A local pA local perspective on marine fisheries erspective on marine fisheries management in the Southeast:management in the Southeast:

Sussex Sea Fisheries Committee Sussex Sea Fisheries Committee

Tim Dapling (Chief Fishery Officer & Clerk)Tim Dapling (Chief Fishery Officer & Clerk)www.sussex-sfc.gov.ukwww.sussex-sfc.gov.uk

LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION COASTAL ISSUES GROUP:LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION COASTAL ISSUES GROUP:THE MARINE BILL AND COMMON INTERESTS THE MARINE BILL AND COMMON INTERESTS

2525thth September 2007 September 2007

Geographic AreaGeographic Area

The FisheriesThe Fisheries

Management ActivitiesManagement Activities

• Sussex SFC District 6 miles from territorial baselinesSussex SFC District 6 miles from territorial baselines• Sea Area approximately 600 sq nautical milesSea Area approximately 600 sq nautical miles• Includes all intertidal waters (excl. Rivers)Includes all intertidal waters (excl. Rivers)• Encompasses all coastal watersEncompasses all coastal waters• Limit over 10 miles offshore where bay closing lines Limit over 10 miles offshore where bay closing lines

exist (eastern Solent)exist (eastern Solent)

Estimated Landings & FleetEstimated Landings & Fleet(excl. recreational take & unreported landings(excl. recreational take & unreported landings))

(Source; 2005 figures Marine & Fisheries Agency,

compiled by Royal Haskoning for ‘SE Fishing Industry Development Plan 2007’)

Value

(£million)

Volume

(tonnes)

No. > 10m No. under 10m

UK 571 708,000 1,508 4,833

England

(& Wales)

192.5 187,700 639 1,965

South East 15.6 16, 200 52 577

As % of E&W 8% 9% 8% 29%

Commercial species & value for regionCommercial species & value for region

£0 £500 £1,000 £1,500 £2,000 £2,500 £3,000 £3,500 £4,000 £4,500

Haddock

Squid

Red mullet

Whiting

Smoothhound

Black seabream

Brill

Turbot

Lemon sole

Skates & rays

Cuttlefish

Crabs

Cod

Native oyster

Plaice

Bass

Lobster

Whelks

Scallops

Sole

Value, £'000 Volume, tonnes

(Source; 2005 figures Marine & Fisheries Agency,

compiled by Royal Haskoning for ‘SE Fishing Industry Development Plan 2007’)

£0.00 £500.00 £1,000.00 £1,500.00 £2,000.00 £2,500.00 £3,000.00 £3,500.00 £4,000.00

DEAL

BROADSTAIRS

MARGATE

BOGNOR REGIS

HAYLING ISLAND

WORTHING

FAVERSHAM

DOVER

QUEENBOROUGH

HYTHE

LITTLEHAMPTON

EMSWORTH

WHITSTABLE

LANGSTONE HARBOUR

BRIGHTON

DUNGENESS

FOLKESTONE

ISLE OF WIGHT

RAMSGATE

HASTINGS

SELSEY

RYE

NEWHAVEN

EASTBOURNE

PORTSMOUTH

SHOREHAM

Ports & Landing pointsPorts & Landing points

Proportional value per spp type

(Source; 2005 figures Marine & Fisheries Agency,

compiled by Royal Haskoning for ‘SE Fishing Industry Development Plan 2007’)

Composition of the inshore fleet inComposition of the inshore fleet inEngland & WalesEngland & Wales

Length Frequency Distributionof Fishing Vessels in England and Wales

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 2830+

Lenght of vessel (metres)

Num

ber

of V

esse

ls

Proportion of commercial fleetProportion of commercial fleetoperating inshoreoperating inshore

Vessel Lengths Grouped

85%

5%10%

<10 metre

>10<16 metre

>16 metre

England & Wales (DEFRA 2005)England & Wales (DEFRA 2005)

Total registered commercial fleetTotal registered commercial fleetapprox. 3,800approx. 3,800

Vessels can be regarded as:Vessels can be regarded as:Full time, Part time, InactiveFull time, Part time, Inactive

Vessels operating within SFC Vessels operating within SFC Districts (6nm from baselines) are Districts (6nm from baselines) are typically <16 metre (Byelaw typically <16 metre (Byelaw dependant 12 – 16 metre limits)dependant 12 – 16 metre limits)

2001 2006 2006 Active

Total 629 526 402<10m 574 485 372>10m 55 43 30

South East – vessel numbers

(Source; 2005 figures Marine & Fisheries Agency,

compiled by Royal Haskoning for ‘SE g Industry Development Plan 2007’)

The diversity ofThe diversity ofinshore fishing activitiesinshore fishing activities

Mobile Gears:Mobile Gears:Trawling (e.g. otter, beam, pelagic, multi rigging)Trawling (e.g. otter, beam, pelagic, multi rigging)Dredging (scallop, mussel, cockle, oyster etc.)Dredging (scallop, mussel, cockle, oyster etc.)Seining Seining Static Gears:Static Gears:Netting (e.g., trammel, gill)Netting (e.g., trammel, gill)Potting (lobster, crab, whelk, nephrops, prawn/shrimp)Potting (lobster, crab, whelk, nephrops, prawn/shrimp)Traps (finfish, cuttlefish)Traps (finfish, cuttlefish)LiningLiningGathering: Gathering: Intertidal fisheries mechanised or by handIntertidal fisheries mechanised or by handRecreational:Recreational:Angling, potting & nettingAngling, potting & netting

Fisheries SeasonalityFisheries Seasonality

 

J F M A M J J A S O N D

Sole                        Plaice                        Cod                        Bass                        Bream                        Cuttles                        Huss                        Oyster                        Escallop                        Lobster                        Crab                        Spider                        Whelk                        

Directed Fisheries Bycatch/Directed

Range of inshore fishing activityRange of inshore fishing activity

Distribution of specific activitiesDistribution of specific activities(relative effort Sussex District)(relative effort Sussex District)

Scallop Dredging

Beam Trawling

Lobster & Crab potting

The Region’sThe Region’sFisheries SignificanceFisheries Significance

Cumulative Cumulative sensitivity of sensitivity of fish spawning fish spawning in E&Win E&W

Source; CEFAS

Sea Fisheries CommitteeSea Fisheries Committeemanagement inshore management inshore

Statutory bodies established in 1890’s Statutory bodies established in 1890’s under Sea Fisheries regulations Act 1888under Sea Fisheries regulations Act 1888

12 SFC’s established in England and Wales12 SFC’s established in England and Wales

Funded from Local Authorities with coastal Funded from Local Authorities with coastal jurisdictionjurisdiction..

Membership:Membership:LA Councillors (50%)LA Councillors (50%)DEFRA appointees:DEFRA appointees:fishermen, merchants, vessel owners, fishermen, merchants, vessel owners, recreational interestsrecreational interestsenvironmental specialist environmental specialist Environment Agency appointmentEnvironment Agency appointmentDEFRA observerDEFRA observer

Devon

North Western& North Wales

Eastern

Cornwall

South WalesKent & Essex

Southern

Devon

Sussex

North EasternCumbria

Northumberland

• Surveillance & Surveillance & EnforcementEnforcement

• ResearchResearch• RegulationRegulation• Dialogue & ConsultationDialogue & Consultation

Managing and conserving the Sussex inshore fishery since 1893

Marine fisheriesMarine fisherieslegislation enforced by SFCs inshorelegislation enforced by SFCs inshore

• European Legislation– Common Fisheries Policy & EU Regulation:

Management and Technical Measures –Regulation (EC) 850/98 minimum species sizes, dimensions of nets

• National Legislation

– Statutory Instruments:Minimum sizes on specific species, Bass Nursery Areas

• Local Legislation (6nm from Territorial baseline points) – Sea Fisheries Committee Byelaws

Restricted access to fisheries, limitation on fishing instruments, seasonal restrictions etc.Fishery Orders for Shellfish managementDevelopment of Inshore Marine Protected Areas for fisheries needs

Inshore Management of Fisheries with Inshore Management of Fisheries with Marine Protected AreasMarine Protected Areas

National Bass Nursery Areas National Bass Nursery Areas

• A need for well defined areas that A need for well defined areas that can be practically managedcan be practically managed

• Use of : Use of : Existing fishery limits 3, 6 Existing fishery limits 3, 6 mile, Natural Bays/Harbours, mile, Natural Bays/Harbours, Manmade reference points Manmade reference points

Local spatial and temporal managementLocal spatial and temporal managementof towed gears (trawls & dredges)of towed gears (trawls & dredges)

Relative beam trawling (2005) and Sussex Marine Sites Relative beam trawling (2005) and Sussex Marine Sites of Nature Conservation Importanceof Nature Conservation Importance

The Future: Increased management which is The Future: Increased management which is ecosystem driven, the protection of important ecosystem driven, the protection of important fisheries habitatsfisheries habitats

Further focused area managementFurther focused area managementat sensitive locations (e.g. spawning sites)at sensitive locations (e.g. spawning sites)

Marine BillMarine Bill

Create management structures that can support the development & regulationCreate management structures that can support the development & regulationof quality recreational sea fisheriesof quality recreational sea fisheries

Establish robust and realistic funding provision for inshore Establish robust and realistic funding provision for inshore management structures.management structures.

Continue to promote the development of a sustainable domestic Continue to promote the development of a sustainable domestic commercial inshore fishing and mariculture sector within UKcommercial inshore fishing and mariculture sector within UK territorial watersterritorial waters

Deliver suitably tooled inshore marine management bodiesDeliver suitably tooled inshore marine management bodieswhich can ensure marine biodiversity whilst supportingwhich can ensure marine biodiversity whilst supportingeconomically viable and diverse inshore fisheries. economically viable and diverse inshore fisheries.

Enable the introduction of practical domestic conservation mechanismsEnable the introduction of practical domestic conservation mechanisms to protect vulnerable marine species and habitats inshoreto protect vulnerable marine species and habitats inshore