Devon & Severn Inshore Fisheries & Conservation Authority Sarah Clark Principal Environment Officer
Mission Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities will lead, champion and manage a sustainable marine environment and inshore fisheries, by successfully securing the right balance between social, environmental and economic benefits to ensure healthy seas, sustainable fisheries and a viable industry. Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 created IFCAs and sets out their duties and powers to manage sea fisheries resources.
D&SIFCA Mission Adaptive comanagement Lead in MPA management EMS & MCZ Sustainable management of crustacean and molluscan fisheries Development of Recreational Sea Angling
European Marine Sites including Exe Estuary SPA On 14 th August 2012 Defra announced a new approach to the management of commercial fishing activities in English EMS (MCS/ Client Earth Challenge) A more proactive approach, assessing the potential impact of fishing activities in EMS and, where appropriate, introducing local management measures to prevent damage To bring the management of commercial fishery activities in line with the approach taken for other consented activities taking place in EMS To promote sustainable fisheries while conserving the marine environment and resources, securing a sustainable future for both Approach implemented on a risk priority basis relating to the fishing activity on the site feature NE have developed a matrix setting out the potential effects of fishing activity on designated features in EMS Fishing activity /feature combinations are coloured Red, Amber and Greens For use by IFCAs & MMO to identify & prioritised risk at site level & develop site action plans
Implementation of New Approach Prioritise our Byelaw review process Towed gear impacts on designated sub features in 2013 Red risk All other fishing activities interacting with designated sub features of EMS by 2016 Determine IFCA research programme evidence gathering Habitat regulation assessments / Impact assessments Management measures Permitting Byelaws
Exe Crab Tile Survey Summer & Autumn 2012 Partnership working Results compared with previous surveys Future management
LEGEND 2012 Data 2003/4 Data
Area Number of Tiles 2012 2008 2003/4 2000/1 EXE 04 148 152 410 0 EXE 05 4406 6054 4573 1135 EXE 06 3188 4720 6375 3400 EXE 07 7338 6313 8468 8450 EXE 08 1757 2765 3303 4876 EXE 09 0 0 0 150 EXE 17 330 384 420 1165 EXE 18 1123 1472 1580 900 EXE 19 2463 4022 4218 5820 EXE 20 244 606 955 900 EXE 21 0 0 0 0 TOTAL 20997 26488 30302 26796 %age change from 2000-22% -1% +13
Exe Cockle Surveys Appropriate assessment Density & distribution Food source for birds Collaborative working
Winter Summer Reference Kg of food bird -1 winter -1 (AFDM) 9.27 9.27 Goss Custard et al. 2003 and Zwarts et al 1996 Days in season 196.00 169.00 Goss-Custard et al. 2003 Kg of food bird -1 day -1 (AFDM) 0.05 0.05 grammes of food bird -1 day -1 (AFDM) 47.30 54.85 Hypothetical survey Winter (December) Summer (June) Number of 0.1089m 2 quadrats 50.00 63.00 D&S IFCA Area of quadrats m 2 5.45 6.30 D&S IFCA Size of cockle bed m 2 634800.00 634800.00 D&S IFCA Raising factor 116584.02 100761.90 Mean cockle count per quadrat 8.00 D&S IFCA Total cockles in quadrat samples 588.00 50.40 D&S IFCA Estimated cockles in bed 68551404.96 5078400.00 D&S IFCA Mean weight of cockle (g) 3.24 2.10 D&S IFCA Estimated weight of cockles in bed (g) 222106552.07 10664640.00 Mass of cockles x 0.03 --> cockle AFDM. 0.03 0.03 Eastern IFCA (pers comms) Estimated AFDM of cockle in bed (g) 6663196.56 319939.20 Peak number of birds (mean) 584.00 173.00 WeBS and D Price Feeding buffer (multiplier) 7.70 7.70 Goss-Custard et al. 2003 whats available per bird (g) 11409.58 1849.36 what birds need (g) 364.18 364.18 Should cockle extraction be allowed YES YES
Review Inherited byelaws by 2015 Devon and Severn IFCA is required to review all inherited byelaws by 2015 Replace with five or six new permitting byelaws Towed gear activities need to be managed within European Marine Sites by the end of 2013. 6 EMS in Authority s district. Designation of Marine Conservation Zones. Potting gear is considered at risk of causing an adverse effect on EMS features. Manage all fishing activity including from unregistered vessels and shore gathering activities by 2016 Everyone that fishes in the SW for marine species needs to know about the review. The review is currently focussed on these three areas Shellfish and Potting from vessels Towed Fishing Gear from vessels Netting from vessels
Review Process Starting with Potting/shellfish and Towed gear byelaws Next Stage: netting, shore gathering and minimum sizes Defra has set out general byelaw making guidance D&SIFCA using preconsultation on byelaws to make the process more participative rather than reactive Impact Assessments Pre-consultation starting very soon on first two byelaws. Using the website as consultation hub. Website will provide readers with relevant information and help them navigate to the point where they provide feedback. Feedback will greatly assist the drafting of Impact Assessments
Lead in MPA management Sustainable management of crustacea and molluscan fisheries Estuarine management Enforceable Delivers management Permit conditions changed after consultation with affected users and agreement of Authority Effective Accountable Permit Fishing Activity Innovative Make best use of technology Apply best management practice Flexible Lead Dynamic marine environment requires legislation to be current and relevant Adaptive comanagement approach Identified as Competent Authority under Habitats Directive Support the delivery of the Authority s mission by directly managing fisheries activities Pictures courtesy of Succorfish TM
You will need a permit to fish with pots from a registered vessel The draft new byelaw and permits You will need a permit to catch shellfish and use pots from an unregistered We want to better control fishing of shellfish from unregistered vessels Shellfish and potting from vessels We want to provide a fair opportunity for everyone to catch shellfish We want to support a viable local commercial fishery It is important to provide feedback on the byelaw proposal We want to introduce a flexible management system Start again
Draft new unregistered vessel permit Draft new registered vessel permit Review Guiding Principle Draft New Byelaw Benefits of user permits Frequently Asked Questions Impact Assessment It is important to provide feedback on the byelaw proposal Back
Please visit the website: www.devonandse vernifca.gov.uk Do you operate towed fishing gear in the South West? The legislation is changing and you need to know! Telephone: 01803 854648 Email us: towedreview@ devonandsevernifc a.gov.uk
Do you operate towed fishing gear in the South West? The legislation is changing and you need to know! 1 st April 2011 D&SIFCA was fully vested under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009. D&SIFCA is required to review the inherited byelaws by April 2015. The D&SIFCA district is set out in (The Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority Order 2010) A district chart and details is shown overleaf. Section 156 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 sets out the provisions that can be used in new byelaws. The use of permits to authorise activities under a byelaw is potentially a very useful management tool. D&SIFCA favour the use of permits within new byelaws. The Authority intends to start the pre-consultation process on a new byelaw Towed Gear Byelaw on 11 th February 2013. Everyone that operates towed fishing gear from a vessel in the D&SIFCA District will be affected by the new byelaw. The towed gear fishing sector is a very important commercial activity in the District. It is important that the Authority has the ability to manage towed gear fishing activity so that it does not have an adverse effect on fish and shellfish stocks and the wider marine environment. Following Defra s change of approach toward the management of European Marine Sites(EMSs) and the production of a High Risk Activity Matrix the D&SIFCA is required to have in place by the end of 2013 suitable management in order to prevent any of the identified high risk activities having an adverse impact on the EMSs designated features. Towed fishing gear has been highlighted as one of the key high risk activities. All byelaws need to be accompanied by an Impact Assessment (IA). The IA should set out the anticipated costs and benefits of the proposed measure, including the identified fisheries, nature conservation, sustainable development, environmental, social and economic implications. Byelaws should only be introduced where it has been identified that other management approaches are not appropriate. Your feedback will help inform this Impact Assessment. This new approach by the D&SIFCA provides an excellent opportunity to get everyone involved. It is intended that future decisions that affect local fisheries and the marine environment is a participative process and your opinion is important and can help shape the management. Background information on the proposed new byelaws and feedback forms are available at www.devonandsevernifca.gov.uknew Netting Permitted Byelaws are also being drafted and will be available to view on the D&SIFCA s website shortly. Contact us at towedreview@devonandsevernifca.gov.uk or 01803 854648
Please visit the website: www.devonandsevernifca.gov.uk