Following the recent Defra announcement of a scientific assessment to understand more about the stock structure and abundance of Pollack, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) is today inviting commercial fishers to register their interest in joining a study using genetic tools to estimate the population size of pollack in the western English Channel (ICES subdivision 7.e.)
The study will be delivered in collaboration with commercial pollack fishing specialists (i.e. fishers who have specifically targeted pollack) with local knowledge of spawning adult and juvenile locations, to assist in the targeted sampling of fish.
We expect to commission a total of 100 days of vessel time, ideally spread over a number of vessels from a limited range of sites and evenly over time until February 2025. We aim to collect genetic material, length and weight info from around 3000 individual fish, together with the coordinates of capture. The aim is to sample 30 fish per sampling day.
Training for the taking of genetic samples will be provided by Cefas and funding to attend training will be available. Sampled fish can be sold and will be counted under “scientific quota”, which will be available only to the vessels selected to participate in the study. We anticipate a remuneration of around £500 (excl. VAT) per day.
We are looking for a minimum of 3 years’ commercial experience targeting pollack in the area of interest, and for flexibility to collect monthly samples through to February 2025. As far as is consistent with meeting the scientific objectives of the study and the vessels meeting the criteria (to be specified in application pack), Defra will prefer applications from the most affected by the pollack bycatch restrictions.
To register your interest, please email procure@cefas.gov.uk by the 26th of March, with the following 'I would like to register to receive an application pack for the pollack population study in 7e'.
Only those who register an interest will be provided with an application pack
- Timeline (*indicative)
- March 12th – Opening Date to register interest
- March 26th – Closing date to register interest
- March 27/28th – Application Pack issued to those registered
- 10th April – Closing date for submitting applications
- End of April – Vessels selected and feedback provided to all applicants
- Mid-May (dates TBC) – Training for successful applicants
- Late May 2024 to February 2025 - Sampling Programme duration
Fishermen respond to the news on social media:
Below are typical of the reaction on social media to the Zero TAC and subsequent announcement and highlights the frustration many fishermen feel when confronted with the seemingly illogical approach taken by 'academics', Defra the MMO and Cefas.
As if our departments could be that proactive.... But yes, they very much should have!!!
Turns out they were too busy listening to recreational project ideas where people were making themselves job roles and titles. Turns out DEFRA thought this was a great idea and handed them 850k to work with. Seems if you have a PHD and you make yourself up a position of fisheries liaison officer and feed them enough bullshit then you can manipulate the system quite delightfully to feather your own little nests, whilst the fishing fleet relying on the species are being made redundant with a licensed boat worth not very much. The information gathered so far is that good that we are going to be on a zero TAC for at least the next two years whilst the recreational sector are still on a free for all as they obviously don’t consider them to be doing any harm to the stocks. To say I’m sickened, angry and skint is an understatement, I will have one over on these at some point. How very dare they poke their noses in on a commercial fishery that has nothing to do with them. Time to start affecting their livelihood and see how they like it.
Yea don't we know it...... alright if ya have no licence the stocks are healthy for that sector to catch whatever they want
That is a slap in the face isn't it. Keep raising it with DEFRA and MMO, last time I did they said they were "looking to review" - which are possibly just words, but no harm in applying pressure where possible to see if we can help it along.
As i said, a boat with 12 paying anglers can catch 2 x 5kg (+) pollack each sat above a wreck ...equating to 120kg (1 day)....... 20kg more than a commercial fella whose sole income is fishing gets for a month.....
you are correct, which is why I mentioned that it could be good to keep up pressure. The authorities are hearing that the inequitable situation is causing distress and that the commitment to manage recreational impacts on stocks is considered lacking by many within UK fishing at the mo.
I was quite taken back when they admitted the recreational sector takes twice as much pollack than the commercial line fleet, but like you say they are still on a free for all. You could make this shite up!
Not enough evidence to put a control measure on them tho?! NOT ENOUGH EVIDENCE?!!!!!! Try looking on social media at any charter advertisement in the south west that’s being rammed down our throat at any opportunity since the new year
Exactly mate, all political bull shit, like they said in the meeting, election coming up so don't want to piss of the voters. But they are happy to screw over the fisherman
That 100 kilo isn’t allowed to be targeted either tho, “unavoidable bycatch”. Think some of the people that have gathered the current data to the offshore limits of the carrier wreck were maybe too embarrassed to show those faces yesterday.
Nothing for area 7f. Once again bent over and shafted!!
They said at the meeting there was a huge data gap from Portland to Lands End and down to the French coast as far as Area 8 …can’t think where they more pollack would have been caught over the last 40 years !!!
I questioned the data used for the pollack closing and was told they had no data they could use for the handliners. My suggestion was the catch app will all fill in, but apparently the catch app data “isn’t reliable enough” begs the question to why do we have the app anyway.
Already written to them Edd, we could be OK since pollock most likely encountered in LIDLS!
Bad enough when fishermen don't know the difference but when its management / enforcement it's pretty piss poor imo.
The best bit yesterday was probably the picture they had up on the slideshow that was meant to be a pollack was a coalfish 🤦🏼♂️
Quite understandable, B and P easy to confuse.
My fish ID isn't very good but I think the dorsal fins of the yellow and white fish in the photo are the wrong shape for pollack.
My fish ID isn't very good but I think the dorsal fins of the yellow and white fish in the photo are the wrong shape for pollack.
Those Fish in the photos sum up current Fisheries Management
Quite possibly the best and most selective, targeted fishery in the country, has been completely ruined by a model that is so incorrect it makes a complete mockery of the entire system. We have so called “academics” that have no idea about how the industry even works, let alone how to collect data correctly. I’d like to say I’m surprised but I’m not. I’m just thoroughly disappointed in the whole system
Cefas using a beam trawl to survey pollack says all you need too know about the academic’s involved.
They never did? Surely? I missed that. But then, I remember the haddock surveys, so nothing would surprise me.
Apparently so, they had no other source of data that they could rely on so used what they had. By all accounts if the stock was good they should catch one or two traveling between wrecks. All of us filling in the catch app, how and where we caught pollack means nothing..
You might know, but CEFAS - who do UK stock assessment work - don't have automatic access to that data. It's collected for monitoring, not scientific purposes. In my opinion that should be changed.