Environmental impact of fishing and the role of fisheries management Friederike Ziegler, Seas at Risk seminar Low impact fisheries and the CFP reform Brussels 28 October 2010
Outline Environmental impacts of fishing Biological (Target, by-catch, discard, ecosystem, seafloor) Life Cycle (Energy use, greenhouse gas emissions...) The Life Cycle approach with two examples Norwegian fisheries Senegalese artisanal fisheries Important changes needed in the CFP
The target stock
Fishing impacts on target stocks Reduced spawning stock biomass Reduced mean size Reduced size at age Increased production Fisheries-induced evolution Increased vulnerability to environmental variation
By-catch and discard, a definition
By-catch and selectivity, tricky words! Landed by-catch (fish and crayfish) Discarded by-catch (fish, crayfish, invertebrates) Bird and mammal by-catch Endangered species Selectivity with regard to what- species, size?
Seafloor impacts Pelagic and passive gear are good Benthic and active gear are bad What are the impacts? Depends on: Sensitivity of habitat impacted Frequency of impact Level of impact
Wider ecosystem impacts
Ecosystem impact- Trophic cascade Energy transfer Control Interaction between eutrophication and overfishing N+ N+ N+ (Heck et al. 2000, Limnol Oceanogr 45:1041-1057.) Graphic P-O Moksnes, Gothenburg University
The Life Cycle approach
Greenhouse gas emissions in aquaculture 1 Salmon, Fresh gutted to Paris 2 Salmon, Fresh gutted to Oslo 3 Salmon, Fresh gutted to Moscow 13,7 4 Salmon, Fresh gutted to Tokyo (by air) 5 Salmon, Frozen gutted to Shanghai (by boat) 6 Salmon, Fresh fillet to Paris 7 Salmon, Frozen fillet to Paris 8 Blue mussels, Fresh to Paris 0,0 0,5 1,0 1,5 2,0 2,5 3,0 3,5 4,0 4,5 5,0 Greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO 2 e/kg edible seafood at wholesaler) Feed production Processing Transport packaging Aquaculture (excl. feed production) Product Transport
Greenhouse gas emissions in fisheries 9 Cod, Fresh gutted to Paris 10 Cod, Fresh fillet to Oslo 11 Cod, Fresh fillet to Paris 12 Cod, Frozen fillet to Paris 13 Cod, Frozen fillet to Paris via China 14 Cod, Saltfish to Lisbon 15 Cod, Clipfish to Lisbon 16 Saithe, Frozen fillets to Berlin 17 Haddock, Frozen gutted to London 18 Haddock, Fresh gutted to London 19 Herring, Roundfrozen to Moscow Diesel in fishery Cooling agent in fishery Processing Product Transport Transport packaging 20 Herring, Frozen Fillet to Moscow 21 Roundfrozen mackerel Tokyo 22 Roundfrozen mackerel Moscow 0,0 1,0 2,0 3,0 4,0 5,0 6,0 Greenhouse gas emissions (kg CO 2 e/kg edible seafood at wholesaler)
There are correlations (and could be trade-offs) Target stock Stock effect By-catch Discard Seafloor impacts Energy use Greenhouse gas emissions
Important factors Stock condition Fishing method Fisheries management regulates Who can fish? Where? When? How?
Norway is world champion in fisheries management ( in a rather lousy league) 15
Senegalese shrimps Small-scale vs. Large-scale fishery Artisanal vs. industrial Functional unit: 1 kilo of shrimps in port of Vigo, Spain Product from industrial fishery Product from artisanal fisheries
Artisanal fishing methods: Mujas 17 LCA case study Senegalese shrimps, Friederike Ziegler, June 9, 2008
Artisanal fishing methods: Félé-félé Bakgrund Fiskemetoder 2 18 LCA case study Senegalese shrimps, Friederike Ziegler, June 9, 2008
Industrial fishing method: Demersal shrimp trawling LCA case study Senegalese shrimps, Friederike Ziegler, June 9, 2008
kg CO2e per kg product Greenhouse gas emissions 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 packaging transports storing processing fishery 5 0 trawl artisanal
Artisanal fisheriespossibilities and challenges 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% artisanal industrial
Develop indicators to quantify biological impact of fishing Evaluate fisheries management measures using Life Cycle methodology Introduction of ITQs in pelagic sector Species-selective grid Nephrops trawls Closed area in the Kattegat Resource allocation to gear type Baltic Minimum landing size Our current research
Important changes needed in CFP: Define why we have fisheries. Not to keep fishermen busy, but to deliver seafood products to a consumer Prioritize goals: Without environmental sustainability, socioeconomic sustainability is not possible Stimulate development and use of smart fishing methods Stimulate the use of fish as food rather than for feed Economic support?
Thanks! Thank you! Questions? fz@sik.se