The SURTINE programme aimed at returning unwanted langoustine (nephrops) to the water as soon as possible after being caught involved fishermen and scientists studying langoustine survival rates.
The hope is that this year’s exemption from the Landing Obligation while the survival rate study is carried out will be extended indefinitely if it can be demonstrated that langoustine have a high survival rate when returned to the water.
The SURTINE initiative is supported by AGLIA (Association du Grand Littoral Atlantique) and co-funded by France Filière Pêche, and has three main pillars. These are to support the process of fitting out langoustine trawlers with sorting tables and chutes that facilitate rapid return of small nephrops, to improve scientific knowledge on the survival rate under a range of conditions and to improve and optimise selectivity devices to minimise catches of immature langoustine.
The featured video below discusses French fishermen’s views on the change to rapid sorting and return of undersized langoustine, while a second film details the work of scientistsin assessing langoustine survival rates.
