Devon & Severn IFCA. Sea Angling and Bait Collection in the Severn ASERA AGM Libby Ross Senior Environment Officer

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1 Devon & Severn IFCA Sea Angling and Bait Collection in the Severn ASERA AGM 2013 Libby Ross Senior Environment Officer

2 A Brief Outline Recreational Sea Angling Sea Angling 2012 RSA 2013 The Future Bait digging Interview surveys Angling interviews Bait density surveys

3 Recreational Sea Angling

4 IFCA - remit for recreational activities Sea Angling national survey improve the scientific understanding of fish stocks off our coast ensuring that needs of sea angling can be represented as effectively as possible in future marine policy development Sea Angling 2012

5 Hotspots at Minehead, Blue Anchor, Burnham, Western-Super-Mare and Clevedon, Other sites still popular often with more experienced/ mobile anglers Some are dependent on season & conditions e.g. Lilstock Sea Angling 2012

6 Sea Angling Results Ministerial Launch 27 th November 2013

7 RSA 2013 Survey work BUT poor year for angling in the Severn Repeated in 2013 by D&S IFCA in Severn only Shore based to continue data set Same methodology as Sea Angling 2012 Comparative results

8 RSA Engagement Angling clubs Evening meetings Competitions Boat owners Charter boat operators Local angling businesses Visits Competitions John May MMO appointee Trust building!

9 RSA Engagement

10 Beyond RSA 2013 Don t want to keep disturbing anglers! Continue engagement Gather more boatbased angling data Work on using findings to develop RSA Netting byelaw Improving access Continue enforcement

11 Bait collection in the Severn

12 Bait digging in the Severn Need to understand current levels throughout the Severn, particularly in EMS Three-pronged approach 1. Interview style survey of bait diggers 2. Question included in angling surveys 3. Lugworm density survey

13 1. Bait digging interviews

14 2. Results from Sea Angling 2012 Squid Lug Mackerel Rag Sandeel Peeler crab Prawn Herring Sprat Bought Dug

15 3. Lugworm density survey - rationale

16 3. Lugworm density survey - methods

17 Mean density (m -2 ) 3. Lugworm density survey - results Mean total lug density Burnham Berrow Brean Weston Super Mare Sand Bay Mean and maximum densities were low compared to other sites in the UK Mean densities appear to be relatively stable over time Location Habitat Mean Reference density (ind. per m 2 ) UK Severn Estuary Intertidal muddy sand flats This study Severn Estuary South Wales, Barry Harbour Northumberland Budle Bay Northumberland Fenham Flats Netherlands, Balgzand Intertidal muddy sand flats Exposed to sheltered beaches Intertidal muddy sand flats Intertidal muddy sand flats Intertidal mudflats 3.9 Boyden and Little Cryer et al Olive Olive to 36 Flach & Beukema 1994

18 Percentage adult and juvenile 3. Lugworm density survey - results 100 Differential Composition of Age Classes Between Beaches adult juvenile Burnham Berrow Brean Weston Super Mare Sand Bay Expected relatively even proportions of adults and juveniles between beaches Not the case! Burnham nursery area? Subject to episodic smothering?

19 Bait digging management? Low lug mean & maximum density BUT large areas Very variable distributions of adults and juveniles = increases vulnerability to high levels of exploitation BUT currently relatively low levels of exploitation

20 IFCA Activities Summary Results of Sea Angling 2012 November 27 th Results of Bait density survey Imminent! Results of IFCA additional angling data and bait digging interviews Early 2014

21 IFCA Activities Summary Continued engagement with the angling community Charter boat data collection Improving access for anglers Work with angling sector on netting byelaw Continued monitoring of levels of angling and bait collection Bi-annual lugworm density surveys to detect natural fluctuations

22 Acknowledgments Thanks to the many students & volunteers who have helped with the lugworm density surveys