbf4d8;\n    border-top: 6px solid #111;\n    padding: 22px 18px;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-alert h2 {\n    font-size: clamp(1.9rem, 7vw, 3rem);\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-table-wrap {\n    overflow-x: auto;\n    margin-top: 18px;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-table {\n    min-width: 720px;\n    width: 100%;\n    border-collapse: collapse;\n    font-size: .95rem;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-table th {\n    text-align: left;\n    background: #111;\n    color: #fff;\n    padding: 13px;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-table td {\n    border: 1px solid #d8d8d8;\n    padding: 13px;\n    vertical-align: top;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-dark {\n    background: #111;\n    color: #fff;\n    padding: 26px 18px;\n    margin: 0 -12px;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-dark a {\n    color: #9fd3bd;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  .ndnn-sources li {\n    margin-bottom: 10px;\n  }<\/p>\n<p>  @media (max-width: 600px) {\n    .ndnn-wrap {\n      padding-left: 8px;\n      padding-right: 8px;\n    }<\/p>\n<p>    .ndnn-hero,\n    .ndnn-dark {\n      margin-left: -8px;\n      margin-right: -8px;\n    }<\/p>\n<p>    .ndnn-card {\n      padding: 16px;\n    }<\/p>\n<p>    .ndnn-section {\n      margin-bottom: 32px;\n    }\n  }\n<\/style>\n<section class=\"ndnn-wrap\">\n<div class=\"ndnn-hero\">\n<p class=\"ndnn-kicker\">Lough Neagh Fishery Transparency<\/p>\n<h1>No Data,<br \/>No Nets<\/h1>\n<p>Lough Neagh is a shared natural resource. If wild fish are being commercially removed, the public deserves to see the evidence that it is sustainable.<\/p>\n<p><strong>If the data is not public, then the public can have no confidence.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<section class=\"ndnn-update\">\n<p class=\"ndnn-kicker\" style=\"color:#111;\">Latest update<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"margin:0 0 8px;font-size:1.4rem;line-height:1.15;\">30 April 2026 \u2014 Website created<\/h2>\n<p style=\"margin:0;\">This site was created to bring together publicly available information on commercial fishing in Lough Neagh and highlight key gaps in data, transparency and evidence.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ndnn-section\">\n<h2>This is bigger than fish.<\/h2>\n<p class=\"ndnn-standfirst\">Lough Neagh sits at the centre of a wider public argument about pollution, accountability and how shared natural resources are managed.<\/p>\n<p>Commercial fishing may be lawful. That is not the same as proving it is sustainable. When a lough is already under environmental pressure, public confidence depends on clear evidence: what is being taken, how much is being taken, what rules apply, and whether fish stocks can withstand it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ndnn-pull\">\n      No public data.<br \/>No public confidence.\n    <\/div>\n<p>This project is not aimed at individual fishermen or working families. It is about transparent, evidence-based management of Lough Neagh.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ndnn-alert ndnn-section\">\n<p class=\"ndnn-kicker\" style=\"color:#735d18;\">Current situation<\/p>\n<h2>The latest catch data has not been released.<\/h2>\n<p>A 2026 Environmental Information Regulations request asked DAERA for Lough Neagh scale-fish catch data for 2021\u20132025, including trout, pollan, perch, bream, roach and pike. DAERA said raw data may be held, but that the dataset was undergoing active review, verification and quality assurance checks. It withheld the information under Regulation 12(4)(d), which can apply to incomplete material or information still in the course of completion. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.daera-ni.gov.uk\/publications\/daera26-34-lough-neagh-catch-data-scale-fish-2021-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: DAERA\/26-34<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The result: commercial fishing continues, but the most recent verified public picture is incomplete.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ndnn-section\">\n<h2>Why should people care?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ndnn-grid\">\n<div class=\"ndnn-card\">\n<h3>Trust<\/h3>\n<p>Public confidence depends on being able to see the evidence behind decisions.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ndnn-card\">\n<h3>Accountability<\/h3>\n<p>The future of Lough Neagh should not depend on closed-door confidence. It should rest on public information.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ndnn-card\">\n<h3>Food buyers<\/h3>\n<p>Restaurants, wholesalers and food buyers should be able to check whether wild-caught fish are backed by current sustainability evidence.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ndnn-card\">\n<h3>Environmental pressure<\/h3>\n<p>Fishery decisions should be understood alongside wider issues such as water quality, algal blooms, phosphorus and nitrates. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.daera-ni.gov.uk\/articles\/information-released-daera-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: DAERA release log<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ndnn-section\">\n<h2>What we know so far<\/h2>\n<p>Published evidence identifies Lough Neagh as a commercial fishery. UK Parliament material describes commercial fishing for eels, trout, pollan, perch, roach and bream, and refers to the role of the Lough Neagh Fishermen\u2019s Co-operative Society in managing the fishery. <a href=\"https:\/\/committees.parliament.uk\/writtenevidence\/91449\/html\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: UK Parliament written evidence<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>DAERA\u2019s commercial fishery guidance for Lough Neagh sets out rules including closed seasons, minimum sizes, mesh sizes, gear restrictions and enforcement powers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.daera-ni.gov.uk\/publications\/inland-fisheries-commercial-fishery-legislation-handout-lough-neagh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: DAERA guidance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Lough Neagh Pollan PDO specification describes commercial harvesting and traceability requirements, including records of weight landed, who landed fish, and onward sale details. <a href=\"https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/media\/5fd364c18fa8f54d6346176e\/pfn-lough-neagh-pollan-pdo-spec.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source: Pollan PDO specification<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ndnn-section\">\n<h2>What is still missing?<\/h2>\n<p>The public does not need slogans. It needs the basic information required to assess risk, sustainability and accountability.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ndnn-table-wrap\">\n<table class=\"ndnn-table\">\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Information needed<\/th>\n<th>Why it matters<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Verified landings data by species and year<\/td>\n<td>Shows what is being removed from the lough and whether pressure is rising or falling.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Active licences and permits<\/td>\n<td>Shows the scale of authorised commercial fishing.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Gear types and fishing methods<\/td>\n<td>Helps assess bycatch risk, selectivity and pressure on vulnerable species.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Independent stock assessments<\/td>\n<td>Shows whether fish populations can sustain commercial extraction.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Enforcement records<\/td>\n<td>Shows whether rules are being monitored and breaches addressed.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Scientific basis for catch limits<\/td>\n<td>Shows whether decisions are precautionary and evidence-based.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n<p><!-- CTA (MOVED ONLY) --><\/p>\n<section class=\"ndnn-cta ndnn-section\">\n<p class=\"ndnn-kicker\">Take action<\/p>\n<h2>Ask when the data will be published.<\/h2>\n<p>\n    You can request clarity on when verified Lough Neagh commercial catch data will be released.<br \/>\n    Keep communication respectful and focused on transparency.\n  <\/p>\n<div class=\"ndnn-email-box\">\n<p class=\"ndnn-email-label\">Copy and paste this email<\/p>\n<pre id=\"emailTemplate\" class=\"ndnn-email-template\">To: darts@daera-ni.gov.uk\nSubject: Lough Neagh catch data (2021\u20132025)\n\nDear Sir or Madam,\n\nI am writing to request clarification on the status of verified Lough Neagh scale-fish catch data for the period 2021\u20132025.\n\nI understand that recent information requests have indicated that this dataset is undergoing review, verification and quality assurance checks.\n\nCould you please confirm:\n- When this process is expected to be completed\n- When the verified dataset will be published\n- Whether any interim information can be made available\n\nGiven the public interest in the management of Lough Neagh, transparency on timelines and process would be appreciated.\n\nKind regards,\n[Your name]<\/pre>\n<p>    <button class=\"ndnn-copy-button\" onclick=\"copyEmail()\">Copy email<\/button><\/p><\/div>\n<p>\n    You can also submit a request via the Environmental Information Regulations:<br \/>\n    <a href=\"https:\/\/www.daera-ni.gov.uk\/articles\/environmental-information-regulations\" target=\"_blank\">DAERA EIR guidance<\/a>.\n  <\/p>\n<div class=\"ndnn-response-box\">\n    <strong>Received a response?<\/strong><br \/>\n    Share it at <a href=\"mailto:admin@nodatanonets.org\">admin@nodatanonets.org<\/a>\n  <\/div>\n<p class=\"ndnn-small\">\n    Please keep all communication respectful. This project focuses on transparency and evidence, not individuals.\n  <\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ndnn-section\">\n<h2>What should happen next?<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ndnn-grid\">\n<div class=\"ndnn-card\">\n<h3>Publish the data<\/h3>\n<p>Verified commercial landings should be made public by species and year.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ndnn-card\">\n<h3>Show the controls<\/h3>\n<p>Licence numbers, permits, gear types and enforcement information should be transparent.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ndnn-card\">\n<h3>Review the evidence<\/h3>\n<p>Commercial fishing should be reviewed where current stock evidence is incomplete or unclear.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ndnn-card\">\n<h3>Use precaution<\/h3>\n<p>Where evidence is weak, vulnerable species should not be commercially exploited without review.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ndnn-section\">\n<h2>Questions worth asking<\/h2>\n<div class=\"ndnn-grid\">\n<div class=\"ndnn-card\">\n<h3>For buyers<\/h3>\n<p>Is there current stock evidence? Are verified landings data available? What fishing method was used? Is the product linked to current licensing and permit controls?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"ndnn-card\">\n<h3>For policymakers<\/h3>\n<p>When will verified catch data be published? What stock assessments support continued fishing? How many commercial licences and permits are active?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ndnn-section\">\n<h2>Source library<\/h2>\n<p>This site rests on publicly available material.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"ndnn-sources\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.daera-ni.gov.uk\/publications\/daera26-34-lough-neagh-catch-data-scale-fish-2021-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DAERA\/26-34 \u2014 Lough Neagh scale-fish catch data, 2021\u20132025<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.daera-ni.gov.uk\/publications\/daera25-140\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DAERA\/25-140 \u2014 Commercial netting figures and dealer-return data<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.daera-ni.gov.uk\/articles\/information-released-daera-2025\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DAERA 2025 information release log<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/committees.parliament.uk\/writtenevidence\/91449\/html\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">UK Parliament written evidence on Lough Neagh commercial fishing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.daera-ni.gov.uk\/publications\/inland-fisheries-commercial-fishery-legislation-handout-lough-neagh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">DAERA commercial fishery legislation handout<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/assets.publishing.service.gov.uk\/media\/5fd364c18fa8f54d6346176e\/pfn-lough-neagh-pollan-pdo-spec.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Lough Neagh Pollan PDO specification<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ndnn-dark\">\n<h2 style=\"font-size:2rem;line-height:1.05;margin:0 0 14px;font-weight:950;letter-spacing:-.05em;\">About this project<\/h2>\n<p>This is a public-interest information project focused on transparency, evidence and sustainable management of Lough Neagh.<\/p>\n<p>It does not target individual fishermen, workers or families. It does not publish unverified allegations. Its focus is public information, institutional accountability and responsible decision-making.<\/p>\n<p>Contact: <a href=\"mailto:admin@nodatanonets.org\">admin@nodatanonets.org<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-size:1.2rem;font-weight:900;margin:22px 0 0;\">No data. No confidence. No confidence, no nets.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lough Neagh Fishery Transparency No Data,No Nets Lough Neagh is a shared natural resource. If wild fish are being commercially removed, the public deserves to see the evidence that it is sustainable. If the data is not public, then the public can have no confidence. Latest update 30 April 2026 \u2014 Website created This site [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-9","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nodatanonets.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nodatanonets.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nodatanonets.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nodatanonets.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nodatanonets.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/nodatanonets.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38,"href":"https:\/\/nodatanonets.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/9\/revisions\/38"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nodatanonets.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}