Here's a great chance to contribute to helping the industry make the best possible case when lobbying the Government and in discussion with Defra and the MMO - get your thoughts, comments and ideas across by completing this short online questionnaire.
About the questionnaire This questionnaire will contribute to better understanding which stocks/species the UK could prioritise in fisheries negotiations as an independent coastal state after the UK leaves the EU. We will be examining the distribution of UK fisheries and how that correlates with stocks, the issue of choke species and how much demand there is among UK fishermen for catching different species. Any individuals such as fishermen, fisheries managers and other members of fisherman’s organisations are encouraged to fill out this questionnaire, to help gather important and relevant insight. Summary results from the survey will be provided to relevant fisheries authorities (e.g. Defra, Marine Scotland) across the UK.
Result of this study A summary report will be sent to Defra, Marine Scotland, Marine and Fisheries Wales and DAERA (Northern Ireland) and shared on the Fishing News Facebook page. It will also be available to other interested people on request. The results of the study will be used to provide recommendations for the future management of the fishing industry in the UK and inform debate around management after Brexit.
Confidentiality The survey does not ask any personal identification questions and your responses will be treated in confidence. All analysed data will be identified by a code. Details will be kept on a secure computer and can only be accessed through google drive by the immediate research team used in data analysis. The University of York always ensures strict confidentiality.
Taking part This is a voluntary questionnaire and no person is obliged to answer the questions. You may withdraw from the questionnaire at any time, this will not be used if not sent back to us. Please attempt to complete all applicable questions, this shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes.
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, or the questionnaire, you are welcome to contact either myself or my supervisor directly and we will respond.
Here is a letter sent to Nigel Gooding at Defra, September 2017 after the UK had voted to leave the UK at a time when fishermen wanted to now what would a post Brexit world look like.. The question, was in response to the UK Government's stated aspiration to become a "gold standard" fisheries nation which seemingly hasn't, as yet, instigated the necessary infrastructure to facilitate an agreement on shared stocks and their management. This is something that should have been in place in the event of the fishing industries desired, "No deal"
"The EU referendum and the majority vote to leave the EU was met with jubilation from the UK fishing industry, and has been characterised by many as "a sea of opportunity". The BIG question now is in what manner this "sea of opportunity" is to be realised for the fishermen of the UK? The benefits of leaving the EU, and the infamous CFP are numerous; and should empower the UK Government to design, and implement a fisheries management system that works for both fish resources, and the fishermen that depend upon them. The business of fishing has never been plain sailing, and a "Fisheries Brexit" doesn't seem like being an easy affair either.
The media coverage of Michael Gove's recent visit to Denmark; where he gave "assurance" to Danish fishermen that they would still have access to UK waters post-Brexit, has been seen by many as yet another sell out of the fishing industry. Also, the reported clash between Michael Gove and Chancellor Philip Hammond over the use of fisheries as a bargaining chip in the wider Brexit negotiations has done little to lessen their fears. Both Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron have expressed that they will fight for their respective fishing industries to achieve the best possible post-Brexit deal. This has left many UK fishermen in a state of shock and disbelief, fearing now that the industry will once again be used as a pawn in achieving a favourable Brexit deal with the EU. It must be made absolutely clear that the UK post-Brexit WILL have an exclusive 200nm/ median line economic zone; and the UK fishing industry, finally will have exclusive access to the UK territorial seas out to 12 nm.
The UK Government will have the absolute power to decide on who will be granted access, and under what conditions. Granting of reciprocal access to foreign vessels is a common practice in bilateral fisheries negotiations; where access can be granted on historical use of the area, quota swaps, and or, if there are exploitation pattern gains to be had in relation to catching older and larger fish.
It is a common acknowledgment within the fishing industry, that everything is paid for by what is caught in the net, and landed on the market. The main focus for the catching sector, irrespective of Brexit is to identify exclusive UK stocks, and quantify zonal attachment for stocks that are deemed to be shared.
Realigning Relative State allocations in relation to ecosystem creep is of utmost importance; as a means of mitigating the possibility for chokes species such as NS hake, and area VIIE haddock and VIID cod. This is especially important in respect to the Landings Obligation/Discard Ban, which comes into full force in 2019.
The UK government has commissioned work into mapping the extent of zonal attachment for stocks shared with the EU and other parties such as Norway/Faeroe. This is an assignment that the UK should not pursue alone, if there is to be any chance of reaching a consensus and ratification by all parts. This work needs to be undertaken in a joint EU-UK working group, and under the scrutiny of an unbiased third party such as ICES, and with observers from countries such as USA and Canada. ICES have informed that they have not received any request from the UK Government to assist in this important and necessary work on defining zonal attachment.
Should the Government decide to use UK fish resources as a bargaining chip, then it's important to quantify how much fish, and for what it is being traded for"
Do we have an answer yet from Defra? Where is the UK today on this crucial aspect of Brexit and the UK fishing industry?
Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Way back in September 2017, well in advance of the original Brexit date the letter below was sent to Nigel Gooding at Defra. It's the kind of question that many in the industry - from fishermen to processors and associated trades - would seek answers to from the department. His reply was, "I'll look into this and get back to you later."
Said author of the letter, Ian Kinsey, "There's a lot of talk about becoming a leading fisheries nation, getting it right and doing the right thing - this starts with taking responsibility and actually 'leading'."
"The EU referendum and the majority vote to leave the EU was met with jubilation from the UK fishing industry, and has been characterised by many as "a sea of opportunity". The BIG question now is in what manner this "sea of opportunity" is to be realised for the fishermen of the UK? The benefits of leaving the EU, and the infamous CFP are numerous; and should empower the UK Government to design, and implement a fisheries management system that works for both fish resources, and the fishermen that depend upon them. The business of fishing has never been plain sailing, and a "Fisheries Brexit" doesn't seem like being an easy affair either.
The media coverage of Michael Gove's recent visit to Denmark; where he gave "assurance" to Danish fishermen that they would still have access to UK waters post-Brexit, has been seen by many as yet another sell out of the fishing industry. Also, the reported clash between Michael Gove and Chancellor Philip Hammond over the use of fisheries as a bargaining chip in the wider Brexit negotiations has done little to lessen their fears. Both Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron have expressed that they will fight for their respective fishing industries to achieve the best possible post-Brexit deal. This has left many UK fishermen in a state of shock and disbelief, fearing now that the industry will once again be used as a pawn in achieving a favourable Brexit deal with the EU. It must be made absolutely clear that the UK post-Brexit WILL have an exclusive 200nm/ median line economic zone; and the UK fishing industry, finally will have exclusive access to the UK territorial seas out to 12 nm.
The UK Government will have the absolute power to decide on who will be granted access, and under what conditions. Granting of reciprocal access to foreign vessels is a common practice in bilateral fisheries negotiations; where access can be granted on historical use of the area, quota swaps, and or, if there are exploitation pattern gains to be had in relation to catching older and larger fish.
It is a common acknowledgement within the fishing industry, that everything is paid for by what is caught in the net, and landed on the market. The main focus for the catching sector, irrespective of Brexit is to identify exclusive UK stocks, and quantify zonal attachment for stocks that are deemed to be shared.
Realigning Relative State allocations in relation to ecosystem creep is of utmost importance; as a means of mitigating the possibility for chokes species such as NS hake, and area 7E haddock and 7D cod. This is especially important in respect to the Landings Obligation/Discard Ban, which comes into full force in 2019. The UK government has commissioned work into mapping the extent of zonal attachment for stocks shared with the EU and other parties such as Norway/Faeroe. This is an assignment that the UK should not pursue alone, if there is to be any chance of reaching a consensus and ratification by all parts. This work needs to be undertaken in a joint EU-UK working group, and under the scrutiny of an unbiased third party such as ICES, and with observers from countries such as USA and Canada. ICES have informed that they have not received any request from the UK Government to assist in this important and necessary work on defining zonal attachment.
Should the Government decide to use UK fish resources as a bargaining chip, then it's important to quantify how much fish, and for what it is being traded for"
Fish exporters urged to register now to use new digital exports services A new digital catch certificate service has been launched as part of contingency planning for fish exporters in a no-deal Brexit.
Businesses wanting to export fish to the EU after 29 March 2019 should sign up to the new digital services to make sure they are able to continue trading fish with the EU in the event of no deal.
Leaving the EU with a deal remains the Government’s top priority. This has not changed. However, should the UK leave the EU without a deal, UK exporters will be required to obtain a validated catch certificate for most fish and fish products exported to the EU (excluding some aquaculture products, freshwater fish, some molluscs, fish fry or larvae). Catch certificates prove that fish has been caught in line with established conservation and management measures. All non-EU countries are required to present catch certificates when trading with the EU. To be ready for leaving the EU, fish exporters should familiarise themselves with the new services to generate the necessary export documentation, including:
catch certificates
processing statement
storage document
prior notification form
pre-landing declaration
To access the service you’ll need to sign in or create a new Government Gateway user ID. Make a note of your Government Gateway user ID and password so you can sign in next time. You’ll then need to create a business Defra account using your business contact details. You’ll only need to register once. To register, visit the gov.uk guidance page on creating a UK catch certificate. Registering early gives exporters time to test the new service before the UK leaves the EU. Any sample documents created before 29 March 2019 will not be valid for export. To check what documents you need to export fish to the EU if there’s no Brexit deal, visit the gov.uk guidance page on exporting and importing fish if there’s no Brexit deal.
What you need
To create a processing statement, you’ll need:
a Government Gateway user ID and password
the company name and address of the exporter
to say what is in the consignment (and include the EU tariff commodity codes)
a health certificate number for the export
the species, catch certificate number and total weight from each catch being used in the consignment
the before and after processing weights of the export
the name, address and plant approval number of the processing plant used (and the name of the person responsible for the consignment)
Defra service registrations need you to provide some extra details about yourself and the business (for example, the Companies House registration number).
Registration should take around 5 minutes. START NOW
What the fishing, seafood and aquaculture industries need to do to prepare for rules and processes that will apply if the UK leaves the EU with no deal.
Rules for access to waters from 29 March 2019
When the UK leaves the EU, it will control and manage access to fish in UK waters, and be responsible for managing our:
territorial waters (out to 12 nautical miles)
Exclusive Economic Zone (out to 200 nautical miles or the median line with other states)
The UK will make sure that fisheries control and enforcement continue.
UK waters
There will be no change to your rights and responsibilities if you have a UK-registered vessel fishing in UK waters. You must continue to comply with the law and the conditions of your licence, including the economic link criteria.
Non-UK-registered vessels will no longer have automatic access to UK waters (subject to any existing agreements covering territorial waters).
EU and third country waters
There will be no automatic access for UK-registered vessels to fish in EU or third country waters (subject to any existing agreements covering territorial waters).
Quota allocations and fishing opportunities
If you’re a UK quota holder, the UK fisheries administrations will tell you what your allocation will be. They’ll aim to do this in March 2019.
The government will also confirm arrangements for:
non-quota shellfish (scallops and edible/spider crabs)
demersal species under the Western Waters effort regime.
There will be no automatic access for:
the UK Fisheries Administrations to exchange fishing opportunities with EU member states
for EU member states to exchange fishing opportunities with the UK
North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC) Convention Area
You can prepare for the UK joining the NEAFC. For UK-registered vessels to continue fishing in the convention area, and landing into the EU, you must hold a current UK domestic licence. You’ll need this before you can apply for an international licence from the relevant fisheries authority.
Please contact your local fisheries authority office if you want further guidance on fishing internationally. You’ll also need to register with the NEAFC’s electronic Port State Control system and complete the Port State Control 1 forms.
The UK will join all relevant RFMOs as quickly as possible - it will no longer be a member of RFMOs through EU membership.
The joining process may take up to 6 months, so there may be a gap in our membership.
During this time, UK vessels may not be able to fish in international waters covered by RFMOs. We’ll keep fishermen informed of progress and what the outcome of a decision will mean in practice.
Access to ports
If you have a UK-registered vessel, you’ll no longer have an automatic right to land fish in any EU port. You’ll be allowed access to EU designated ports for:
port services
landings
transhipment
the use of market facilities (where vessels meet EU requirements on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing)
You must notify the relevant Fisheries Monitoring Centre of your intention to arrive into a designated port. You must notify vessel and catch related information.
You’ll be allowed access to EU designated ports and third country ports without first telling the port of your plan to visit in cases:
of distress
if there’s an unexpected event (force majeure)
Your vessel may be inspected. This could include:
a full document check
inspection of the catch
database checks (if you’ve supplied information electronically)
EU and third country vessels landing into UK ports
Non-UK vessels, including EU vessels, will need to follow the same rules that will apply to UK-registered vessels accessing an EU port. For example, they’ll need to give notice of their plans to land, except in cases of distress and unexpected events (force majeure).
EU vessels fishing in the NEAFC Convention Area and landing into the UK will need to complete a Port State Control 1 form.
Import and export of fishery products
You’ll need a catch certificate for importing or exporting most fish and fish products between the UK and EU.
The rules on illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing will not change.
Exporting UK-caught fish and fishery products to the EU
You’ll need a catch certificate with each consignment of fish or fishery products you export to the EU. It will be your responsibility as the exporter to complete a catch certificate.
You’ll need to submit this along with the catch certificate.
Vessel owners or skippers making direct landings of UK vessels into EU ports will also need to issue a catch certificate.
You’ll need verification for the content of a catch certificate from the UK fisheries authority where the vessel is licensed. You will need this before submitting the content to the competent authority in the EU country of import. The UK fisheries authorities are:
the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) in England
Marine Scotland
the Department of Agriculture, the Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland
Welsh Government
The UK fisheries authorities are developing an IT system to deal with the increase in export catch certificates.
Importing EU-caught fish and fishery products to the UK
For EU imports, you’ll need a catch certificate for each:
consignment
direct landing of fish or fishery products .
The exporter will have to submit the certificate to the Port Health Authorities or relevant fisheries authority.
The certificate will need to be checked at least 3 working days before the estimated arrival time into the UK. This deadline could be adapted to take account of the type of fishery or distance from fishing ground to port.
Labelling and marketing of fishery and aquaculture products
The rules and standards for labelling and marketing in the EU and UK will stay the same. See the existing guidance on:
fish sold for human consumption
fish and aquaculture products
The roles of Producer Organisations will also stay the same.
European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)
The UK government has guaranteed that all EMFF projects approved before 31 December 2020 will be fully funded.
Eels and eel products
Trade in the European eel (Anguilla anguilla), within and outside the EU, will remain subject to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). This means the UK will not be able to import or export European eel. Most of the eel (Anguilla japonica) consumed in the UK is imported from China and so the impact on consumers should be limited. Published 10 January 2019
The MMO says that with the help of fishermen at ports across the UK, it has developed an app that can be used on a smartphone, tablet or computer to record catches. Michael Coyle, MMO head of compliance and control, said: “We have been testing the prototype with users, and we will continue to do so as we develop the service. The app is designed to be quick and easy to use, as we want to minimise additional work for fishermen to comply with licence conditions. “The indications are that it takes just 90 seconds to record a single-species catch via the new app. “Our aim is to support the viability of the fishing businesses by making fishing sustainable long-term. To do that, we need to better understand the full impact of fishing on stocks. “Introducing a requirement for under-10m vessels – the majority of the fleet – to record their catch, both quota and non-quota, would give us a much clearer picture of how much fish we are taking from our seas. It would also enable us to act more fairly and efficiently to conserve stocks at levels that support sustainable fisheries in the future.” A consultation is about to start so the MMO can better understand how catch-recording will affect the under-10s, with a view to launching the change in 2019. Answering criticism that small fishing businesses already have enough to do without introducing even more reporting, Michael Coyle said, “We understand how hard fishermen and people in the industry work. Our aim is not to introduce more reporting for its own sake, but to support our plan to develop a sustainable fishing industry for the future. “The new recording arrangements will reduce the paper burden on fishermen. The existing process will be replaced and there will be just one recording requirement, which can be done very quickly via a smartphone.” DEFRA is already consulting on the introduction of vessel monitoring (iVMS) for the English inshore (under-12m) fleet, and plans a phased roll-out between April 2019 and June 2021. Scotland will introduce iVMS for the under-12s in 2020 (Fishing News, 18 October, ‘VMS for under-12m fleet’). Michael Coyle said that combined with data from iVMS, the catch-recording information can be used to trial new ways of managing fishing opportunities. This should:
Lead to fairer, more efficient fisheries management
Protect the rights of fishermen
Allow skippers to demonstrate their track record more easily
Prove that the UK is taking appropriate steps to fish more sustainably, which is key to positive marketing for commercial fishing.
The MMO says that fishermen and the industry are gearing up for a period of major change during the coming year, including Brexit, the discards ban, and new digital services from the MMO.
The consultation is expected to start early in January 2019. NUTFA: ‘More questions than answers’ Commenting on the MMO proposals, New Under Ten Fishermen’s Association (NUTFA) leader Jerry Percy said there was no doubt that electronic vessel monitoring and catch reporting were coming for thousands of the UK’s under-10s. “The MMO has not suggested any length cut-off point, to date, for smaller vessels, so all we can hope for is that it has a genuine consultation, listens to working fishermen, and recognises and reacts to the practical difficulties involved,” he told Fishing News. “As ever, the devil will be in the detail, and the proposals already throw up many more questions than answers – not least, just why do small-scale guys need to record and report their catch before it leaves the boat? And just how are they supposed to gauge the weight of catch without scales, when the current system of supplying sales notes within 24 hours provides more accurate information?” He said the MMO app promotion video makes reporting via smartphone look easy, using only three species – whereas the reality for many under-10s can be very different. “Many will catch a variety of around 30 species, using a variety of gears and differing soak times, so the reporting process will take a great deal longer than the suggested few minutes.” Referring to the linked plan to introduce VMS monitoring for the under-12m fleet (Fishing News, 18 October), Jerry Percy said one of the big issues for smaller boats is powering the iVMS kit. “The MMO’s requirement for ‘type approval’ precludes the use of solar-powered equipment, despite its clear benefits for many under-10s. Past experience also illustrates the problems in getting kit fixed – and without a working iVMS, you will not be allowed to put to sea. “Try explaining that to a small-scale fisherman who has to wait a week for a service engineer, when no type-approved supplier currently has a network of qualified engineers that can cover the entire country and guarantee a same-day service.” He said that NUTFA and the Coastal PO – which have particular expertise in this field – will be ensuring that the voice of the under-10s, and common sense, prevail in the consultation process, and subsequently. “UK officials are apparently confident that they are not envisaging any problems in the roll-out of iVMS to 2,380 vessels. What could possibly go wrong with a large-scale governmental computerised system… ?”
Risk & Policy Analysts (RPA) Ltd have been commissioned by Defra to carry out work on the evaluation of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and its implementation in England and the devolved administrations, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The aim of this study is to evaluate grant delivery including enablers and barriers to grant funding and the initial impacts of the fund as a whole. The work shall consider why applications have or have not been made and what issues have arisen. It will focus on social impacts, complementing the mid-term evaluation of the EMFF to be commissioned by the MMO. The approach to the evaluation will include engagement with relevant stakeholders to gather their views on the EMFF. This engagement will be undertaken over the next few months and will include focus groups and interviews. To this end, we have selected a number of locations where specific grants will be evaluated in greater depth. Agreed case study locations to date include Cornwall/Devon, East Riding and Grimsby, Norfolk/Suffolk and Northern Ireland. RPA will be contacting a selection of grant recipients between November and February as part of our evaluation. However, we would also welcome your views of the Fund more generally. Please feel free to provide us with your opinions on the grant-making process, and how receiving a grant has helped you and your business. Equally, we would welcome views where you have chosen not to apply to the Fund. If you would like more information about the project, or would like to tell RPA about your views on the EMFF, please contact Elizabeth Daly by email (Elizabeth.daly@rpaltd.co.uk).
Filey driftnet salmon fishermen are about to be put out of business largely because the MMO do not have the staff to satisfactorily deal with their plight - instead they are simply implementing a ban devoid of any consideration for the livelihoods of generations of fishermen. In a blog post exactly a year ago, Mike Warner write penned an in-depth look at just how far the fishermen of Filey have been prepared to go in order to comply with every regulation thrown at them For generations, the North Yorkshire coast has been home to vibrant fishing communities. Fishing has shaped towns and coastlines, offered careers to local families, provided delicious, sustainable food, and contributed hugely to local tourism. These coastal fisheries are small-scale, low-impact and working hard to protect the environment they depend upon. In Filey, the fishery is down to just seven small-scale, artisanal boats. Fishermen have inherited their licenses from their fathers, and want to pass them on to their children and grandchildren. But all of this is at risk due to new proposed regulations from the Environment Agency (EA). Why? The EA is working to protect salmon stocks in the area, which are under pressure. Some salmon are caught by these small, commercial boats, but many more are caught by anglers - who fish the spawning grounds for the salmon along river beds. The EA is proposing to drastically reduce fishing opportunities for the remaining commerical fishermen in Filey, and along the whole North Yorkshire coast. Eventually, the plan is to remove licenses from these fishermen entirely. All fishermen - whether at sea or in-land - want to make sure there are plenty of salmon for future generations. To protect stocks, boats in Filey have been voluntarily releasing salmon throughout the months of April and May for over a decade, and they focus their commercial operation entirely on catching sea trout. They have voluntarily captured data on all fish they catch, reduced the length of their nets, and only fish for 5 months of the year. Per year, the average catch of salmon by this small commercial fleet is just 157 fish. In comparison, the catch of sea trout is over 4,600 fish. This valuable, sustainable sea trout fishery will be completely eliminated by the EA's proposals. We believe the EA should work with the local fishermen to find a solution that is sustainable for the community, as well as the environment - and not put an end to generations of fishing heritage in local Yorkshire communities. Fishermen want to be part of the solution: let them be! With a new spotlight on UK fishing due to Brexit, this government should not allow small-scale, low-impact, sustainable fishing businesses to go out of operation - with a huge impact on local families and businesses - when alternative options exist. Please help protect the fishing heritage of the North Yorkshire coast.
Therese Coffey (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) provided a response when asked: The North East coast net fishery, including drift nets at North Shields, operates as a coastal mixed stock fishery, catching salmon from a large number of different populations from rivers in both Scotland and England on the eastern coast of Britain. The UK Government has international obligations as a member of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) to close coastal mixed stock fisheries as it is not possible to manage them in such a way as to effectively protect contributing salmon stocks. Closing fisheries is not an action that is taken without careful consideration. In reaching this position the Environment Agency (EA) has followed the NASCO guidelines and applied the Precautionary Approach to the conservation and management of salmon populations, giving priority to conserving and protecting salmon stocks. The EA understands that these new management measures could impose a financial burden on licensed drift netsmen. It has not taken the decision to propose measures lightly, but salmon are in decline across the country. On the grounds of ensuring stocks exist at a sustainable level now and in the future, these are the measures that are being proposed. The EA intends to formally advertise its proposals later this month and all stakeholders will have the opportunity to respond to the proposed byelaws and to request changes or modifications.
A ‘discard’ is any type of animal caught by fishing gear and thrown back into the sea, alive or dead. Discarded unwanted catch (often referred to as by-catch) can be any commercially valuable marine species, such as commonly eaten fish, or any other marine animal which is caught accidentally.
Discarding is not good for the environment and is costly for fishermen. It is also seen as a destructive and wasteful practice.
Why are there discards?
Discarding is a complex issue occurring for a number of reasons:
Quota restrictions: quota limits are in place to protect fish stocksfrom overfishing. Fishermen, who run out of quota for one species, may continue to fish for other species for which they still have quota and discard fish where their quota has been exhausted. These ‘over-quota’ discards (quota species discarded above the legal minimum landing size) are estimated to account for around 22% of English and Welsh discards. Catch quotas offer a potential solution to this problem (see ‘Tackling the discard problem’ section below).
High grading: where fishermen discard fish that is worth less money in order to optimise the value of their catches. The UK is operating a European high grading ban in seas around the UK to stop this behaviour.
Under the legal Minimum Landing Size: a Minimum Landing Size (MLS) is technical rule that aims to protect small/juvenile commercial fish from being targeted and sold by fishermen. The mixed nature of species found in most European fisheries means that one size of net mesh is rarely suitable for all species. As a consequence many fish below the MLS may be caught and then discarded. Around 24% of estimated discards are quota species below the legal MLS and were too small to land. Much work has taken place in the UK to improve the selectivity of fishing nets/gears.
Market conditions: some species will be discarded because they are not popular to eat and so unlikely to sell in fish markets. An estimated 54% of discards (2008) are discarded for reasons relating to weak/absent markets. The Fishing for the Markets project aims to address this issue (see section below).
By-catch of protected species: species that are listed as a priority for conservation (e.g. whales and dolphins, seabirds and some sharks) may be accidently caught by fishermen, and some can die before or after being returned to the sea.
Unwanted benthos: some species (for example, starfish, seaweed, worms, anemones) that live on, in or near the ocean floor are not intentionally targeted by fisheries but may be discarded if they are tangled in fishing nets.
Tackling the discard problem
Defra is working to reduce discards through various initiatives:
At a European Level: We are involved in discussions with the European Commission and other Member States to ensure that new ways of reducing discards can be taken up at European Community level.
The reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in 2012 provides us with an important opportunity to reduce discards. We want to encourage and enable commercial fishermen to make long-term business decisions though giving them greater responsibility to safeguard fish stocks and reduce discards.
UK and Denmark Fully Documented Catch Quota Pilots. The UK Government, in partnership with Denmark, is trialling an alternative system of managing fish stocks in the North Sea. Rather than using the traditional method of counting catches on land, this alternative method counts catches at sea. The aim of the trial is to understand whether this type of management system is possible in EU fisheries, if it can reduce discards, and encourage fishermen to fish more selectively. Interim results look promising and we aim to extend the trials in 2011 to gather more evidence for CFP reform.
In the UK: Defra is using fresh approaches and ideas to reduce discards. Projects include:
Social marketing research studies to understand and change discard behaviours of fishermen, e.g. Project 50% in 2009, in which scientists and fishermen working together reduced discards in the Brixham trawl fleet by 52%; and a current project on trawlers in the Irish Sea.
Gear modifications trials that try to reduce the capture of unwanted marine species, such as the current Looe (South West) otter trawl pilot.
The Fishing for the markets project, a new initiative looking to encourage consumption of under-utilised, sustainable species that are often discarded. The project aims to gather knowledge and experience from a range of individuals and organisations along the supply chain about existing market practices and un-tapped potential for under-utilised species. See Eating a wider range of fish.
For more information
Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas)
Discards and gear selectivity:
