European research on lost fishing gears Philip MacMullen APEC workshop, January 2004
Fantared* projects (1995 - 2003) European studies to: identify, quantify and ameliorate the impacts of static gears lost at sea *studies supported by the European Union and *studies supported by the European Union and national govts national govts
New lost gear studies needed because • previous work was poorly targeted • little systematic study of the fate of lost gears • losses & impacts need to be quantified • real problems need to be identified and resolved • all fishing methods need to comply with best practice
The Fantared The Fantared partnership: partnership: and our industry and our industry advisory groups advisory groups
Approach • identify the causes of loss and predisposing factors - interviews • establish the extent of loss - interviews and seabed surveys • determine evolution, impacts and significant influences - simulated loss & monitoring • investigate mitigating measures - various • optimise industry involvement - NAGs • all in parallel with Norway’s retrieval programme
Leading to . . . • putting gear loss in context • establishing management options • estimating costs and benefits of change • agreeing future strategies with industry
Approach • identify the causes of loss and predisposing factors - interviews • establish the extent of loss - interviews and seabed surveys • determine evolution, impacts and significant influences - simulated loss & monitoring • investigate mitigating measures - various • optimise industry involvement - NAGs • all in parallel with Norway’s retrieval programme
Causes of loss • gear conflicts • water depth • fleet length • ground conditions • gear specification
Nation Highest score Second Third Fourth UK Wreck fishing (all Tangle netting in W Hake in W Channel Trammel netting areas) Channel for sole Norway Joint are fisheries for Greenland halibut @ Joint third are two fisheries for saithe 500-700m and ling and blue ling @ 200-500m on the shelf north and south of 62ºN respectively Sweden Sweden has only one significant métier – for cod in the Baltic. France – north Flatfish and Sole and plaice crawfish Joint fourth – monkfish hake and wreck & west fishing crawfish hake sole Cuttlefish France – Mediterranean Spain Monkfish fisheries Joint are two hake fishing métiers one inshore for smaller fish, the @ 50-500m other offshore using a larger mesh size; and an inshore shellfish métier. Portugal Inshore trap fishing Inshore trammel Inshore gill netting Offshore gill netting for mixed spp for mixed spp netting for hake
Approach • identify the causes of loss and predisposing factors - interviews • establish the extent of loss - interviews and seabed surveys • determine evolution, impacts and significant influences - simulated loss & monitoring • investigate mitigating measures - various • optimise industry involvement - NAGs • all in parallel with Norway’s retrieval programme
Seabed surveys • Divers • ROV • Sonar - SSS & multi-beam • ‘creeping’ with grapnel-type devices
Approach • identify the causes of loss and predisposing factors - interviews • establish the extent of loss - interviews and seabed surveys • determine evolution, impacts and significant influences - simulated loss & monitoring • investigate mitigating measures - various • optimise industry involvement - NAGs • all in parallel with Norway’s retrieval programme
Main types of outcome Four major types of fishery: • shallow water • wrecks and reefs • enclosed sea areas • deep water and trap fisheries
Main types of outcome Four major types of fishery: • shallow water • wrecks and reefs • enclosed sea areas • deep water • and trap fisheries
6 A EstCatch=2.89817e -0.09736t 5 r 2 =0.9571 All species Estimated catch (kg/100 m) 4 3 2 15 1 A EstCatch=9.77778e -1.142947t 0 12 r 2 =0.9209 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 Estimated catch (no./100 m net) Soak time (days) 9 6 3 0 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 Hake (target sp) Soak time (days)
60 50 No. Of old/other 40 30 20 10 0 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 No. of days at sea Norway - inshore
250 Fishing area of the net (m2) 200 150 100 50 0 1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 Time after shooting net (months) Wreck net evolution
Main types of outcome Inshore: • biofouling • wave action • currents • towed gear catch rates fall rapidly, fishing area decreases and nets are inactivated - usually within days or weeks
Main types of outcome Inshore wrecks and reefs: • netting may be held open • biofouling occurs rapidly • catch rates generally fall rapidly • some fishing potential may remain • netting suffers from abrasion and tangling
For these fisheries permanent net loss and ghost catches as a proportion of commercial catch were below ~1%
Main types of outcome Four major types of fishery: • shallow water • wrecks and reefs • enclosed sea areas • deep water • and trap fisheries
The Fantared The Fantared partnership: partnership: and our industry and our industry advisory groups advisory groups
Main types of outcome Enclosed sea areas : • little or no tidal energy • no ground swells • prolonged fishing possible
For these fisheries gear losses were up to ~10% p.a. & ghost catches maybe ~5% of commercial catches
Main types of outcome Four major types of fishery: • shallow water • wrecks and reefs • enclosed sea areas • deep water and trap fisheries
Main types of outcome Deep water: • change at ~200 metres depth • limited water movement • little or no biofouling • prolonged fishing possible
Norwegian retrieval programme • ~12 years’ duration • 200-400 nets/year • >10 years’ fishing life possible
Low energy ground conditions AND conflict
Deep water fishing methods: Deep water fishing methods: • trawling • trawling • longlining • longlining • gill netting • gill netting
Deep water fleets: Deep water fleets: • Norwegian • Norwegian • Icelandic • Icelandic • Faeroese • Faeroese • Scottish • Scottish • Anglo- -Spanish Spanish • Anglo • Spanish • Spanish • Portuguese • Portuguese • German • German • German- -Spanish Spanish • German • French • French • Irish • Irish • Russian . . . . . . • Russian . . . . . .
Evidence of problems in deepwater • > 10 years of Norwegian retrieval work • anecdotal information about conflicts • amount of gear being brought ashore • ‘naturally conflicting’ operating methods • all predisposing factors present
Approach • identify the causes of loss and predisposing factors - interviews • establish the extent of loss - interviews and seabed surveys • determine evolution, impacts and significant influences - simulated loss & monitoring • investigate mitigating measures - various • optimise industry involvement - NAGs • all in parallel with Norway’s retrieval programme
Mitigation: • Studies of schemes in UK, Canada, New England, Faeroe, Lofotens, Australia & New Zealand, • looked at effort control, technical fixes and the use of CoPs
Defining good practice
Defining good practice the Fantaccord workshop • • brought together all the Fantared research partners and industry advisors • built a consensus on the way forward
Main features • promoted by the fishing industry • aimed at: • sustainability in fisheries • conservation of marine resources • applicable for all commercial fishermen in Canadian waters • Canadian fisheries agencies will ensure that regulatory actions must be in line with the Code • managed by a Fishing Industry Board
Contents • The Gillnet debate • Gillneting in Canadian Atlantic waters • Lost gear casualties and gear recovery • “Ghost fishing” • DFO and Fishermen dealing with the problem: • Best practices • Management measures
Defining good practice • Only setting the amount of gear that can be handled regularly and efficiently. • Marking gear properly, including the identity of the vessel. • Paying close attention to weather patterns and not setting gear when poor weather is expected. • Ensuring that gear is set in such a way as to avoid conflict with other users, and taking appropriate precautions when fishing in areas of high marine traffic. • Always carrying net retrieval gear aboard. • Always attempting to retrieve lost gear and reporting its loss where possible
Models to draw upon? • Codes of good practice, • Fishermen co-operating across national boundaries, and • statutory measures including monitoring and/limiting effort
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