Questionnaire response Denmark DPPO • Total of 14 reponses Spain OPP-LUGO • From 7 countries France UAPF/FROMNORD KFO Ireland Questionnaire results Killybegs Seafoods Ltd • Only one non-EU Cavankee Fishing Co Ltd Carmarose Trawling Co Ltd industry response Killybegs Fishing Enterprise Ltd Western Seaboard Ltd • No response from Wim van der Zwan NL Blue whiting FG meeting Vrolijk NGOs 12 April 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Norway Norwegian Vessel Owners Association Herring Buyers Association UK SPFA Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Q1: Minimum TAC for a viable fishery? Q2: Stable/low or variable/high TAC? 7% 14% 12 10 8 6 21% 4 2 Other comment 0 <400 Lower but Higher but 58% 400-600 stable more variable >600 Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Q3: Market considerations? Q3: Market considerations? Continuity: 21% • “What happened this year completely ruined our carefully built up markets.” • “The alternative low priced species Alaskan Pollack will regain market dominance in the absence of supply of Blue Whiting.” 50% Size and Quality: • Freshness; salt content; oil content Other remarks: 29% Continuity Size & Quality • Developing local processing facilities Other • Supply and prices of other species such as Alaskan Pollock Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain 1
Q4: Human consumption fishery only? Q4: Human consumption fishery only? • Conditions: 42% 29% – Reward those whose final destination is h.c. – It should be like what was once implemented for herring: first, the need of the human consumption fishery; second, the quotas for fishmeal fishery should be calculated according to what remains available – When at all possible it should be sold to the human consumption market, processors should have the first call on the fish. 29% However, situations may arise where the only feasible option is to sell the catch for fishmeal Yes No but conditions should apply No Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Q5: size/weight market preference? Q5: size/weight market preference? • 7 responses stated that “ bigger=better” for h.c. • “ The yield of fillets is adversely affected by fisheries, while many included that the market higher roe contents. Therefore blue whiting has for industrial fisheries was indifferent to size (but a higher value up to one month before the rather demanded optimal fat content) spawning period and then after the spawning period. Within the month prior to spawning the roe content is high.” • >20 cm and >25 cm were mentioned as well as a mesh size used of 50 mm • “Post spawning blue whiting produces the best quality product and better yields.” Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Q6: additional management measures? Q6: additional management measures? “The Blue Whiting Management Plan should be a • Seasonally closed area (to protect spawning) compendium of measures, which must have a sound (8x) scientific basis […] – “SPFA proposes the introduction of a closed area to protect the spawning stock. The closed area should be seasonal and begin on 1 January and terminate mid March. The proposed closed It should not based on assumptions and extrapolations, area co-ordinates are between 52-56 degrees north and 11-17 that are forced to meet demand of some formula for a degrees west.” current environmentalist fisheries policy concept, which aims at meeting a short-term result, regardless of the • Increase minimum mesh size: >30 and >50 consequences in sociological and economic terms. […] (1x each) • Eliminate Icelandic juvenile fisheries (2x) The risk that it would compromise stability in the TAC should be investigated.” • Eliminate discards (1x) Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain 2
Q6: additional management measures? Q7: changes in distribution/catchability? • Distribution: • “The biggest challenge of management is to get better data […] The situation we had last year – In the last five years, less blue whiting in April north of Wyville Thomson ridge when research vessels didn’t show up on – Higher quantities of small fish in the southern area planned surveys must be solved in better ways. – Bigger shoals have moved from the edge to deeper water Our proposal is that there has to be backups […] – Not distributed over the large area witnessed several years ago; in recent years the entire fleet can be found concentrated in a In our opinion fishing vessels (with necessary single area. equipment) can be an alternative.” • Catchability: – Is lower at present than 2/3 years ago (1x) • Food competition among BWH and NEA – Has not significantly changed (7x) mackerel and herring should be considered. – More dramatic changes occurred between 5-10 years ago (2x) Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Q8: Change in distribution of juveniles? • Changes in fishing pattern: • No significant changes observed (6x) – Until 2009 the fishery was mainly for fish meal but as the human consumption market requirements became known the spawning • Change in distribution/local abundance period has been increasingly avoided in 2009 and 2010. – The bigger relative share of fisheries for h.c. make a fishery observed (7x of which 3x without explanation) nearer the locations where the catches are landed. – More juveniles in the North Sea in 2010 – In EU waters, the average size and weight of the fish in February – In 2009 / 2010, high quantities of juveniles in Bay of Biscay and March was increasingly bigger in 2009, 2010 and 2011 – greater amount of juveniles further south along the shelf (100 – Few juveniles were found with exception of the year 2010, when fathom line) large quantities were encountered – SPFA: steep decline of abundance of juveniles Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Q9: Science reliable in past 5 years? Q9: Science reliable in past 5 years? 9.1. We have no doubt on the indication given by the international accoustic survey that • No (12 x) - there is a lack of year classes ages 3 to 5 in the measured spawning stock biomass - the number of individuals is decreasing in the measured spawning stock biomass So, the authorised catch on this measured biomass was to be reduced at some level. 9.2. But we think there is uncertainties on the current advices, and may be inappropriate management plan, for following reasons: 9.2.1. The captains of our surimi pelagic trawler, who are working on blue whiting five month a year for twenty years from Gulf of Biscaye to Faero waters, are convinced that there is a boundary around Wyville Thomson ridge between two different stock components (see point 10) . • There have always been uncertainties ... (1x) In every attached map, a pencil line WNW – ESE around 60°N marks the approximate position of Wyville Thomson ridge It is likely that the international accoustic survey evaluates a mix of two different components: - A southern component measured in Porcupine, Hebrides and part of Rockall… which might be (according to the conviction of our fishermen) the most part of what is measured. - A northern component (whose age structure is different, condition is different, depth is different) measured in Faroes/Shetlands… which might be only a little part of what is measured. Southern component spawning time is March west of Ireland and Scotland ; it seems that northern component (which we do not know as precisely) spawning time is late March and April in Faero waters. 9.2.2. What we understand from ICES WGWIDE REPORT 2010 page 48 an 49 “Annual catch 1998-2009 by fishery area” and “Distribution of total landings of blue whiting 2000 – 2009 “ (attached) and from maps of “Total catches of blue whiting by quarter in 2003” and “Total catches of bluewhiting in 2008” (attached) is followings: - northern component has been strong between 1999 and 2005 so that most of the catch was then in second quarter of the year (Faero/Shetland spawning area) and in the third quater of the year especially in Norwegian Sea Fishery - northern component seems to be now rather depleted : the third quarter fishery is now very reduced ; the Norwegian Sea fishery is now also very reduced. 9.2. 3. So, we think that, over the last three or five years, what was measured by the international accoustic survey was possibly mainly the southern component : most of the survey is in West of Ireland and Scotland, and very few in Shetland-Faero area ( see attached map WHB survey 2010); If so, can it lead to an unique advice and a unique mangement plan applied to both components? Quote of the report of the Nordic blue whiting net work meeting 24-26.3.2003: “if stock assesment is based on incorrect understanding of stock structure, it may result in faulty or irrelevant management decision” Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain Blue whiting focus group meeting 12 april 2011 – Bilbao, Spain 3
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