The new cod recovery plan agreed by fisheries ministers in November imposes a 25% reduction in fishing mortality in its first year. This translates to a straight 25% cut in days at sea.
However, the new regime in which flat rate allocations by gear category have been replaced by each member state receiving a “pot” of kilowatt days to allocate as they see fit implies a greater reduction. The UK allocation is based on the actual amount of effort used during 2004 – 2006 and as the UK expended more effort than this in 2007 and 2008 the actual level of reduction will be higher than 25%, probably closer to 35%.
There is scope to buy-back the 25% reduction in days at sea through a variety of cod avoidance measures.
Exemptions
There is scope for vessels to escape the effort regime altogether if they can demonstrate that their catches of cod are below 1.5% of their total landings
Vessels may buy back the effort cut if:
They carry only one regulated gear and keep catches below 1% (to be endorsed by STECF)
Maintain catches at less than 5% per trip
Apply a cod avoidance or discard reduction plan which reduces fishing mortality by the 25% cut
Fish in the western half of the West if Scotland area and are equipped with VMS
There is not yet a lot of clarity on what there rules precisely mean and specifically how they will apply to individual vessels and vessel operators. As the new effort regime comes into effect on 1st February these are questions that have to be addressed as a matter of urgency.
