Mediation of Issues between Fishers South Devon Inshore Potting Agreement Sarah Clark Deputy Chief Officer (Environment) Devon & Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority
What is the South Devon Inshore Potting Agreement? A zoned management system off the south coast of Devon In operation since 1978 initially on a voluntary basis then under Commercial Fishing Licence Variation Created to reduce conflict between different sectors of the fishing industry Covers an area of approx. 450 km 2 Different areas and zones for use by different gears Some areas open exclusively to potting all year Some zones open to potting seasonally and some zones open to trawling and scalloping seasonally when potting gear is not present Over 70 fishing vessels operating in the IPA area
Where is the IPA located?
Inshore Potting Agreement Management of Gear Conflict Plymouth Dartmouth 2016 Salcombe
IPA History Brown Crab fishery in South Devon for hundreds of years Within the communities of Start Bay Beesands & Hallsands, and Salcombe and Dartmouth 4-5 generations of crab fishers Small wooden boats were operated 60-100 withy inkwell pots From the 50s onwards pot materials and design changed and larger boats with motorised haulers were introduced Potting industry grew and grew in these areas Bottom towed gear has been used in South Devon waters for many centuries hand hauled scallop dredges Many potters also scalloped dredged over the winter to supplement their income From the 70s onwards more modernised towed gear was in use which changed the way the fishery operated
IPA History Gear Conflict Little reported conflict between sectors up to the 70s. Towed gear vessels were unable to work the rougher ground where crabbers worked Crabbers start to leave pots out for longer, often all year, as the materials used became more durable Competition for pot space increased and towed gear lost seasonal access to grounds Development of towed gear e.g. rock hopper trawls and spring loaded dredges and high prices for fish meant towed gear fishers targeted rougher ground Conflict between the sectors and increasing reports of static gear being towed occurred A voluntary code to reduce conflict was introduced in 1978 following a meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry & Fisheries with fishers from the different sectors
IPA History Gear Conflict 20 th February 1971
From Blyth et al.,2002 An Example of Conservation and exploitation achieved through a voluntary fishery management system
SD&CS Vs
IPA History Gear Conflict From 1978 through to the late 1990s the IPA work on a voluntary basis - a Gentlemen's Agreement between different sectors Introduced to prevent significant pot losses In 90s reports of increased pot losses led to meetings with Colin George, MAFF/Defra In ~1998 the agreement was enshrined in legislation as a Commercial Fishing Licence Variation Compliance monitored and infringements prosecuted
IPA Committee Annual IPA committee meeting to discuss any proposed changes D&S IFCA uses its Mobile Fishing Permit Byelaw and Potting Permit Byelaw databases to consult with all users of the IPA on proposals All proposed changes are discussed and agreed by the members of the committee which consists of: 6 towed gear representatives 6 crabbing representatives 2 regulators D&S IFCA and MMO who jointly chair the committee Only small changes in the chart in recent years Each year the new IPA chart is sent out to all commercial fishing licence holders through the MMO and also to all D&S IFCA permit holders
Changes to IPA chart
Potting Activity within IPA Dartmouth Salcombe In 2014 landings of brown crab to the ports of Salcombe and Dartmouth from which most IPA potters work was 2225 tonnes worth 3.45 Million highest in England (incl 3 viviers)
IPA Compliance IPA is viewed as a successful gear conflict resolution system Long standing management system that is respected locally, nationally and internationally Largely the restrictions in place are adhered to Some incidents of infringements mostly involving towed gear boats working inside potting all year areas or outside of temporal closures 5 successful prosecutions between 2014-2015 10 suspicious activity reports in 2016 Good relationship between the IFCA, MMO, fishers and the South Devon and Channel Shellfishermen Association (most crabbers working in IPA are members) Rapid reporting of incidents IFCA Duty Phone All incidents discussed at IPA committee meetings
Future IPA Management Traditional monitoring of compliance through reports and fishery patrols (D&S IFCA, MMO, Navy) Intel from fishers Over 12M vessels monitored using VMS (AST) Future monitoring of towed gear vessels with ivms- national type approval project D&S IFCA Mobile Gear Permit Byelaw allows for the introduction of ivms on all mobile gear vessels potentially 2017 IPA likely to be managed under D&S IFCA Permit Byelaws in the future
IPA is an MPA? Management Changes through Designation
Changes to Fisheries Management within IPA
THANK YOU s.clark@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk Thank you