discards - new developments in 2012 › media › 746405 ›...

1

Discards – new developments in 2012 Developments in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 can be found at: http://www.seafish.org/fishermen/responsible-sourcing/protecting-fish-stocks/discards Contents Latest developments Fish Fight Campaign Page 2 Electronic monitoring/Catch quota management Page 3 Scotland

General policy/Gear technology trials Page 7 England/Wales/Northern Ireland/Southern Ireland Gear technology trials 1 General policy Page 12 Norway/France/Belgium/Faroe Islands/Germany/Spain Page 17 European perspective Page 19 For further information: Seafish http://www.seafish.org/fishermen/responsible-sourcing/protecting-fish-stocks/discards

• New Seafish Guide to Discards – November 2012. http://www.seafish.org/media/publications/SeafishGuidetoDiscards_201211.pdf

Defra http://ww2.defra.gov.uk/environment/marine/cfp/discards/ CEFAS http://www.cefas.co.uk/our-science/fisheries-information/marine-fisheries/fishing-gear-technology.aspx CFP reform http://www.seafish.org/retailers/responsible-sourcing/protecting-fish-stocks/discards http://www.seafish.org/retailers/responsible-sourcing/protecting-fish-stocks/reform-of-the-cfp

Discards – new developments in 2012 as at 21 December 2012

2

FISH FIGHT CAMPAIGN and developments from this - launched Nov 2010 1. Launch - Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall launched a specific anti-discards campaign on web, facebook and twitter on 16 November 2010: http://www.fishfight.net FishFight now has just over 787,000 supporters. A further installment is planned in Autumn 2012. 2. Fisheries and Agriculture Council meeting. 19/20 March 2012.

• Television chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall is urging people to bombard the Twitter accounts of EU fisheries ministers this weekend in the countdown to a crucial meeting in Brussels which could sink his campaign to ban the discarding of fish. http://www.fishfight.net/news/154/

• |Stands firm on fish discards ban. Ministers continue to oppose plans to continue the wasteful practice of throwing away edible fish at sea. http://www.fishfight.net/news/155/

• Proposed ban on throwing away healthy fish is back on track despite moves to derail it by several EU member states. http://www.fishfight.net/news/158/

3. Hugh takes 'Fish Fight' international On April 23, the Fish Fight campaign against discards will launch in Germany with an event outside the Bundestag. http://www.intrafish.com/events/article1271525.ece 4. Hugh urges FishFight supporters to tweet Richard Benyon. 12 June 2012. To say they are ‘watching him’ in debate on ‘general approach’ in EU Agriculture and Fisheries Council. 5. Hugh urges MEPs to Vote Yes to Comp Am 32 with the calendar. 17 December 2012. The 25 MEPs who make up the specialist EU Fisheries Committee will be voting YES or NO to a discard ban. Specifically we want them all to VOTE YES to COMP AM 32 WITH THE CALENDAR. If they do it will lead to an end of discards within a clear and realistic timeframe. The vote is on a knife edge! We want to make sure every MEP knows that if they support the Fish Fight and want to see the end of discards they need to VOTE YES TO AM 32 WITH THE CALENDAR. We'll be emailing all the MEPs involved individually http://www.fishfight.net/vote


3

ELECTRONIC MONITORING/CATCH QUOTA MANAGEMENT 1. Catch Quota Trials 2012 Interim Report (November 2012). 3 December 2012. Discards have been virtually eliminated by fishermen taking part in current trials, according to the latest catch quota report from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). The report shows discards of important stocks such as sole, cod, plaice, megrim and anglerfish have been drastically reduced in the trials carried out by the MMO through 2012 with North Sea and West Channel fishermen. This year's trials have increased both the number of vessels and the number of species involved since beginning in 2011. http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/fisheries/management/documents/quotas/cqt_interim2012.pdf http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/18912/fishermen-demonstrate-almost-zero-discards-in-latest-mmo-trial 2. CCTV keeps an eye on anything fishy. 25 June 2012. A new CCTV system for trawlers aims to keep any eye on fishermen in a bid to stop "discards" - throwing back fish when a catch exceeds the quota. Channel 4 News Monday 25 June 2012 http://www.channel4.com/news/cctv-monitoring-keeps-an-eye-on-anything-fishy 3. Fishermen have radically cut the amount of fish they discard following the success of the Government’s ‘Catch Quota’ trials. 10 April 2012. Last year’s ‘Catch Quota’ trial was introduced to reduce discards of North Sea cod and for sole in the Western Channel and results show that those participating in the trial have been successful in reducing discards of both stocks to just 0.2 per cent. In 2010, the average discard rates were 38 per cent for North Sea cod trawlers and 28 per cent for Western Channel sole beam trawlers. Commenting on the trials Fisheries Minister Richard Benyon said: “This is a tremendous result and I applaud the contribution which fishermen have made to this success. I am very pleased that more fishermen have joined the 2012 catch quota scheme and I believe that we can build on the success of last year. Discards are a product of the broken Common Fisheries Policy and I will continue to press the EU until we eliminate this wasteful practice. I want to continue to work with industry to develop innovative solutions, such as the Catch Quota scheme, which reduce unwanted catches and work towards the elimination of discards. In doing so I want to ensure the fishing industry remains viable and profitable.” The UK is testing Catch Quota management which counts what is caught rather than what is landed at port. It is a key tool in reducing the wasteful practice of discards while maintaining a profitable fishing industry. The scheme is being carried out on behalf of Defra by the Marine Management Organisation (MMO). James Cross, Chief Executive of the MMO said: “I’m really proud of our work and the contribution from the fishing industry in helping to develop innovative solutions to challenges facing both fishermen and the marine environment. The trial has operated on a voluntary basis and fishermen who join the scheme have to account for everything they take out of the sea and land everything they catch, regardless of size, with CCTV used to check that they are sticking to the rules.


4

Participating fishermen have also drastically reduced discards of undersized fish of all species to between 0 and 3% of their total catch indicating the effectiveness of selectivity methods being used by the participating fishermen. http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2012/04/10/discards-trial-success/ http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/16882/successful-trial-dramatically-reduces-discards http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/fisheries/management/documents/quotas/cqt_final.pdf 4. New developments in 2012. Reported at DAG meeting February 2012. In England 12 vessels in the North Sea took part in the 2011 trials (10 TR1 cod and two gill netters) and three vessels (beam trawlers) in the South West, with six earmarked for 2012. Vessels taking part are not permitted to discard any West Channel sole or North Sea cod including those below the minimum size (all catches count against quota). Once the quota for these stocks is used up the vessels must stop fishing for all species. Vessels taking part have been awarded additional quota for sole and cod to account for a proportion of the fish that might otherwise have been discarded. Applications have been invited to continue the trials in 2012. The number of vessels taking part is likely to remain the same. A case is being pulled together to approach STECF asking to extend the trial to other west water stocks, particularly North Sea plaice. There were comments on the English trials that the attitude and behaviour of skippers had changed, but that technology had moved on and there were now opportunities to improve selectivity and reduce environmental impact and full sale trials were needed. There were also comments that the additional quota was based on 75% of the original discard figure, so fishermen were not getting the full 100% benefit. In Scotland the number of approved vessels increased to 26 in 2011. Vessels must retain onboard and land all catches of cod and must cease fishing operations when the cod-catch ceiling is reached. The Scottish scheme was greatly oversubscribed in 2011, but growth has been curtailed and the number of vessels involved will remain at 26 vessels in 2012. There were comments that the effort frame in Scotland had been good for fishermen, by encouraging them to move fishing ground more frequently and keep clear of areas where small cod are abundant, and in making them more selective. There was concern that the data from the catch trials was not being used and this was questioned - why was the data not being used? The response was that the footage is difficult and time-consuming to analyse. Visual recognition is possibly the way forward, but this is expensive. Ultimately the MMO will report back to Defra on the viability of catch quota management in mixed fisheries. It is also important to look at how the use of CCTV dovetails with CFP reform proposals, and look into different views on TACs and whether human consumption and discards will be merged into the TAC, or whether an increased TAC will include discards. 5. Scots in bid to cut fish discards. 2 December 2011. Negotiations concluded on the 2012 bilateral deal between the EU and Norway. The deal, secured by a negotiating team that included senior Scottish representation, sees an increase in a number of key Scottish stocks, including haddock and herring, and a


5

continuation of its catch quota scheme where fishermen have to land everything they catch, although Norway opposed any expansion of the this anti-discard measure. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2011/12/03122158 6. Apply now for English 2012 catch quota trials (North Sea and Western stocks). 17 November 2011. Applications were invited for new trials of catch quota schemes in the North Sea and in Western Waters for 2012. The schemes may be extended to include further species such as plaice, anglerfish and saithe. The scheme is run by the MMO and follows successful trials for cod and sole in 2011 which saw discards of cod and sole cut to 0.25 percent. Successful vessels will be allocated additional quota of relevant species, subject to the outcome of negotiations at December Council. Vessel owners who expect to fish in the North Sea or Western Waters from January 1 to December 31 2012 can apply. Only English registered vessels in membership of a producer organisation are eligible. http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/news/news/111117.htm 7. Trials show fishermen can reduce discards. 7 November 2011. The report, published by the Marine Management Organisation, shows that fishermen involved in the trials are discarding less than one per cent of the cod and sole they catch. This is far less than the 21 per cent average across the EU for North Sea cod and the estimated nine per cent of sole discarded by all English and Welsh vessels in the Western Channel. Catches of undersized fish in the trial are also low, suggesting that boats are fishing more selectively. The UK will work to secure additional quota in this year’s negotiations on total allowable catches and quotas so that trials can be expanded to enable more vessels to participate and to test the system in other fisheries. http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2011/11/07/fishermen-can-reduce-discards/ http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/fisheries/monitoring/documents/cqt_interim.pdf

8. Scottish trials show success of scheme. 22 August 2011. (Builds on the September 2010 interim report) An early and recognisable feature of the catch quota trials is that it clearly provides the incentives for skippers to optimise their gear selectivity to maximise the economic return of their catches and indeed the areas of the sea that they go to accommodate such changes. The economic drivers, highlighted in this report, are amongst the most powerful ones at our disposal. • Participation in the 2010 catch quota trial appears to have increased the volume of

landings of all species in comparison to a control group. However, this was at the expense of a small relative decrease in the price received for such landings.

• Overall, this led to an estimated increase in net fishing revenues of approximately £114,000 per participating vessel.

• However, this increase in fishing revenues should be set against an increase in operating costs, including both the potential leasing in of cod quota and greater effort. For example, it is estimated that the average vessel spent an additional eight days at sea through participating in the trial.

• Taking a narrower focus on the value of the additional quota allocated through the trial, this is estimated to be approximately £57,000 per vessel once the impact of a greater proportion of small and undersized fish being landed is taken into account.


6

• Analysis conducted on the direct value of the additional quota suggests that all vessels participating in the trial should have increased net fishing revenues, with the average increase being 5% of the total landings value throughout the year.

• There appears to be provisional support for the scheme from skippers who are participating in the trial. In particular, nearly all felt that catch quotas could be a useful management tool. In contrast, the skippers interviewed who were not taking part in the trial felt generally negative about its impacts.

• There is some evidence that fishers have adapted their fishing techniques in order to maximise the benefit they receive from participating in the trial. In particular, this includes an increase in gear selectivity and spatial/temporal measures.

• There is mixed support for expanding the scheme to other species, with a clear warning that this would need to be managed with care.

• There is also a strong suggestion that the operation of the trial has led to an increase in leasing costs for cod quota and that this may have a strong detrimental impact on some sectors of the whitefish fleet.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/Sea-Fisheries/17681/CQMS082011 9. CQM (Catch Quota Management). Background: Documents and reports on a New EU policy based on CQM. http://www.fvm.dk/CQM_(Catch_Quota_Management).aspx?ID=42783 10. Review of the Workshop on Fully Documented Fishery, Copenhagen, Denmark, March 2010. http://www.ices.dk/reports/ACOM/2011/PGCCDBS/PGCCDBS%202011.pdf


7

SCOTLAND - GENERAL 1. Big Fisheries Public Question Time and Debate Friday 30 March, Peterhead. A DAG briefing paper was sent to the panel participants in advance of this debate on Friday. The paper can be found at: http://www.seafish.org/media/581724/dagbriefing_201203.pdf The panel was Chris Davies MEP, European Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesman; Ian Hudghton MEP, Member, European Parliament Fisheries Committee; Fiona O’Donnell MP, Shadow Fisheries Minister; Struan Stevenson MEP, Senior Vice President, European Parliament Fisheries Committee and Chairman: Colin Wight (BBC Scotland). The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation briefed the delegation of politicians. See: http://www.fishnewseu.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7950:sff-helps-to-host-politicians-at-peterhead&catid=45:scottish&Itemid=54 1. EC Acts to Reduce Discards in the West of Scotland. 24 February 2012 The European Commission has used emergency powers, under Article 7 of Council Regulation (EC) No 2371/2002 to reduce and avoid excessive discarding of haddock in the West of Scotland. The emergency measure adopted will permit the fishermen to land the catches rather than discard fish. It will come into force with an immediate effect for six months initially. Incidental catches of haddock have increased due to the recent progress in the recovery of the stock. Removing the haddock from the catch composition rule allows exploiting the stock rationally, prevents excessive discarding, and protects the other stocks better. Recognising the urgency to protect the stock, the Commission has instigated emergency measures. This allows for a derogation to be enacted for six months initially, with the possibility to extend it for another six months. Some MPs have questioned whether the EU Commission’s proposal for a ban on the discarding of fish at sea will prove effective. Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Chair Anne McIntosh commented: "The Commission is right to want to tackle this, but we are concerned that a knee-jerk reaction to the public outcry will do more harm than good. The last thing that we want to see is unwanted fish in the sea becoming unwanted fish in landfill.". Instead, the Committee argues for a more gradual approach built on a sound science base and the local experience of fishermen to find workable solutions to the discard problem that has blighted European fisheries. http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/16534/ec-acts-to-reduce-discards-in-the-west-of-scotland http://www.fishnewseu.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7714:scottish-haddock-to-scale-new-heights&catid=45:scottish&Itemid=54 2. Scottish discards news The Marine Scotland discards page now includes 2011 ICES data on discards in Scottish waters. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/Sea-Fisheries/19213/discards


8

Stock

Discard Rate

(% of total catch discarded)

Discards Estimate (tonnes)

EU quota

(i.e. total allowable landings)

North Sea Cod 20 5,570 22,279 North Sea Haddock 26 9,287 26,432 North Sea Whiting 37 7,840 13,349 North Sea Plaice 43 51,948 68,862 North Sea Herring < 0.1 580 115,464 West of Scotland Cod 83 889 182 West of Scotland Haddock 51 900 2,005

Gear technology trials in Scotland 1. Scottish Selectivity trials. October 2012.

• Initial trials from plastic grid trials very good. Reduced cod catches to 1.2% of total catch. Similar results being reported by Marine Scotland in current trials. Problems with the strength of the plastic grid in its present design.

• Scottish Government has classed Flip Flap gear as highly selective. • FCAP Fathlie cod avoidance panel. After a series of trials and adjustments, this

gear is now classed as HSG. • SCOTNET - cod box section. After initial development by net maker, this option

has now focused on a SMP with large escape holes. Currently with MSSS for camera observation and limited trials.

• 400 SMP with modified Flip/Flap. SFF trials carried out early October but only achieved 37% cod reduction. Skipper and netmaker need to consider if this can be progressed.

• Hybrid Flip flap + escape hole + SMP. Under development and awaiting outcome of discussion between netmaker and skipper. Initial vessel trials were encouraging but no data readily available to SFF. Hope to progress to SFF Observer trials, then MSS trials.

• Avocet - Net Grid. Trialled by CEFAS for <1.5% Cod derogation. During part one of the CEFAS trials a significant number of hauls were carried out in IVa. A 71% reduction in cod numbers was achieved. Awaiting corresponding data on weights and if this supports the data on numbers, SG have agreed in principle to add this to HSG list.

2. Marine Scotland invites applications for FISA projects. 5 October 2012. Skippers interested in trialling new TR1 and TR2 gear in order to further develop sustainable fishing practices as part of the Fishing Industry Science Alliance are asked to submit their applications to Marine Scotland by 22 October. http://cfp-reformwatch.eu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/20120918-Alternative-proposal-discards-approach-by-EU-Industry.pdf http://cfp-reformwatch.eu/2012/09/fishing-industry-proposes-discard-ban-only-for-stocks-in-danger/ http://cfp-reformwatch.eu/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/EAPO12-22a.pdf


9

3. Influential European fisheries technical committee approves innovative new Scottish trawl design for reducing discards An influential European scientific fisheries and technical committee has approved an innovative new trawl design developed by the Scottish fishing industry for reducing discards.

• Fish Update Tuesday 1 May 2012 http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/17490

• The Fish Site Tuesday 1 May 2012 http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/17052/new-trawl-design-for-reducing-discards-approved

• The Press and Journal Wednesday 2 May 2012 no web version 4. Fishermen come up with solution to discards worry Scottish prawn fishermen have responded dramatically to the challenge to significantly reduce cod and other fish discards by developing and introducing a number of innovative trawl designs that have cut unwanted fish by catches by around 70% in seagoing trials.

• Fishing News Friday 25 May 2012 no web version 5. Scottish fishermen invent new prawn nets Scottish fishermen have devised prawn nets which are set to drastically reduce the level of discards.

• The Scotsman Friday 8 June 2012 http://www.scotsman.com/news/scottish-news/top-stories/scottish-fishermen-invent-new-prawn-nets-1-2344584

• Scotland Food and Drink Friday 8 June 2012 http://www.scotlandfoodanddrink.org/news/article-info/3743/innovation-by-scots-prawn-fishermen.aspx

6. Funding for fish science projects. 22 March 2012. A new partnership to support research that delivers more sustainable and effective fisheries has been created, backed by £150,000 from the Scottish Government. The Fishing Industry Science Alliance (FISA) will decide on funding applications for projects that further scientific knowledge of Scottish fisheries. FISA will be overseen by the Fisheries Management and Conservation Group. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/03/FISAfunding22032012 7. Trials with new grid design – Scottish nephrops trawls. Seafish is running flume tank and sea trials on a new grid design aimed at reducing the numbers of discards in the Scottish trawl fishery for nephrops. This project is being led by Seafish and will combine the expertise and knowledge of Seafish and Marine Scotland gear technologists, with that of Pisces Nets, a leading net maker of nephrops trawls in Scotland and Stornoway Plastics, the leading company in Scotland in manufacturing fishing gear components from recycled plastics and similar materials. It will also use ideas generated by several innovative skippers of Scottish registered nephrops vessels. The project is being funded by EFF, Marine Scotland and Seafish. The main aim of the project is to produce a grid that is similar in design to the Swedish grid, as efficient at reducing discards, is suitable for fitting in the trawls used on Scottish vessels and is easy to handle onboard. The intention is to model several different shapes and sizes of grids and combine this with several methods of fitting and positioning within the trawl to decide on two or three configurations to test at full scale. In Scotland whilst fishermen have been trialling grids and other selective devices there has


10

been a reticence. There is a clear economic driver now as there has been a 60-70% drop in juvenile haddock and whiting catches. 8. Fishermen's Trust Supports Discards Research. 20 September 2011. Scottish fishermen have been spearheading a range of initiatives to reduce the problem of discarding of fish at sea - including the use of more selective types of nets and real time fishing closures. Now the Scottish fishing industry, through the Scottish Fishermen’s Trust, is funding research at the University of Aberdeen into effective ways of monitoring with the use of remote electronic monitoring or REM the discarding of fish at sea. http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/15594/fishermens-trust-supports-discards-research


11

ENGLAND/WALES/NORTHERN & SOUTHERN IRELAND Gear technology trials in England, Wales, Northern and Southern Ireland 1. CEFAS discard ban trial. November 2012. The trial is due to start in November and will involve eight vessels – four gill net out of Hastings; two otter trawls from Brixham and Plymouth; one beam trawler from Plymouth; and one gill netter from Newlyn. Trial will take two to four months. Aims is to show the sorting, storage and cost implications both onboard the vessel and at the quayside, and also what is the impact on the fish markets. Ban applies to all commercial species (not just commercial quota species). To be completed by the end of March. Will feed into the Defra Impact Assessment. 2. Irish Sea Selectivity trials. October 2012. Ian reported on the results of the Irish Sea selectivity trials. A boxed codend extension or Seltra Trawl showed the best results in Northern Ireland – however there have been problems with excessive loss of Nephrops when introduced into the fishery. At present looking for solutions to alleviate this loss. STECF is looking at the Seltra trawl to see if exemptions can be applied. More can be down and further trials will be undertaken in 2013 with the aim of the whole prawn fleet fishing with more selective gears. There can be different trial results with single and twin rigs and it is important to monitor new selectivity measures under commercial conditions. 3. New and ongoing trials in England. October 2012.

• North West discards project is due to finish in May 2013. Looking at alternatives to the Seltra trawl.

• Continuation of Net Grid trials. To be trialled on a Scottish twin rig vessel and an English single rig vessel.

• Over 10 metre vessels will be required to use highly selective trawls for 20 days a year.

• New - Fisheries Science Project to look at how we can fully document a fishery - to look at other options, as well as CCTV. There will be desk top research and interviews to look at four different cases studies (Celtic Sea haddock, gill net fishery in the South West, shellfish from Bridlington and Irish Sea prawns), followed by a workshop in January 2013 in York. A final report will be produced in February 2013.

• New project in the South West. ‘Planning for Real’ will look at the practical aspects of extending the discard ban trial by interviewing a small group of skippers on the practical and market aspects.

4. Grant Helps Trial of New Trawl Gear. 19 September 2012. Trials of new fishing gear supported by a grant from the European Fisheries Fund (EFF) have recorded successes in reducing both fish discards and ground impact caused by beam trawlers. Early results from the ground impact trial project showed a reduction of 17% in the volume of fish discarded when trawlers replaced traditional trawl gear with a roller ball system. Run on behalf of South West Fish Producers' Organisation by Seafish and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), the project was financed through a grant of over £44,000 from the EFF with support also provided by the Seafish


12

Industry Project Fund and Langdon and Philips Trawlers of Brixham. http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/18270/grant-helps-trial-of-new-trawl-gear http://www.seafish.org/about-seafish/news/seafish-announces-success-of-revolutionary-ground-impact-trial 5. North Sea prawn fleet selectivity measures. 29 June 2012. Following weeks of intensive activity by fishermen and netmakers, all Scottish trawlers fishing prawns in the North Sea with TR2 gear are now using new selectivity measures which previous extensive trials have been shown to reduce the level of cod by-catch up to 70%. Fishing News. 6. Irish Sea nephrops trials. February 2012. The first will trial four different highly selective TR2 gears operating on Irish Sea nephrops grounds, out of a port in Northern Ireland. The trials will take 15 – 20 days and are due to take place between 20 February and 20 April 2012. This project is being led by Seafish and overseen by a group involving the two Northern Ireland Producer Oganisations, scientists from the Agri-food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and local net makers. It is being funded by DARD and EFF. A number of selectivity devices have been tested by the Northern Ireland fleet in recent years and significant reductions have been achieved, however the focus this time is on cod. The industry has come up with some promising designs that will be trialled against standard gear and the Swedish Grid. Whilst the Swedish Grid is accepted by the European Commission as an effective discard reduction method, the aim is to find something just as effective but easier to use in practice, especially for smaller vessels. 7. Simon Coveney on Irish Sea trawler to view new discard reduction net. 10 February 2012. Simon Coveney TD, Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine went to sea on an Irish Sea Prawn Trawler to view at first hand a demonstration of innovative fishing nets, which significantly reduce unwanted cod catches. Minister Coveney was on board the MFV Syracuse owned by Mr Ivan Wilde of Skerries on a fishing trip in the prawn fishery in the Irish Sea. Mr Wilde has pioneered the use of this new type of fishing gear in Ireland. Minister Coveney added “In the Irish Sea, the use of traditional nets in the prawn fishery has resulted in a by-catch of cod and juvenile cod which is being discarded. I am committed to the development of practical and effective measures that reduce discards to a very low level across our fisheries. The Marine Institute and BIM are working with fishermen to develop eco friendly fishing nets that will be practical for fishermen while addressing effectively unacceptable discards of juvenile and other unwanted fish. This gear is a good example of what can be achieved by the development of these new targeted eco friendly fishing gears. I would like to see wider take up of these types of measures and approaches across many of the fisheries around Ireland, so as to reduce discards and rebuild many of fish stocks on which our industry depends.” http://www.fishupdate.com/news/fullstory.php/aid/17037/COVENEY_ON_IRISH_SEA_TRAWLER_TO_VIEW_NEW_DISCARD_REDUCTION_NET.html 8. Funding bids invited for fisheries research. 30 December 2011. The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is inviting people with ideas to improve fisheries management to bid for funding towards their research. Through the Fisheries


13

Challenge Fund (FCF) funding is available to enable fishermen and other interested parties to get involved in research projects looking at fisheries management issues. Proposals for projects to be funded for the 2012-13 financial year must be received by 24 February 2012. There is no specific timeframe, but preference will be given to short-term projects that can be completed by February 2013. Application forms, and details of projects previously completed as part of the FCF scheme are available from www.marinemanagement.org.uk/fisheries/funding/fcf.htm. For more information email [email protected]. http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/news/news/120130.htm 9. CEFAS 2011/2012 Fisheries Science Partnership (FSP) Project. Call for ideas by 9 January 2012. Ideas must be completed during 2012/13. The FSP is a Defra initiative to encourage fishermen and scientist to work together to provide robust scientific data. Defra has confirmed funding for the next year and invited ideas from fishermen which must:

• Provide information from commercial catches on key stocks to supplement data sources traditionally used in ICES assessments.

• Investigate concerns raised by fishermen on scientific assessments, or on stocks not currently assessed; investigate innovative scientific methods and/or selective/environmentally friendly fishing methods.

• Support work of Regional Advisory Councils. http://www.cefas.defra.gov.uk/industry-informayion/fisheries-science-partnership.aspx 10. Assessing survivability of bycaught porbeagle and spurdog and furthering our understanding of movement patterns in UK marine waters. Purpose: The project aim is to assess the survivability of porbeagle (Lamna nasus) and spurdog (Squalus acanthias) which are by-caught but returned. Timing: July 2009 to March 2012. 11. Bycatch And Discards: Management Indicators, Trends and location (BADMINTON) Purpose: The project aim is to develop operational indicators and propose discard mitigation tools for fisheries management. This project proposes to do the following: 1. An analysis of total catch in terms of species and size composition; 2. develop indicators of discard issues; 3. Analyse the factors that determine discard amounts; 4. Investigate fishers’ behaviour to understand how discarding is part of their fishing strategy; 5. Based on all previous steps, recommend potential mitigation measures. CEFAS. Timing: August 2009 to August 2012. Policy - England, Wales, Northern and Southern Ireland 1. Seafish articles offer a practical perspective on how to reduce discards. 1 March 2012. Seafish has placed a series of articles on its website which give a practical perspective on the discards issue and the work that Seafish, along with industry, has been doing to help develop new selective technologies and net-based fishing activities to reduce discards. http://www.seafish.org/about-seafish/news/seafish-articles-offer-a-practical-perspective-on-how-to-reduce-discards


14

2. Defra web pages Reducing fish discards for more sustainable fisheries http://sd.defra.gov.uk/2011/12/reducing-fish-discards-for-more-sustainable-fisheries/ The Big Fish Fight http://sd.defra.gov.uk/2011/01/the-big-fish-fight/ Marine Fisheries http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/fisheries/marine/ (Fish of the month February = dab. Fish of the month March = mussels). Eating a wide range of fish http://www.defra.gov.uk/food-farm/fisheries/marine/eating-a-wide-range-of-fish/ 3. Minister Coveney calls on other EU member states to support Irish industry efforts to deal with discard problem. 8 November 2011. Commenting on the first ever Irish Discards Atlas, which was launched today, Minister Simon Coveney said: “Ireland has now taken the lead in the debate on discards and this Atlas will inform the process to achieve real change and a significant reduction in discarding within the new Common Fisheries Policy”. http://www.fishnewseu.com/latest-news/world/7014-discard-altas-published-by-irish-authorities.html 4. House of Commons. 7 November 2011. Mr Alan Reid (Argyll and Bute) (LD): There is widespread agreement that discarding has to end, but it must end in a way that is practical for fishermen. Can the Minister tell us what is the Government’s view on how to take that forward? Richard Benyon: On the specific point of discards, I certainly can. I actually think that the commission is pulling in the right direction. The work that it has done and the words that it has used show a perfectly admirable vision. We have to ensure that the policies we create are practical. I would consider the reform to be an abject failure if we were just transferring a problem that exists at sea to landfill. We have to create new markets. For the 54% of discards that exist because people do not eat the species caught—it is nothing to do with quotas—we have to ensure that the new quota allocation of our national resource system is better and it has to be practical. It must be done on a fishery-by-fishery basis and, in some cases, on a species-by-species basis. We must understand what it means to a fisherman in the fish room on his boat in a high sea when we ask him to land everything that he has caught. We must work from the basis of strength, and strength is in working with the fishing industry. We have done that with catch quotas, which will see zero discards of species such as cod on most boats in the scheme this year. We have seen massive reductions through incentivising fishermen to different gear, such as in Project 50% in the south-west and a new project that we have started in the north-west. CEFAS is running a land-all scheme in North Shields, which is seeing fish landed and followed right through the food chain to ensure that we can build on the work of the “Fishing for the Market” scheme, which was set up by DEFRA last year. Much good work has been done, but I really want the Commission to understand that the solution must be practical. I understand that the 700,000 people who supported the Fish Fight campaign will be satisfied only when they see the words “discards” and “ban” in the


15

same headline, but in order to be absolutely successful the scheme must be rooted in practical applications. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmtoday/cmstand/output/euro/eo111107-01.htm 6. EFRA COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS. 6 September 2011. EFRA 9. "Defra must continue its research to understand and exploit the market for less popular fish with a view to creating a more diverse and sustainable market. The issue of discards has received considerable public attention in recent months; Defra must not waste the opportunity that this presents and should work with the industry and other interested parties to develop innovative approaches to market diversification."

We agree that further work is necessary to encourage consumption and better use of under-utilised fish species that are often discarded as a result of weak or absent markets. Defra is currently considering the recommendations made in the Fishing for the Markets report to understand where and how it can make the most effective contribution to bring this about on a consistent and sustainable basis. Many of the issues will not be solved by government alone, so Defra will work with industry and other interested parties to help develop innovative solutions that contribute towards market diversification and solving the issue of discards.

We have been impressed by the independent formation of the Sustainable Seafood Coalition and the range of initiatives that individuals and organisations have been involved to help raise awareness and diversify the range of sustainable seafood that the British public eat. We hope for continued momentum from all those wanting to make a difference in this area.

EFRA 10. "We recommend that Defra take steps to apply the approach of Project 50% across English fisheries to reduce discard levels and better protect juvenile fish stocks. The Department must produce and implement an action plan to address this as a priority."

The key to getting long term buy-in and uptake of measures to tackle discards is to work collaboratively with the industry and other stakeholders to identify, trial and implement solutions that are tailored to the individual fishery or a particular problem. This is the approach that Defra adopted with Project 50%, where fishermen working with scientists put their own ideas into practice and delivered a significant reduction in discards.

We agree that the collaborative and tailored approach adopted by Project 50% should be applied across English fisheries—this is essential if we are to identify practical, effective and affordable solutions. Defra is already working to this end across a range of different projects that are identifying and trialling a range of different solutions. Examples include:

i. The Northwest Discard project based in Cumbria, which is being run in collaboration with the fishing industry and is looking at how we can reduce discards in the Nephrops fishery by making changes to fishing gear.

ii. Catch Quota Trials—This new way of managing fisheries encourages fishermen to use their skills and knowledge to fish much more selectively in order to maximise the


16

value of their catch. Results from the 2010 North Sea cod trial demonstrated that discards of cod for participating vessels were reduced significantly. In 2011, we have expanded the North Sea trial to include more vessels and have also commenced a trial in the South-West for sole. All cod caught in the North Sea trial and all sole caught in the south west trial have to be landed and so there will be no discards of these species by participating vessels.

iii. Of course it is not just cod that gets discarded—under-utilised species account for about half of the discards in the English fleet. Defra's 'Fishing for the Markets' project is a new initiative looking to encourage consumption of under-utilised, sustainable species that are often discarded. The project includes specific work on improving the communication of consumer and buyer information on sustainable fish; developing a list of sustainable species; understanding fish eating habits in order to help understand how to change attitudes to encourage the consumption of more sustainable species; and to identify business development and marketing skills in the industry.

Defra will continue to work with the industry and other stakeholders to identify, trial and implement solutions. It is important to be flexible and open to ideas and initiatives—and these should not always be Government led. Whilst we will continue to initiate and drive work in this area, rather than prescribe a plan of action we will also be looking to encourage local and regional partnership approaches between the industry and the wider food chain to tackle the problem.

EFRA 11. "We welcome the increased focus on discards at the European level and we look forward to examining the Commission's proposals for reform of the Common Fisheries Policy in greater detail later in the year. We urge Defra to continue to press for a reduction in discards as a key element in the forthcoming negotiations. The Department must also ensure that the interests of the inshore fleet are represented in the next round of reforms."

We agree with the recommendation. We see this as a top priority for our negotiations and will be working to ensure that the reformed CFP provides the incentives and regulatory framework necessary to drive the required changes in fishing activity and behaviour. Importantly, we will be able to use the evidence gathered from the UK's domestic discard reduction work to influence and shape the reform so that the right solutions are taken forward.

We have discussions with a range of people about Common Fisheries Policy reform including a reduction in discards. These include regular discussions with the EU Fisheries Commissioner and other MS Ministers. The Minister and officials are also regularly meeting representatives of the fishing industry—both large scale and under-10 metre fleets, MEPs, retailers, and non-government organisations. Engagement is vital to achieve the UK's aims for CFP Reform and Defra will have further discussions in pressing the case for radical CFP reform. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmenvfru/1485/148504.htm


17

NORWAY/FRANCE/HOLLAND/FAROE ISLANDS/GERMANY/DENMARK/ SPAIN 1. Less Discards and Simpler Rules for EU Cod Fisheries. 14 September 2012. The European Commission has just tabled an amendment to the long-term management plan for cod in the North Sea, the Skagerrak, the Eastern Channel, the Kattegat, the West of Scotland and the Irish Sea. The plan, which has been in force since 2008, aims at bringing back cod stocks to sustainable levels. It has now been revised in the light of an evaluation by scientists and of feedback from the fishing sector and the Member States. In the new plan, a series of technical amendments are proposed. For instance, more flexibility is proposed in order to avoid an automatic reduction of total allowable catches (TAC) and fishing effort by 25 per cent every year in cases of lack of certain scientific data. Also, incentives are given to member states to make their fishermen reduce discarding of unwanted fish. For instance, in fisheries where all catches are counted against quotas, the vessels participating in anti-discard trials should be exempt from the effort regime (limits of how much fishing vessels can fish). http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/18226/less-discards-and-simpler-rules-for-eu-cod-fisheries http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/news_and_events/press_releases/2012/20120912/index_en.htm 2. EU and Norway to Stop Discarding in the Skagerrak. 30 August 2012. According to a new proposal by the European Commission, the EU and Norway are to harmonise technical and control measures for fisheries in the Skagerrak to ensure long-term sustainability of fish stocks. Significantly, the proposal features an obligation to land all catches of certain fish species – to stop the practice of discarding. The new rules spell out how the ban will work in practice, specifying for instance that undersized fish may not be used for human consumption, except for charitable purposes. The obligation to land all catches will enter into force in two stages: some species (cod, haddock, pelagic species like herring and mackerel) will be covered from 1 January 2013, the rest (mainly flat fish and species like sandeel or Norway pout) as from 1 January 2015. New technical measures agreed with Norway are also being introduced. The initiative was prompted by the revocation of an agreement dating back to 1966, which allowed Swedish, Danish and Norwegian vessels to fish up to four nautical miles from each other's coasts whilst remaining under flag-state jurisdiction. With the 1966 agreement revoked, the vessels will have to comply with coastal-state jurisdiction, which is why EU and Norwegian rules must be harmonised. Though the only EU countries that can fish within four miles of the Norwegian coast are Denmark and Sweden, the new measures will apply to all EU Member States having fishing rights in the Skagerrak, i.e. also vessels from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/news_and_events/press_releases/2012/20120829/index_en.htm


18

3. Commission film on TFCs brings discard ban into the spotlight. 23 August 2012 Commission staff have sought to connect the implementation of TFCs with their proposed discard ban. TFCs enable fishermen to haul a catch with fish they do not have quota, and then trade with their colleagues. Such a system is in operation in some fisheries in Denmark, Sweden and Estonia, with other countries in the Baltic also planning to implement. If the Commission’s proposals for a discard ban are voted into the CFP legislation, all landings will be counted against quotas and fishermen may only receive a level of financial compensation for landing juveniles that would cover their costs. It is hoped that the landing obligation will force all catches to be landed and put an end to the wasteful practice of discarding, while providing a financial incentive for fishermen to become more selective. Subsidies will also be made available to enable fishermen to buy more selective gears. In the film, a Danish Ministry representative makes the claim that “discards are reduced to very very low figures” under the TFC system. This has been the source of heated discussions within the Baltic Sea Regional Advisory Council (BS RAC), where fishermen from across the region, operating in the same waters with the same gear have reported markedly different discard rates. http://www.fishsec.org/2012/08/23/commission-film-on-tfcs-brings-discard-ban-into-the-spotlight/ http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?ref=I073784&videolang=en&sitelang=en 4. Spanish government urged to renounce plans to rubbish EU fishing reforms. Leaked document reveals former socialist government's plans to oppose planned EU ban on discarding edible fish at sea 2 Jan 2012 http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jan/05/spanish-government-derail-eu-fishing-reform/print 5. Historic agreement to ban discards. 23 November 2011. The ministers of fisheries in Norway, Sweden and Denmark have signed a joint declaration forbidding discards of fish in the waters of Skagerrak. “A ban on discards in Skagerrak marks a milestone in our efforts to ensure sustainable management of our joint marine resources,” says Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen. “I hope this will also have a positive impact on other waters and that we are able to influence reforms in the right direction. We are now working on behalf of future fishermen and consumers of seafood. http://www.regjeringen.no/en/dep/fkd/Press-Centre/Press-releases/2011/historic-agreement-to-ban-discards.html?id=663935 http://www.regjeringen.no/upload/FKD/Diverse/2011/Skagerrak.pdf

19

EUROPEAN GENERAL 1. North Sea 2013 discards ban to impact on Scottish fleet. A discards ban in the Skagerrak that will start on 1 January 2013 will have implications for discards in the North Sea. Fishing News 8 June 2012 2. International Guidelines on Bycatch Management and Reduction of Discards. 22 May 2012 These International Guidelines on Bycatch Management and Reduction of Discards were developed through a participatory process involving fisheries experts, fishery managers from governments, the fishing industry, academia and non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations. The guidelines are designed to provide guidance on management factors ranging from an appropriate regulatory framework to the components of a good data collection programme, and include the identification of key management considerations and measures necessary to ensure the conservation of target and non-target species, as well as affected habitats. These guidelines are voluntary and constitute an instrument of reference to help States and RFMO/As in formulating and implementing appropriate measures for the management of bycatch and reduction of discards in all fisheries and regions of the world. http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/ba0022t/ba0022t00.pdf 3. “Public resources should be allocated to those who fish the most sustainably”. Green seminar “How should fish be caught” in the European Parliament 12 April. 25 April 2012 A new report by the New Economics Foundation on 43 fish stocks in European and neighbouring waters shows how healthy fisheries could sustainably provide more catches and what this means in terms of additional revenue and jobs. The report finds that over €3 billion is lost every year due to overfishing these stocks. If these 43 European fish stocks were rebuilt to MSY levels, the additional revenues could support 100,000 new jobs and inject money into a bleeding economy. http://www.neweconomics.org/node/1968 4. 2012 ICES Annual Science Conference, Bergen, Norway. 17 to 21 September. http://www.ices.dk/iceswork/asc/2012/index.asp One of the theme sessions is entitled: Bycatch and discards: from improved knowledge to mitigation programmes. http://www.ices.dk/iceswork/asc/2012/themesessions/Session%20C.pdf DAG will be proposing a presentation on DAG as a model approach. This fits very well under their topic proposal ‘potential mitigation measures, from technical measures to integrated, interdisciplinary approaches and co-operative behaviour’. The deadline for the submission of abstracts is Friday 20 April 2012. http://www.ices.dk/iceswork/asc/2012/abstract.asp Other topics they want to cover include:

• sampling strategies and estimation methods; • quantification of spatial and temporal distribution and magnitude of discards, as

well as discard mortality; • indicators of discard issues: amounts and characteristics of discards, selectivity

of fishing at various scales;


20

• analyses of the factors that determine discard amounts (such as environmental settings, year‐class strength, community composition, fishing practices, etc.);

• analyses of the efficiency of technical regulations in force, and retrospective analyses of the efficiency of such measures in the past;

• analyses of socio‐economic and institutional drivers and incentives that influence fishers’ behaviour in regard to selectivity and discarding.

5. Science paper Science paper ‘Reconsidering the Consequences of Selective Fisheries’. http://www.sciencemag.org/content/335/6072/1045.summary 6. New WWF publication - Sorting Myth from Fact: The truth about Europe’s Common Fisheries Policy http://awsassets.panda.org/downloads/sorting_myth_from_fact.pdf 7. WWF takes fish petition to MEPs. 28 February 2012. The World Wildlife Fund took its ‘More Fish, More Life’ petition to the European Parliament’s petitions committee. This online campaign was launched in April 2011 to ensure that Member States of the European Union (EU) and the European Parliament support appropriate conservation measures and long-term plans for each fishery. http://www.wwf.org.uk/what_we_do/campaigning/more_fish/ 8. European Commission Contribution to the preparation of a Plan of Action for Seabirds. Final Report by MRAG, Lamans and Poseidon. Discards were mentioned many times however were not a significant aspect: managing offal discards through retention or strategic dumping (e.g. in the form of frozen block or homogenized) may decrease incentives for birds to associate with fishing vessels ….. At least two studies have shown that the distribution of fishing vessels, particularly the trawl fleet in Spanish waters, have an effect on seabird distribution as trawler discards can be an important resource for seabirds …. simple measures such as managing when or preventing the discharge of any discards during setting or hauling has the potential to reduce attraction of birds into the vicinity of the fishing activity. http://ec.europa.eu/fisheries/documentation/studies/seabirds_2011_en.pdf 9. 38th Plenary meeting report of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries. 7 – 11 November 2011. Brussels. Very useful sections on Celtic Sea (Section 6.1 Page 27 – 39) Technical Measures in the Celtic Seas and on the use of CCTV (Section 8.8 Page 84 – 86). https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=53301&folderId=251047&name=DLFE-14501.pdf 10. Maria Damanaki: Speech at Choose Sustainability Fish Summit London, 24 January 2012 The issue of discards that has made more than 770 thousands citizens across Europe sign a petition to end discards. Is a top priority in the reform of our policy. If the failure of the Common Fisheries Policy can be seen somewhere, then it is clearly in the hundreds of thousands tonnes of food we waste every year, by throwing perfectly good fish overboard.


21

Let's look at some figures. According to the FAO the North East Atlantic has the second highest discard rate in the world with 1.3 million tonnes of fish thrown overboard every year, and we are the major culprits here. In the North Sea they estimate that between 500,000 and 880,000 tonnes of fish are discarded every year. This means we could feed between 200,000 and 350,000 people each year on the food that we throw away. Often we take the easy road and we blame the fishing industry for discards. But I don't think it is fair, because let's face it, fishermen follow rules that we have set, on minimum landing sizes and catch composition…..discarding is not something the fishing industry has invented out of mere pleasure. It is, and I hate to say it, the brainchild of EU legislation. Yes, of course there is also discarding, because fishermen want to make a profit. But ladies and gentleman, by and large I have come to see that fishermen are not the drivers of discards, but we – the policymakers - are. Any fisherman, who uses more selective gear, puts himself at a competitive disadvantage, relative to others engaged in same fishery: the only way to have a level playing field here is to have a discard ban. I propose to phase out discards in all fisheries in a step by step approach. We will accompany this with better gear selectivity and with proper support for the industry to implement it. Then we will have to land every fish caught in the nets. If it is undersized fish, then it goes into fishmeal production. If it is oversize fish, then the fishermen can sell it for human consumption. They will keep, of course, the profits from this sale. http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/12/28&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en