After good response from the industry the MMO has extended the deadline to run a discard reduction trial to reduce discards of sole from beam trawlers in the South West Area VIIe. This project is a follow up to the very successful Project 50 percent, which saw discards in the beam trawl fishery reduced by over 50 percent. It will investigate how the use of catch quotas can further reduce discards of sole in this fishery.
According to MMO their marine observers and remote electronic monitoring (REM) equipment, including CCTV, will be used to document and quantify the effectiveness of the catch quota system at reducing discards. Beam trawlers are encouraged to apply and participate in the project. Only English-administered vessels actively fishing in a sole fishery in Area VIIe and in membership of a producer organisation are eligible.
MMO said that those participate in the scheme successfully will be allocated up to 30 percent additional sole quota. All sole caught, including juveniles will be counted against this quota and vessels will not be permitted to discard any sole. Once the sole quota has been caught, all fishing must cease.
