Prohibit fish discards: the stakes of the new regulation

This article (translated by Google) is from LaRecherche

Since January 2019, the "landing obligation" prohibits fishermen from discarding unwanted fish at sea. The European DiscardLess project assessed the effect of discards on the marine environment, the economy and society. Its coordinator, Clara Ulrich , answers the questions from La Recherche.

Research - What prompted the landing obligation?

Clara Ulrich - The idea of ​​this regulation came from the fact that we could not regulate the mortality of fish. As long as discards were still allowed, it was not possible to limit mortality in mixed fisheries, which target and capture a large number of different species at the same time. For each fish population, scientists estimate what is the sustainable volume (in tonnes) of dead fish by fishing ( RMD). The purpose of the landing obligation is that the total dead fish does not exceed this sustainable threshold, regardless of whether they are sold, brought ashore or processed into fishmeal. Before the measure, if the fishing quota was set, for example, at 50,000 tonnes, 60,000 or 70,000 tonnes could be fished and the rest discarded. We continued to fish as long as we still had quotas for other species and we rejected what we no longer had the right to land. British culinary celebrities have begun campaigning against this mess. The idea was supported by environmental NGOs and civil society. The reform of the fisheries policy was passed in 2013. The implementation of the landing obligation started in 2015. Gradually, it came into force in the countries of the different maritime regions. The goal was to have it all in 2019. Major commercial species like cod, sole, Norway lobster etc. were first concerned. All minor species, that is, less important in fisheries such as turbot, were included in the regulation in 2019.

What is your opinion on this new regulation?

This is a fundamental change in the way we understand fishing and its regulation. The rejection is a fundamental characteristic of the manner of fishing. For a long time, we have been fishing and we only keep what we can sell by putting the rest back in the water. This behavior has been reinforced by European policy which introduced regulations on minimum catch sizes and quotas. The stricter rules on what can be sold have, de facto , created fairly large releases. The landing obligation has a major economic, technical, psychological and cultural effect. It creates a shock to force change to cleaner fisheries instead of catching everything and rejecting the rest.

How to strengthen the landing obligation to reduce discards?

There is no single solution. The reasons for these rejections are relatively simple and universal. Fishermen reject either because it has no commercial value, it is damaged, or it is too small for sale; or it is forbidden to fish for the species. But the solutions to reduce these rejections, they are neither simple nor universal. Each fisherman will have a problem that is not necessarily the same as that of his neighbor. It will depend on the fishing area and the quota to which it has access. For each species, scientists estimate the discard rate. The rate is lower in industrial fisheries limited to a single species of fish such as mackerel or herring. The highest rate is for fisheries that use bottom trawl andbeam trawl . The statistics depend on the country, the gear and the neighboring species. It's very difficult to generalize. The change in fishing practice requires regulatory control.

How will the landing obligation now introduced throughout Europe be applied?

The regulation provides for a number of exemptions for species with a high survival rate or where it is almost impossible to sort the fish. But these exemptions must be validated. Thus, it must be proven that a species has a high survival rate. For five years, several works have been carried out. For example, research shows that rays and sharksare species that survive relatively well if released quickly. The fact that the fish is all wriggling is not enough to guarantee its survival. Most of the mortality occurs within two to three days. A fish that has remained on the deck of a boat, exposed to the air and light, is not very valiant. He will have a hard time escaping predators and feeding himself. The speed of sorting is an important factor. If he is released immediately, he will survive; but after thirty minutes in the air, it's less obvious. The temperature of the air, the sunshine, etc. are also important elements to consider in assessing survival.

How to prevent unwanted catch and value?

With the European project DiscardLesswe looked at it. It is funded by the Research and Innovation Department of the European Commission under the Horizon 2020 program. Scientists from 31 European research institutions have proposed solutions: changing net mesh, changing the trawl, and so on. There are many technical approaches but none are really used at the moment. We put the information on the table, but the change must come from the industry and the fishermen. As long as the fishermen are not convinced, or obliged to change the mesh, we can do all the science possible, there will be no change. The Spanish team of DiscardLess has done a lot of research on the valuation of unwanted fish. They could be used to make flour, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals. For now, the proposals remain theoretical because volumes are low. The regulations are not yet applied and therefore the fish are not brought back to shore. The idea of ​​valorization is a little history of the chicken and the egg. What will come first? Will the fishermen go back to the land and then develop the recovery or will they bring back to shore only when there will be someone to buy the unwanted fish The fishermen and the industrialists wonder if it's worth it invest in the recovery knowing that the supply of raw material may be very variable in quality and quantity. They wonder why invest in industries if in five years there are more rejections.

What will happen to marine animals feeding on discards?

All our models show that very few rejections go directly back to the fish. Those who eat the discards are crabs, hermit crabs, starfish. They are very opportunistic animals. They will eat everything they find. Their dependence on discards remains very low. There are also birds that are more reliant on discards, but it's a bit like birds in a garbage dump. Bird populations are maintained at a fairly high level artificially. Is the fact that there are birds feeding in landfills a good reason for keeping landfills? The situation for rejections is identical. We have populations that are artificially maintained. Is it a good excuse to keep rejecting? Scientists will continue to assess the effects of the landing obligation as it applies to fisheries.

Full article courtesy of Audrey-Maude Vézina.

Fishermen needs good science and science needs good fishermen.

Research based on accurate data serves the industry best - Gary and Spike keep that flow of data working for Cefas on the market in Newlyn collecting data daily!

The more closely fishermen work with scientists and other the better they industry will be served in creating a solid working environment that respects the work done by both sides. 

This online survey will help that process by improving and understanding better the needs of those in the fishing industry.

This questionnaire should take no longer than 20 minutes and the data that you provide will be remain anonymous. The purpose of the study is to examine the relationship between fishermen and the governing and scientific bodies in the fishing industry. To do this you will be asked a series of questions about your role in the fishing industry, your opinion of various governing and scientific bodies, your opinion about various management practices and your interaction with these bodies. This will provide our study with vital information about current issues in the fishing industry and how relationships between fishermen and governing and scientific bodies can be improved for the benefit of all stakeholders.

All information that you provide will remain anonymous, and your details will not be shared in a way that could identify you as an individual.

I'd love to help out, take me to the study please

New herring survey project off Scotland in Area VIa.

A new short video has been produced highlighting the collaborative approach between fishermen and scientists in their innovative survey to assess the status and composition of herring stocks to the West of Scotland.

The film gives an informative overview of the multi-partner survey, which is using a combination of acoustic data and catch sampling to estimate the abundance of herring and investigate whether stocks in the northern part of this fishing zone (Area VIa) are different from those further south.

Such data will then contribute to the international stock assessment process carried out by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.

The international survey is led by marine scientists Dr Steven Mackinson of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association (SPFA), Martin Pastoors of the Pelagic Freezer-trawler Association (PFA) and Susan Lusseau of Marine Scotland.

Dr Mackinson says: “By adopting such a collaborative approach between scientists and fishermen, we are able to provide valuable data that can be incorporated into the scientific process for assessing herring stocks in this area.

“It is a great example of fishermen and scientists working together to ensure a sustainable future for our fisheries.”

Pelagic fleet shows that big can be beautiful

There is a school of thought among some environmentalists that when it comes to fishing, big is bad and small is good.

Much more sustainable, they argue, to have small-scale artisanal fishers working our fishing grounds as opposed to large trawlers. A simplistic notion which at first glance has some appeal, but on close examination, not one that stands up to any real scrutiny.

Take the Scottish mackerel and herring (pelagic) sector as an example. Although there are a number of small-boat hand liners working the fishery, the overwhelming bulk of the catch comes from a relatively small number of large and very sophisticated trawlers.

Yet, our herring and mackerel fisheries are among the most sustainable around, with virtually all of them carrying the prestigious Marine Stewardship Council ecolabel for the responsible way in which they are managed.

The fishery is very carefully regulated and controlled, with scientific stock assessments used for the setting of catch levels. Furthermore, these large vessels in our pelagic fleet work a clean fishery where there is virtually no by-catch of unwanted fish.

The result is our mackerel and herring stocks are healthy and robust. Although the size of the Scottish pelagic fleet is comparatively small, each boat carries many more crew than smaller vessels and the industry supports a large onshore processing sector, employing over 2,000 people. Our mackerel sector alone is worth hundreds of millions of pounds to the Scottish economy each year.

Mackerel and herring shoals are mostly located in deep water many miles from the coast where it would be too dangerous for small craft to venture. In the case of mackerel, much of this fishing takes place in the winter where only a large vessel could ever safely harvest the fish.

But our environmentally-friendly credentials go even further when compared to other methods of protein production. A recent study by the NAFC Marine Centre in Shetland found that the carbon footprint of the Shetland mackerel trawl fishery is low compared to land based meat production, with it being 8.5 times lower than the best scoring meat and up to 47 times lower than the worst.

Mackerel is, therefore, a very efficient, environmentally-friendly means of primary food production in terms of carbon emissions.

Here is another thought. Around 17% of the world’s food protein consumption comes from fish, but the UN Food & Agricultural Organisation (FAO) notes that in a world where more than 800 million continue to suffer from chronic malnourishment, and where the global population is expected to grow by another 2 billion to reach 9.6 billion people by 2050, we must meet the huge challenge of feeding our planet while safeguarding its natural resources for future generations.

The Scottish pelagic sector has a role in addressing this challenge and already a fair proportion of our pelagic catch is exported to markets such as West Africa.

Our fisheries, if sustainably managed, can play a huge role in filling the world’s food requirements – and that means employing a mix of both big and small boats. In other words, the key to sustainable fishing lies in a balanced structure, with each segment of the fleet complementing the other, whilst at the same time never forgetting our environmental responsibilities.

In Scotland, we are lucky to have such a rich and broad range of fisheries, from small creelers and hand liners to our large pelagic vessels. It is a broad mix which we should cherish – and each and every one has an important role in putting food on our plates.

You can keep up to date with the Scottish Pelagic Fish Sustainability Group and its work on their website.

MSC launches Global Fisheries Sustainability Fund

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) has today launched a new global fund for supporting critical fishery science research and projects aimed at strengthening knowledge and global capacity to assist small scale and developing world fisheries in their journey to achieving MSC certification. 

The Global Fisheries Sustainability Fund is launched with an initial allocation of £400,000, split over two years, and reflects the MSC’s commitment to increase the accessibility of the MSC program to more fisheries around the world.

Fund to address information, technology and management gaps

“MSC’s vision is of the world’s oceans teeming with life and seafood supplies safeguarded for this and future generations. Fifteen years on since the MSC was launched, more than 250 fisheries are certified to the MSC’s Standard and are demonstrating their leadership in managing our precious ocean resources sustainably.”said Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of the Marine Stewardship Council.

“However, for many fisheries, achieving the scientific, independently verified performance required for MSC certification can be a significant challenge. We have established this fund to support projects that will address the knowledge and capacity obstacles that fisheries face in gaining certification. The fund is specifically aimed at increasing the accessibility of the MSC program for more of the world’s fisheries by working to reduce barriers fisheries face in achieving the MSC Standard.” added Howes.

The MSC invites applications that will deliver critical scientific research that address information, technology and management gaps and barriers that fisheries encounter in achieving the MSC Standard, and that build the capacity of personnel to assist small scale and developing world fisheries in their improvements and gaining certification.

Academic institutions, researchers, fisheries, governments and NGOs can apply

The fund is open to academic institutions, independent researchers, fisheries, governments and non-governmental organisations. It is hoped that further allocations will be made in future years. MSC will actively seek additional, third party contributions to enhance the overall scale of the fund and hence potential grants available to applicants.

“This investment will not only help more fisheries to achieve their aspirations of sustainable ecosystem-based fisheries management, it will also help to secure seafood supplies and fishing based economies for future generations.” added Howes.

The MSC Global Fisheries Sustainability Fund supports critical fishery science research and projects.

The fund launched in July 2015 with an initial allocation of £400,000, split over two years.

What the fund is for

The fund is aimed at strengthening knowledge and capacity to assist small scale and developing world fisheries in their journey to achieving MSC certification.

The MSC invites applications that will:

• Deliver critical scientific research addressing information, technology and management gaps and barriers that fisheries encounter in achieving the MSC Standard.

• Build the capacity of personnel to assist small scale and developing world fisheries in their improvements and gaining certification.

Who the fund is open to

The fund is open to academic institutions, independent researchers, fisheries, governments and non-governmental organisations. It is hoped that further allocations will be made in future years. The MSC will actively seek additional, third party contributions to enhance the overall scale of the fund and hence potential grants available to applicants.

How to apply

The deadline for applications for 2015 is October 31st, with awardees to be announced towards the end of the year.

Organisations and individuals interested in making an application for funding should contact the MSC via GFSF@msc.org to request guidance and an application form. All applications should be in English.