The Norwegian Fishermen’s Association remains critical of the authorities’ continued requirement for acoustic pingers in winter net fishery for cod in the Vestfjord region.
‘We believe that more data collection and data assessment should be done,’ said the Association’s chairman Kåre Heggebø.
In December 2021, the Ministry of Trade and Industry announced that the requirement for the use of acoustic transmitters (pingers) would continue for the Vestfjord gill net fishery in 2022.
These are widely recognised as a tool that can deter porpoises and other marine mammals from approaching fishing gears.
‘The Association is concerned about avoiding unwanted bycatch of marine mammals, but still finds that the basis for the decision to mandate pingers is unsatisfactory, as is shown by evaluation of experience from 2021,’ Kåre Heggebø said, and the association has written to the Directorate of Fisheries to set out its concerns.
He points out that last year’s pinger implementation with a short deadline, limited documentation and inadequate evaluation has therefore contributed to a regulation for which fishermen have little respect
The Norwegian Fishermen’s Association that this year data can be collated to evaluate the effectiveness of pingers in deterring marine mammals.
‘We recommend that for the 2022 season, and preferably several seasons after that, a reporting routine is set up that records data and from all vessel sizes, to ensure a reliable data basis for assessing the effect of the measure,’ Kåre Heggebø said, adding that the Association’s opinion is that the Institute of Marine Research (HI) should also be commissioned to analyse the data well in advance of the 2023 season, allowing opportunities to make adjustments to both reporting routines and the use of pingers.
