The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation Nephrops Focus Group has called upon industry people, fishermen, Marine Scotland management, gear manufacturers and experts at its Aberdeen headquarters meeting with the aim of stimulating discussion and investigation into innovative ideas for net designs that will significantly reduce and hopefully eliminate discards in the Nephrops (prawn or langoustine) fisheries.
In the meeting it was recognised that urgent action is required to enable the large and dispersed Scottish prawn fleet to both fish economically and also meet the ever more stringent demands placed upon fishermen to comply with emerging legislation likely to emanate from the EC in an effort to eliminate discards by 2015. There was presentation by a Gear Technologist from Seafish, which highlighted the effects of various gear configurations as well as emerging selectivity measures now being trialled or employed worldwide.
SFF chief executive Bertie Armstrong said that some serious decisions were made at the meeting like to deal with the challenge of discarding in the Scottish langoustine industry. The wealth of available experience, expertise and knowledge will be fully utilised, starting immediately with trials of innovative selective nets. SFF President Alan Coghill said that the meeting proved that the industry along with net makers, and gear technologists, is taking the initiative in leading the way with innovative new gear designs to address the discards issue.
He added that this project will require the support of regulators and fisheries managers in ensuring that catch statistics are used in a realistic manner so as to enable the implementation of practicable regulations. NFG Chairman John Hermse was delighted with the progress of the meeting saying that it is important to achieve meaningful and workable solutions to the problems facing the fishermen with regard to selectivity and discards.
