Note of twelfth meeting of Discard Action Group held at the Seafish offices in Grimsby. Tuesday 27 September 2011

Transcription

1 Note of twelfth meeting of Discard Action Group held at the offices in Grimsby. Tuesday 27 September 2011 NEW discards page for minutes and further information on discards and the Discard Action Group (DAG) activities see: Attendees Mike Park (MP) Paul Williams (PW) Karen Green (KG) Phil MacMullen (PMc) Ivan Bartolo (IB) Mike Montgomerie (MJM) Iain Glasgow (IG) Ashley Wilson (AW) Nigel Edwards (NE) Mike Mitchell (MM) Darren Andrews (DA) Toby Parker (TP) Jane Sandell (JS) Tom Catchpole (TC) Sandy Luk (SL) Dale Rodmell (DR) Robbie Fisher (RF) David Parker (DP) Andy Revill (AR) John Stipetic (JS) Barrie Smart (BS) Denise Dodd (DD) Greg Howard (GH) George West (GW) Bill Wiseman (BW) David Milne (DM) Andrew Mallison (AM) SWFPA/ Board Member (new Chair) Defra (Common Fisheries Policy Management) Defra Seachill Youngs Seafood Youngs Seafood UFP Scottish Association of Fish Producers Organisations Cefas ClientEarth NFFO Natural England MCS Revill Nation MMO MMO Federation of Fish Friers Federation of Fish Friers Skipper and SWFPA Skipper and SWFPA Skipper and SWFPA IFFO 1. Welcome and apologies MP welcomed the group to the eleventh meeting of the Discard Action Group and thanked Toby Parker for the very interesting tour of the United Fish Products fishmeal factory, held prior to the meeting. Apologies were received from:

2 Meaghan Dodds Lucy Blow Kara Brysdon Peter Stagg Rob Enever Jess Sparks Karen Galloway Lisa Borges Jerry Percy Clare Mason Ally Dingwall Jim Portus David Graham John Atkinson Chris Leftwich Doug Beveridge Sarah Adcock Kenny Coull Melissa Pritchard Tom Rossiter Tesco New England Seafoods RSPB Le Lien Ltd Natural England Seafood Scotland SFP New Under Ten Fisherman s Organisation Defra Sainsburys SWFPO Birds Eye Co-operative Fishmongers Company SFP Defra SFF ClientEarth Simpsons 2. Minutes from the last meeting held on 29 June 2011 The minutes from the previous meeting were agreed. 3. Actions from the last meeting Progress was noted as summarised below, with more detail elsewhere in these minutes: Revised Terms of Reference The DAG TOR has been added to the discards web page. Fact sheet on remote electronic monitoring A revised version of the fact sheet was completed in July and has been added to the discards web page Channel 4 Fish Week The fourth programme in the Fish Fight campaign series aired on 8 August. Encourage retailer/foodservice attendance Whilst continues to encourage retailer and foodservice representatives to attend the meetings this is proving difficult. MP asked for ideas from the group as to how their attendance numbers could be increased.

3 4. Cefas scoping study - Tom Catchpole, Cefas TC explained described how the scoping study (June 2011) had worked. The intention was to investigate the implications of introducing a policy to ban discards. Dispensations was granted by the MMO to allow: 1) the landing of fish under the legal minimum landing size (MLS) 2) the landing of over quota fish, those for which the skippers had insufficient quota 3) the landing of species for which it is prohibited to retain (vulnerable species and quota exhausted) 4) an exemption from catch composition regulations. Two vessels took part, operating from one port. It was mostly over-quota fish that was landed. TC has been talking to processors and retailers with the aim of expanding the trial in 2012 to eight vessels operating from two ports over a six month period (likely April to September) with the aim of changing behaviour patterns. The biggest issue is how to incentivise the vessels to take part when there is no further quota on offer. AR questioned whether this could be combined with catch quota trials, which are already mapped out and already allow extra quota. Additional species could be added. AW responded that sole, anglerfish and plaice were on offer in the trial in the SW, and only one vessel has chosen the multi-species option. The same has been repeated in Scotland where only cod has been chosen. DM commented that the haddock and whiting offer had not been sufficient. TC responded that the aim was to keep this separate from the catch quota trials. This trial will focus more on the practical, logistical aspects of a discard ban. PMc asked whether the catch data could be used to provide more information on modelling of catches and discard rates. TC responded that Cefas already had some crude estimates of catch profiles and discard rates, but that this could certainly be built into the trial. Action: TC highlighted that this trial would be very flexible and any further questions should be directed to: thomas.catchpole@cefas.co.uk 5. Fishing for the Markets Ashley Wilson, Defra. AW commented that there had been a number of internal staff changes at Defra. The Fishing for the Markets project would stay within the remit of the Sustainable Fisheries team at Defra and the plan was to work closely with to take elements of the project forward. However it was likely that the consumer/behavioural aspects of F4M would be taken forward by a different team at Defra. PW voiced concern and frustration about the effect that this had had on taking the project forward. are either involved with, or aware of, lots of different activities surrounding this issue but there seemed to be a lack of clarity in how this could be all pulled together and by whom. There are a number of initiatives

4 that are moving forward but there does not seem to be an individual, or an organisation, responsible for co-ordinating this. AR commented that the momentum had been lost and he advocated that should have a lead role, and that the DAG in particular was the ideal forum to be at the centre of this. Action: A telephone conference call has been scheduled between Defra and for Thursday 29 September to discuss this further. This will be covered at the next DAG meeting. 6. Data collection PMc tabled draft text for a letter to be sent to the Commission from DAG proposing a means of improving the evidence base for managing discard reduction and calling for a structured review of data requirements. SL commented that it t would appear that the Data Collection Regulation is being replaced with two articles. Actions This letter, from DAG to the Commission, will be sent to DAG participants by on Wednesday 30 September. Any comments should be sent to k_green@seafish.co.uk by Friday 7 October. In particular comments were welcome on: whether or not we reference the Scottish Government s intent to lead by unilateral legislation on discard levels; whether DAG participants are comfortable with the protocol disclaimer about not representing any individual DAG people; and whether we need more emphasis on the UK being best placed to take the initiative forward. Once approved to be sent as a DAG letter to the Commission. 7. Discard matrix A discard matrix was tabled which illustrates on a fishery-by fishery basis: targeted fishery; significant likely bycatch discard; gear type; discard figures/ices commentary; what is being done (taken from ICES)/ICES suggestions; and suggested changes necessary to comply with legislation. MP commented that this was the start of a benchmarking exercise. This was a live document which will be added to the web page and would be regularly updated. PMc questioned whether ICES had previously produced an inventory of measures and combinations of measures. There were questions on square mesh panels and a request to add in skates and rays. Actions To investigate whether there is an ICES inventory.

5 The table will be sent to DAG participants by on Wednesday 30 September. Any comments should be sent to by Friday 7 October. Table will be added to the discards web page. 8. Scottish initiatives MP commented that fishing in Scotland is dominated by white fish and Nephrops, and that up to six new net configurations, to reduce the capture of unwanted species, was currently under trial in the Nephrops sector (TR2). Comments were made by George West, Bill Wiseman and David Milne. The reality is: it is difficult to convince a whole sector to change; there are 105 Nephrops (SWFPA members) - 10 are currently trialling more selective nets with 95 observing; the economic imperative is that some vessels need fish as a bycatch to make the economics work; the Nephrops sector needs to find an economic solution to the problem of reduced income as a result of reduced whitefish landings; there are trials with low headline height nets which seem to be creating savings in terms of reduced fuel costs, there also seems to be some gain with regard to quality and increased catches of the target species; nobody wants to be a guinea pig despite the deadline of 1/2/12 to introduce gear modifications to retain the effort derogation available under article 13 of the Cod Recovery Plan. Despite the need for quick solutions to be found around 95% of vessels are not making any attempt to resolve the issue. AM asked whether the market had shown any support for fishermen who were trying new measures. PMc commented that four years ago retailers did appear to be more supportive but that now it would appear they were more focussed on MSC. MM commented that there was no real engagement with retailers especially given the profile discarding has enjoyed this year. MP did say that one major retailer had offered funds to develop new selectivity measures. It is imperative that fishermen are part of the solution. There were comments on the 34 real time closures on prawn grounds in Fishermen were given the incentive to introduce new selectivity measure to gain access to these grounds, however the take-up had been small. There are always going to be some fishermen who are more willing to change. There are solutions but more needs to be done about the barriers to change. The 50% project really illustrated this discard levels were reduced and fishermen got the recognition. JS highlighted the real issue was that there was no guidance for fishermen on what they should be investing in. A lot of prawn vessels own, or have access to fish quota they are legally entitled to catch fish and they are going to resist being railroaded to the point where they lose the opportunity to fully utilise their fish quota.

6 9. CFP Reform DAG has to decide how we approach the CFP Reform proposals. SL commented that ClientEarth had been closely looking at the CFP Reform proposals. The text just does not deliver. There are real concerns that industry as a whole has taken this at face value but how will it actually work. Take the issue of regionalisation: the framework does not set up any duties on Member States there are no targets, no timetable and no detail on multi-annual plans. There is nothing to suggest what powers will be conferred on Member States and nothing to ensure a level playing field across Member States. On the issue of discards it is not clear at all. There were also concerns raised about the Common Organisation of the Markets regulation and its complicated rules. This could also have a profound impact. Data collection PMc wants to put in place a structure/protocol to bring together date from fishermen in a form that is acceptable to regulators. There is already a body of information it is really a case of how we present and use it. MJM commented on a statistical validity study with Glasgow University on the Stornoway Nephrops fishery. This is to determine how big a sample has to be to be representative of the whole catch. The reality is that it does not need to be that big. MP commented on an ICES assessment of the Fishers Survey covering the period , and how this matched the advice by ICES over the same period. This looked at whether the fishers view of a particular fishery mirrored that of ICES. The survey showed that fishers views were generally the same as that of ICES, but that they picked up trends much earlier. It was all about finding the balance between anecdote and objective evidence. There is a new legal requirement for all discards above 50 kilos to be reported but it was thought that this was not happening yet. Selectivity MJM reported that several devices are being trialled. The real issue at the moment is the incentive to keep using them. Two EFF applications have been made to test devices in the North and Irish Seas. There is also work in Brixham following on from the 50% Project for a radical change to the design of the beam trawl. Actions ClientEarth is preparing a series of briefing documents on the CFP Reform proposals. These are to be circulated to the DAG. Defra consultation on CFP Reform proposals closes on 10 November DAG Regulatory Working group to meet in October to produce a

7 DAG response on the discard, regionalisation and data collection aspects. This will be circulated to DAG participants for comment and approval. 10. Sustainable Seafood Coalition SL reported that the SSC had held two meetings so far and now wanted to expand the membership to the foodservice sector and celebrity chefs. The group is working at two levels labelling and species diversification. The voluntary code on labelling is likely to be finalised in January Work has started on species diversification and will focus on encouraging diversification to managed but unpopular species for now (rather than unmanaged, mostly discarded species). With regard to discard data collection and bycatch reduction there was a need to avoid duplication with DAG activities. It was likely that most of this activity would be left with DAG and then once activities have developed/ standards on data agreed etc, they would be reiterated in the SSC code on sourcing policies. 11. Next steps It was agreed that DAG focus groups would be convened over the next two/three months to take forward specific actions. Subsequently the Regulatory Group (combined with data collection) meeting has been set for Friday 14 October. Dates will also be set for Markets and Selectivity group meetings. MM suggested that the Markets focus group could be used as an opportunity to encourage more retailer/foodservice attendance. The next main DAG meeting is likely to be in February 2012.