Norway’s Directorate of Fisheries is being urged to issue a dispensation allowing commercial fishermen to fish for wrasse and crab inside a newly-created conservation area for lobster near Stavanger.
The Norwegian Fishermen’s Association (Norges Fiskarlag) believes that such a dispensation can be made without any negative effects on conservation. These measures were introduced to protect over-exploited lobster stocks, but this has had unforeseen consequences for local fishermen, as Norges Fiskarkag and local association Sør-Norges-Fiskarlag have taken the initiative in drawing attention to this issue.
Wrasse and crab fisheries are important fisheries for the region and the establishment of the conservation area has shut them out of these waters in Stavanger Harbour, Vignesholmane and Mortavika. As a result, fishermen are travelling longer distances to fishing grounds – increasing fuel consumption and emissions, while also displacing effort to other areas.
This brings an economic as well as an environmental aspect to the area closure – although the local fishing community has been very positive about measures to protect lobster and accepted a ban on the use of passive fishing gear in the Stavanger harbour area.
According to Sør-Norges-Fiskarlag, lobster stocks can be protected effectively without affecting the fishermen’s livelihoods. They point out that lobsters have a high survival rate, and any caught in wrasse or crab traps can be returned to the sea without any great risk to their survival.
‘Commercial fishing is sustainably regulated and legal, with strict requirements for tracking and reporting of its vessels and its operations. In this way, we ensure that the fisheries take place within the current regulations, and also that the lobster stocks are not adversely affected,’ a Sør-Norges-Fiskarlag representative commented.
The association is advocating a dispensation for wrasse and crab fisheries inside the lobster conservation areas from July to October, enabling local fishermen to maintain commercial activity, but without affecting the purpose of these lobster conservation areass – and has reminded the Directorate of Fisheries that othe rmunicipalities have granted similar dispensations as they are requesting in this instance.
