“Involve fishers in research and management”, say scientists, policy-makers and fishers.

GAP2 Project draws to a close

Involving fishers in fisheries research and management is key to the long-term sustainability of the fishing industry, conclude GAP2 participants, as the project ends in March 2015.

After four years of bringing together fishers, scientists and policy-makers in the context of fisheries research, the GAP2 project ended on a high-note in Barcelona at the GAP2 International Symposium (Feb 24^th-26^th), celebrating the positive results of participatory research in 11 different countries .

Fisher Kevin Arscott, involved in GAP2’s UK case study tracking brown crab populations off the South Devon coast, commented: “I learnt from the scientists – stuff that I would never have learnt…but I think they learnt from us, things that they would never have known. We worked well together – you’ve got to give each other trust.”

Considered a ‘flagship’ research project for the European Commission, GAP2 has been at the forefront of demonstrating the value of involving fishers in research across the EU.  The project has brought together fishers, scientists and policy makers with the aim of creating a more sustainable future for the Europe’s seas through research processes, and outcomes, in which all partners – including industry – feel they have a ‘stake’.

Mike Park, of the Scottish White Fish Producers’ Association (SWFPA) comments: “The GAP2 Project has shown us that as well as providing critical information, fishers are able to assist in creating sensible policy that is respected and understood”.

Building on the success of the original ‘GAP’ project, GAP2 created 13 collaborative researchcase studies in 2011, and has been carrying out research into incorporating fishers’ knowledge into the world of formal science and fisheries management, ever since.

This bottom-up approach has led to a range of successes in fisheries across Europe. In the Channel, groundbreaking GAP2-led collaboration between French and UK fishers, scientists and management officials taking the first steps towards a regional management plan for the area’s scallop fishery. In GAP2’s Dutch case study, information provided by fishers on catch composition in flatfish fisheries is helping to feed into EU-wide plans to implement the new ‘discard ban’.

The project has published a number of tools to help researchers interested in involving fishers in their work, including the GAP2 ‘Methodological Toolbox’ and the GAP2 ‘Good Practice Guide’ on participatory research, both of which share first-hand experiences from the project’s research, and offer guidance on how to best design and implement collaborative research processes. All the projects outputs re freely available online.

Project Coordinator, Dr Steven Mackinson, from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) offers a final take-home message from his experiences with GAP2: “My advice to anyone thinking of getting involved in participatory research – scientist, policy maker, or fisher – is do it! Do it, but stay the course. Collaboration takes trust and determination, but pays real dividends”.

Seafish receives Government backing to develop new Trailblazer apprenticeship for fishermen

Seafish, the industry authority on seafood, has been given the green light by the Department of Business Innovation & Skills, to develop a new Trailblazer Apprenticeship for new entrant fishermen in England following an announcement made on Thursday (12/03) by the Skills Minister Nick Boles.

A Sea Fishing Apprenticeship has been delivered successfully in Whitby for many years and has proved immensely popular. Indeed it is considered the flagship qualification for aspiring young fishermen and competition for places is tough.

However, the Richard Review in 2013 called for improvements in Apprenticeships to better reflect the needs of employers and as a result all Apprenticeships have to be re-written as Trailblazers by 2017.

This announcement gives Seafish the opportunity to secure the ongoing availability of an Apprenticeship for commercial fishermen and ensure its ongoing suitability for attracting and training high calibre new entrants - helping to safeguard the future viability of the fishing industry.

In taking forward this new development Seafish will work with fishing vessel owners, skippers and organisations including the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations and the Maritime & Coastguard Agency, all of whom are committed to keeping the Apprenticeship route open for new entrants to the fishing industry.

Apprenticeships provide a route into commercial fishing for aspiring young men and women. They combine classroom training with on-the-job learning, giving trainees valuable experience and a nationally recognised qualification.

The training covers all the duties expected of a deckhand including preparing the deck, including the use, storage and maintenance of fishing gear, engine room support, handling and stowing the catch, and keeping watch. Successful trainees must be physically fit, have good eyesight, and be able to communicate well with others.

Simon Potten, Head of Safety Training and Services at Seafish added: "We welcome this backing from the Minister and are really enthusiastic to re-develop the Sea Fishing Apprenticeship as a Trailblazer, so it is fit-for-purpose for the next generation of fishermen.

"Commercial fishing is a challenging occupation. An Apprenticeship provides the best possible route into the fishing industry for new entrants as it combines comprehensive training with work experience. Over a twelve month period it produces competent deckhands with transferable maritime skills. Many Apprentices go on to develop long and successful careers in the fishing industry."

Anne Hornigold, Chief Executive of the Whitby & District Fishing Industry Training School added: "It's fantastic to see apprenticeships in maritime occupations going from strength to strength. This backing from the Government underlines the importance of investing in the future generation of fishermen. The Whitby Fishing School has run a Sea Fishing Apprenticeship for many years and has successfully achieved national recognition for our innovative high quality training methods. It's exciting to see so many enthusiastic young people coming into the industry and a real pleasure to train them in a number of important roles."

Fish galore on Monday morning's Newlyn fish market

 

 Time for some high water action in Newlyn...

as the biggest tide of the century, so far, hits town...

an Excellent  opportunity to see the fleet in port...

and check out the fish on England's biggest white fish fishing port...

starting with a few oily-fish classics like these herring...

looks like Trawler Wars is in town with a trip of fish from one of Brixham's top beam trawlers on the market...

matched against the mighty Sapphire's megrims...

Dover soles are paired white to white to protect their pristine white bellies while in the fishroom... 

seems happy to have landed in Newlyn...

along with a few smaller pals...

there are Dover soles, lemon soles and then these soles...

but which kind of soles are these?...

making tracks for the cuttles...

the sun is up early this morning...

while the beam trawlers ride high on the shore ropes...

one of the port's oldest residents...

tied up, that's the sardine season now closed until the summer...

the Angel in town...

with her bulbous bow on show...

the netters strain on their bow ropes as the tide reaches its zenith...

work on the next sardine boat for the port is coming along nicely...

straining at the leash, the IFCA's St Piran all set to police the local inshore waters...

while over on the canner's slip, Neil's new ship waits to take the bottom for some maintenance...

en passant...

looks quiet enough this morning...

plenty of work to be done on slipped the trawler Crystal Sea II...

the port is a sea of masts at high water...

while in Penzance Abbey Slip is covered by the high tide, nearly an hour after high water!

#FishyFriday and it's the #eclipse coming from Cornwall.

The scene is set for a stunning Cornsih #eclipse in Newlyn...

as members of the local astronomy society...

and a film crew...

from BBC Spotlight...

and  reporter John Maguire...

presented from the fishermen's memorial...

as the low cloud began to thin...

the harbour brightened...

and the fish were sold as normal...

and to compliment the rays outside there were plenty of rays inside from the St Georges...

some huge ling...

another beast from the deep...

an hour away from the start of the #eclipse...

the gulls are making their way to the harbour...

to watch the solar eclipse...

over the boats...

and the harbour...

waiting for the cloud to clear...

the news team make another broadcast...

while the astronomers can only watch...

and wait.

The fishing news - straight from the deck of the Girl Pamela.

Warning. . This post is about seals and contains a video of dead fish. If you're interested then please read the whole text before watching the video. 

"So here we go again. . . As a fisherman I'm sure I speak for all of us, we just do what we do to try to make a living. We are a breed of sea-going men and we love/respect all sea-life, we are not murderous horrible monsters. . . . . 

So before you 'Tree hugging eco warriors' go slating us for having a grievance over the seal population issue please let me put you all straight on something, I know your argument will be "awww, it's the seals territory and they've got to eat. . . .

Ok, yes they have and we do share the ocean with them and honestly we are more than happy to let them take a fish, or two fish or half a dozen fish from our nets to feed themselves. That really isn't a problem. But, to just go through a catch biting out the liver of each fish and damaging it beyond salable status then move on to the next one rendering our catch valueless? 

My whole issue with the Seal Sanctuary is that they are rescuing seals which were destined to die, it's natural selection, it's as old as life itself, but now we're interfering with nature and playing God to these animals. We are 'mending' something that wasn't meant to make it and sending it back out to sea and thus over-populating. 
We are using the same amount of fishing gear each year and catching the same amount of fish (natures sustainability) but we are seeing more and more seals and sustaining more and more damage as a direct result. If it was farmers sustaining losses of this kind then I'm sure they would be subsidised by the government but fishermen? No, it's just our loss.

I stress again that as fishermen we actually admire these clever and articulate creatures, but just have a look at the video below of our last catch and you may get some idea what we're up against,

This sort of carnage never used to be so bad as it is now. . . . Please feel free to share this post with anyone that may be remotely interested ie. Seal Sanctuary, MMO, Greenpeace, Whomever.

Incidentally, this post refers to our recent loss of earnings whilst targeting pollock, the boats that catch monkfish and encounter 'Mr Cutie-wutie' seal have sustained far far greater losses due to the high value of Monkfish. I expect a backlash of negative comments from seal lovers and 'keyboard warriors' through this post but hey-ho, the truth hurts 'n all that. I have plenty to say on this subject but won't react to negative comments.

Enjoy the film peeps. Also, may I add that I am a member of The Marine Conservation Society, just exercising my right to free speech. . . . and hopefully raising some awareness."

Johnny Townmouse, Newlyn.

WARNING!

Will a new fishing apprenticeship come to Cornwall?

What are the opportunities for young people to get an apprenticeship in the fishing industry?  BBC Radio Cornwall's breakfast Show travels to Padstow with Simon Potton from Seafish Training to find out.

More Landing Obligation issues appear with new evidence suggesting a different picture of the discards debate

The fishing industry will have difficulty complying with new EU Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) rules banning the throwing away of unwanted fish, according to research at the University of Strathclyde.

The aim of the regulations, which come into force in January 2015, is to reduce waste and improve fish stocks - but the Strathclyde study concluded that this outcome was uncertain.

It found that, over time, quantities of fish discarded have declined since the early 1980s - because overall catches have decreased. However, the proportion of catch which is discarded has increased from around 25% to 35%, because catches have become increasingly dominated by small fish.

Professor Mike Heath, of Strathclyde's Department of Mathematics and Statistics, led the research. He said: "The campaign to change the CFP and get the discard ban onto the statute book was based on the assertion that half of all fish caught are discarded, and that EU quota restrictions are to blame. But our comprehensive assessment of discarding in the North Sea shows that's not the case.

"The wasteful practice of over-quota discarding has to be stopped but our study shows that the fundamental reason for the increasing proportion of catch being discarded is that the stocks have become more dominated by undersized fish. This is a legacy of overfishing in the past."

Quotas are annual limits, set by the EU, on the quantities of each species of fish which can be landed for sale. They are set for conservation reasons, to reduce overfishing.

In addition, each of the main commercially-important species has a minimum landing size, designed to discourage fishermen from catching immature fish that have not had a chance to spawn. It is illegal to retain undersize fish aboard a fishing vessel, and in any case there is little or no market for such small fish.

Dr Robin Cook, of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, who also took part in the research, said: "Our study shows that, in the last 10 years, the proportion of whitefish catch in the North Sea which has been discarded is much less than half. In addition, most of the discarded fish were undersize, not over-quota. Overall, quota restrictions have not been the main factor behind discarding.

"The discard ban will force skippers to use up the storage capacity aboard their vessels bringing ashore fish for which there is no significant market. This will have a detrimental effect on the profitability of the fishing industry, with no real benefit to the stocks. Further improvements in the performance of fishing gears are needed to overcome this, so that small fish are no longer caught."

The dominance of small fish is partly due to overfishing, which has shifted the range of fish in the seas towards smaller sizes and to smaller species such as plaice and dab. These two flatfish now comprise 50% of all fish discarded.

Policy changes in the last few years have dramatically reduced the extent of overfishing, but it will take time for this to be reflected in the stocks. Meantime, although there have been great improvements in the performance of fishing gears, it remains difficult for trawlers to avoid catching quantities of small fish.

The study has been published in the journal PLoS One.

More information: Heath MR, Cook RM (2015) "Hind-Casting the Quantity and Composition of Discards by Mixed Demersal Fisheries in the North Sea." PLoS ONE 10(3): e0117078. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0117078

Provided by University of Strathclyde, Glasgow