Applications are invited from vessels of greater than or equal to 10m in overall length who would like to volunteer to participate in this project and who expect to be fishing in the North Sea from 1st May 2010 to 31st December 2010.
Only English registered vessels actively fishing in a demersal fishery in the North Sea and in membership of a PO are eligible. Ideally vessels should target cod or have a significant bycatch of this species, during this period.
Cefas would prefer to use 4 vessels fishing in the offshore otter trawl fishery (TR1), 4 vessels in the inshore otter or Nephrops trawl fishery (TR2), and two vessels using long lines or gillnets. However other vessels that generally
avoid catches of cod will not be excluded from applying as we also wish to trial the REM technology on a range of different vessel sizes and using a variety of gear types to determine the effectiveness of this technology.
Vessels already participating in Fisheries Science Partnership projects with Cefas in the North Sea during the duration of this Cod Catch Quota project will not be allowed to participate.
Successful vessels will be allocated up to a maximum of 30% additional cod quota to participate in the scheme and trawlers only will also be allocated extra days at sea. All successful vessels must actively participate for the full duration of the scheme. However it is anticipated that no single vessel will be allowed more than 25% of the total additional quota allocated to the English fleet for this project.
Ideally, vessels should be able to accommodate an observer at sea when requested and be able to house the REM equipment with a reliable power source. They should also be willing to make themselves available for a maximum of a 3 day period, determined by Cefas, to allow the technicians to install and test the necessary REM equipment.
Skippers and owners should also establish that their crews are happy for this equipment to be on board, in line with privacy and data protection laws.
To apply, vessels should submit a CV along with details of last year’s catches and a fishing plan for the period of the project specified above.
Details of the Project, Terms and Conditions and a Fishing Plan template can be obtained from: Jane Medler, Contract Office, Cefas, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk NR33 0HT UK, (phone: 01502 527706, email: jane.medler@cefas.co.uk).
These documents can also be downloaded from the web site ww.cefas.co.uk
If skippers/owners would like to talk informally about this project then please contact Grant Course on 01946 692654 or 07901913294.
