Can MPAs Sustain Scallop Fisheries? Bryce Beukers-Stewart, Jo Beukers-Stewart Belinda Vause, Andrew Brand

Can MPAs Sustain Scallop Fisheries? Bryce Beukers-Stewart, Jo Beukers-Stewart Belinda Vause, Andrew Brand

Principles for the Management of UK Scallop Fisheries Provide an overview of the sustainability and ecosystem effects of UK scallop fisheries (dredge & dive) Review successful management measures in scallop fisheries elsewhere in the world - Focus on the role of spatial management (MPAs) Develop principles for improving the management of UK scallop fisheries with respect to productivity, sustainability & ecosystem integrity

1950 1953 1956 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 Sustainability of UK Fisheries for Scallops European Great Scallop Landings (1950-2007) 30000 25000 UK France Isle of Man Ireland 20000 15000 10000 5000 0

Composition (%) CPUE (no. / m / hour) The Effect of Fishing on Great Scallops Catch per unit effort for scallops Bradda Inshore 180 150 120 90 60 30 0 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 Age composition of scallops Bradda Inshore 60 50 1937 2004 40 30 20 10 0 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12+ Age (years)

The Effect of Fishing on Great Scallops

Ecosystem Effects of Scallop Fisheries Biodiversity Settlement Habitat

Case Studies of Successful Management (Healthy ecosystems & productive fisheries) Towed gear (7 fisheries) - Canada, North America, Australia (Queensland & W Australia), New Zealand (Enhanced), France, Isle of Man Diving (4 fisheries) - Scallops (Argentina), Snails & urchins (Chile, Canada & Tasmania) Several of these fisheries were overfished before the introduction of new management measures / schemes (e.g. North American Sea Scallop)

Isle of Man Scallop fishery Closed Area Scallops dominate fisheries landings into the Isle of Man Fishery appears sustainable but is much less productive than in the past Dredging for scallops has reduced biodiversity & habitat complexity on the main fishing grounds IoM have set up a network of marine protected areas to improve fisheries sustainability

Density (no./100m 2 ) Scallop Recovery in Port Erin Closed Area Density (1989-2006) 25 20 15 Closed Area Fished Area 10 TIMES HIGHER!! 10 5 0 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 Beukers-Stewart et al. (2005) MEPS

Scallop Recovery in Port Erin Closed Area Density (2008) Murray, Hinz & Kaiser (2009)

< 50 51-60 61-70 71-80 81-90 91-100 101-110 111-120 121-130 131-140 141-150 151-160 > 160 Density (no./100m 2 ) Scallop Recovery in Port Erin Closed Area Biomass (2006) 4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 Fished area Closed area 20 9 TIMES HIGHER!! Shell length (mm)

Scallop Biomass & Reproduction (2006) Large scallops Egg production (33 x fished area) Closed area Fished area High densities Fertilisation Combination Larval production (100 x fished area?)

1990/91 1991/92 1992/93 1993/94 1994/95 1995/96 1996/97 1997/98 1998/99 1999/00 2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 CPUE Fisheries Benefits? Commercial Catch Rates 60 50 SW Coast East Coast 40 30 20 10 0 Beukers-Stewart et al. (2003) ICES J Mar Sci; Beukers-Stewart et al. (2006) J Shellfish Res

Hydrodynamic Modelling Neill & Kaiser (2008) Bangor University

Stock enhancement A Unique Opportunity Microsatellite Analysis (Watts et al 05) -80-70 -60-50 -40-30 -20-10 0 0 Skye -20-40 -60 Port Erin -80 More than 200 000 scallops have now been imported to the Isle of Man Microsatellite analysis indicates genetic differences Breeding by imported scallops could be tracked to quantify larval dispersal

Principles for Management 1. Encourage industry stewardship of the resource (spatial or catch based ownership) reduce the race for fish 2. Allow scallop stocks to recover towards more natural size / age structures improve yield per recruit & reproductive output 3. Provide spawning refuges high densities of large scallops 4. Minimise the effects of the fishery on juveniles improve future yields 5. Reduce by-catch & conflicts with other fisheries 6. Reduce the effect of fisheries on benthic habitats maintain / recover biodiversity & improve scallop recruitment

Are MPAs the Solution? Scallop fisheries are ideally suited to management with networks of Marine Protected Areas BUT effective management outside MPAs is also essential A suite of tools are often needed (e.g. minimum sizes, gear modifications, effort restriction, stock enhancement) Mapping of benthic habitats, larval dispersal, fishing activity and resources is key to developing effective strategies Co-management or resource ownership will encourage a long-term approach & reduce costs

The Future? Take an integrated, ecosystem-based approach that considers all stakeholders Marine Bill / Act - Marine Spatial Planning 0-3 miles Reduce dredging & trawling. Zone areas for different priorities e.g. stock enhancement, scallop divers, static gear, biodiversity / scallop protection. 3 6 miles Ownership system (spatial or catch based) for the inshore dredge / trawl fleet and the static gear sector. Include areas for biodiversity / scallop protection > 6 miles Quota (ITQs?) system for the offshore (nomadic) scallop fleet. Include areas for biodiversity / scallop protection

Acknowledgements Natural England (Audrey Jones), CCW (Clare Eno), SNH (David Donnan) Bangor University (Mike Kaiser, Lee Murray & Hilmar Hinz, Simon Neill) DAFF, Isle of Man of Government (Andy Read) University of Liverpool (Phill Watts), FRS (Trevor Howell), Cefas (Dave Palmer), Seafish (Bill Lart), SAGB (Tom Pickerell) Marine Conservation Society (Jean-luc Solandt) University of Massachusetts, USA (Kevin Stokesbury, Brad Harris) Challenger Scallop Enhancement Co, NZ (Michael Arbuckle) Alaska Scallop Association (Jim Stone) Duke University, USA (Larry Crowther) Peter Duncan