The NFFO has written to the Fisheries Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies, urging him to support the Channel Islands/French initiative on undulate rays.
The text of the letter reads:
Dear Minister
Undulate Ray
I enclose a communication prepared by Jersey and French fishermen with the help of IFREMER, the French national fisheries institute. It is strongly supported by the NFFO.
Against the background of the blanket EU prohibition on landing undulate ray, the paper proposes a more targeted and evidence based approach; it has the dual merits of reducing discards, whilst strengthening information for the future management of fishing on this species.
The contrast between the direct experience of local abundance of undulate Ray in the South-Eastern part of the Western Channel (VIIe) and the overall weakness of ICES survey and landings data on skates and rays, gives this initiative, based on close collaboration between the fishing industry and scientists, a singular importance. If a means of enabling a targeted, managed, fishery under close scientific supervision in the undulate ray fishery is proved feasible, there is scope to explore whether a similar approach has relevance elsewhere.
The aim of the initiative is to provide the evidence-base that would allow a move away from blanket measures, that often have perverse consequences, and toward a sustainable, targeted fishery underpinned by robust collaborative science.
The point of writing to you is to solicit the UK’s support in making approaches to the Commission for approval for this important initiative.
We would be happy to discuss the proposal with you directly, should you want more detail.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
Barrie Deas
Chief Executive
