Future trends in fishing and aquaculture in the South Inshore and Offshore marine plan areas

275 Pages·2013·6.65 MB·English

by  Marine Management Organisation

Future trends in
fishing and
aquaculture in the
South Inshore and
Offshore marine plan
areas

December 2013
This page has been intentionally left blank.
Future Trends in Fishing and Aquaculture in the
South Inshore and Offshore Marine Plan Areas

MMO Project No: 1051

Project funded by: The Marine Management Organisation

Report prepared by: ABP Marine Environmental Research Ltd in association with
Ichthys Marine Ecological Consulting Ltd and Dr Michael Pawson.
© Marine Management Organisation 2013

This publication (excluding the logos) may be re-used free of charge in any format or
medium (under the terms of the Open Government Licence
www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/). It may only be re-used
accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as
Marine Management Organisation Copyright and use of it must give the title of the
source publication. Where third party Copyright material has been identified, further
use of that material requires permission from the Copyright holders concerned.

Disclaimer

This report contributes to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) evidence
base which is a resource developed through a large range of research activity and
methods carried out by both the MMO and external experts.

The opinions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views of the
MMO nor are they intended to indicate how the MMO will act on a given set of facts
or signify any preference for one research activity or method over another. The MMO
is not liable for the accuracy or completeness of the information contained nor is it
responsible for any use of the content.

This report should be cited as

MMO (2013). Future trends in Fishing and Aquaculture in the South Inshore and
Offshore Marine Plan Areas. A report produced for the Marine Management
Organisation, pp 257. MMO Project No: 1051. ISBN: 978-1-909452-20-6.

First published December 2013.
Contents
Executive Summary ................................................................................................. 1 
1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 5 
1.1 Background to the study .................................................................................. 5 
1.2 Aims and objectives ......................................................................................... 5 
1.3 Approach to analysis and prediction of future scenarios .................................. 6 
2. Commercial Fisheries .......................................................................................... 8 
2.1 Definition of sector ........................................................................................... 8 
2.2 Methodology .................................................................................................... 8 
2.2.1 Selection of datasets ................................................................................. 8 
2.2.2 Summary of data analysis and GIS methodology ..................................... 9 
2.2.3 Data processing ...................................................................................... 10 
2.2.4 Validation of datasets selected and the baseline data produced ............ 12 
2.3 Overview of activity in the South marine plan areas ...................................... 12 
2.3.1 Current location and intensity of activity .................................................. 12 
2.3.2 Review of historical trends ...................................................................... 28 
2.4 Review of factors affecting the sector ............................................................ 31 
2.4.1 Technology ............................................................................................. 32 
2.4.2 Processing .............................................................................................. 43 
2.4.3 Consumer taste ...................................................................................... 46 
2.4.4 Markets ................................................................................................... 51 
2.4.5 Marketing ................................................................................................ 54 
2.4.6 Skills and expertise ................................................................................. 55 
2.4.7 Business costs ........................................................................................ 56 
2.4.8 Environment ............................................................................................ 57 
2.4.9 Policy ...................................................................................................... 65 
2.4.10 Resource availability ............................................................................. 79 
2.4.11 Funding mechanisms ............................................................................ 99 
2.4.12 Certification schemes .......................................................................... 103 
2.5 Relative importance of factors ...................................................................... 104 
2.6 Future scenarios .......................................................................................... 105 
2.6.1 Six year scenario .................................................................................. 105 
2.6.2 Six to twenty year scenario ................................................................... 106 
2.7 Summary of future trends analysis ............................................................... 107
2.8 Key gaps and limitations of current knowledge ............................................ 107 
2.9 Recommendations ....................................................................................... 108 
3. Subsistence Fisheries ..................................................................................... 110 
3.1 Definition of sector and information sources ................................................ 110 
3.1.1 Information sources .............................................................................. 110 
3.1.2 Data limitations ..................................................................................... 110 
3.2 Overview of activity in the South marine plan areas .................................... 110 
3.2.1 Current location and intensity of activity ................................................ 110 
3.2.2 Review of historical trends .................................................................... 111 
3.3 Review of factors affecting the sector .......................................................... 111 
3.3.1 Technology ........................................................................................... 111 
3.3.2 Consumer taste .................................................................................... 112 
3.3.3 Environment .......................................................................................... 113 
3.3.4 Policy .................................................................................................... 114 
3.3.5 Resource availability ............................................................................. 115 
3.4 Relative importance of factors ...................................................................... 115 
3.5 Future Scenarios .......................................................................................... 116 
3.5.1 Six year scenario and six to twenty year scenario ................................ 116 
3.6 Summary of future trends analysis ............................................................... 116 
3.7 Key gaps and limitations of current knowledge ............................................ 116 
3.8 Recommendations ....................................................................................... 117 
4. Shellfish Aquaculture ...................................................................................... 118 
4.1 Definition of sector and information sources ................................................ 118 
4.1.1 Information sources .............................................................................. 118 
4.1.2 Data limitations ..................................................................................... 118 
4.2 Overview of activity in the South marine plan areas .................................... 119 
4.2.1 Current location and intensity of activity ................................................ 119 
4.2.2 Review of historical trends .................................................................... 121 
4.3 Review of factors affecting the sector .......................................................... 122 
4.3.1 Technology ........................................................................................... 122 
4.3.2 Processing ............................................................................................ 128 
4.3.3 Consumer taste .................................................................................... 129 
4.3.4 Markets ................................................................................................. 132 
4.3.5 Marketing .............................................................................................. 133 
4.3.6 Skills and expertise ............................................................................... 134
4.3.7 Business costs ...................................................................................... 135 
4.3.8 Environment .......................................................................................... 136 
4.3.9 Policy .................................................................................................... 141 
4.3.10 Resource availability ........................................................................... 146 
4.3.11 Funding mechanisms .......................................................................... 148 
4.3.12 Certification schemes .......................................................................... 149 
4.4 Relative importance of factors ...................................................................... 150 
4.5 Future scenarios .......................................................................................... 151 
4.5.1 Six year scenario .................................................................................. 151 
4.5.2 Six to twenty year scenario ................................................................... 152 
4.6 Summary of future trends analysis ............................................................... 152 
4.7 Key gaps and limitations of current knowledge ............................................ 153 
4.8 Recommendations ....................................................................................... 153 
5. Finfish Aquaculture .......................................................................................... 154 
5.1 Definition of sector and information sources ................................................ 154 
5.1.1 Information sources .............................................................................. 154 
5.1.2 Data limitations ..................................................................................... 154 
5.2 Overview of activity in the South marine plan areas .................................... 154 
5.2.1 Current location and intensity of activity ................................................ 154 
5.3 Review of factors affecting the sector .......................................................... 154 
5.3.1 Technology ........................................................................................... 154 
5.3.2 Consumer taste .................................................................................... 156 
5.3.3 Markets ................................................................................................. 158 
5.3.4 Skills and expertise ............................................................................... 159 
5.3.5 Business costs ...................................................................................... 160 
5.3.6 Environment .......................................................................................... 160 
5.3.7 Policy .................................................................................................... 163 
5.3.8 Resource availability ............................................................................. 165 
5.3.9 Funding mechanisms ............................................................................ 166 
5.3.10 Certification schemes .......................................................................... 167 
5.4 Relative importance of factors ...................................................................... 167 
5.5 Future scenarios .......................................................................................... 168 
5.5.1 Six year scenario .................................................................................. 168 
5.5.2 Six to twenty year scenario ................................................................... 168 
5.6 Summary of future trends analysis ............................................................... 168 
5.7 Key gaps and limitations of current knowledge ............................................ 168
5.8 Recommendations ....................................................................................... 169 
6. Recommendations for reducing evidence gaps ............................................ 170 
6.1 Commercial fisheries .................................................................................... 170 
6.2 Subsistence fisheries ................................................................................... 170 
6.3 Finfish aquaculture ....................................................................................... 170 
6.4 Shellfish aquaculture .................................................................................... 170 
7. References ........................................................................................................ 171 
Annex 1: Stakeholder Workshop Attendees, Agenda and Outputs ................. 188 
Annex 2: List of Spatial Data Sources ................................................................ 193 
Annex 3: Limitations of Available Commercial Fisheries Spatial Data Sources
................................................................................................................ 197 
Annex 4: Gear Type Aggregations ...................................................................... 201 
Annex 5: Initial Baseline Analysis ...................................................................... 204 
Annex 6: Validation of Datasets Selected and Updated Baseline Maps .......... 213 
Annex 7: rMCZ Management Scenarios ............................................................. 220 
Annex 8: Background Information on Resource Species in the South Marine
Plan Areas for Which Stock Assessments are Available ................... 226
Figures

Figure 1: South marine plan areas, ICES rectangles and MCZ Fisheries Model. ... 13 
Figure 2: Volume of demersal and pelagic fish and shellfish caught in the South
marine plan areas in 2011 by (a) UK vessels and (b) foreign vessels. .... 15 
Figure 3: Value of demersal and pelagic fish and shellfish caught in the South
marine plan areas in 2011 by (a) UK vessels and (b) foreign vessels. .... 15 
Figure 4: Volume of the top ten species (live weight) caught in the South marine
plan areas in 2011 by (a) UK vessels and (b) foreign vessels. ................ 16 
Figure 5: Landings value of the top ten species caught in the South marine plan
areas in 2011 by (a) UK vessels and (b) foreign vessels. ....................... 17 
Figure 6: Volume of fish and shellfish (live weight) caught in the South marine plan
areas in 2011 by vessel length. ............................................................... 18 
Figure 7: Landings value of fish and shellfish caught in the South marine plan areas
in 2011 by vessel length. ......................................................................... 18 
Figure 8: Volume of fish and shellfish (live weight) caught in the South marine plan
areas in 2011 by gear type. ..................................................................... 19 
Figure 9: Landings value of fish and shellfish caught in the South marine plan areas
in 2011 by gear type. ............................................................................... 19 
Figure 10: VMS (over-15m) Landings Value for dredges (2007 to 2011). ............... 20 
Figure 11: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for pots and traps (2007 to 2011). ...... 20 
Figure 12: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for nets (2007 to 2011). ...................... 21 
Figure 13: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for lines (2007 to 2011). ..................... 21 
Figure 14: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for mid-water trawls (2007 to 2011). .. 22 
Figure 15: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for demersal trawls (2007 to 2011). ... 22 
Figure 16: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for dredges (2007 to
2011). ...................................................................................................... 23 
Figure 17: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for pots and traps
(2007 to 2011). ........................................................................................ 24 
Figure 18: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for nets (2007 to
2011). ...................................................................................................... 24 
Figure 19: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for lines (2007 to
2011). ...................................................................................................... 25 
Figure 20: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for mid-water trawls
(2007 to 2011). ........................................................................................ 25 
Figure 21: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for demersal trawls
(2007 to 2011). ........................................................................................ 26 
Figure 22: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for all gear types (2007 to 2011). ....... 27 
Figure 23: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for all gear types
(2007 to 2011). ........................................................................................ 27 
Figure 24: MCZ and VMS All Landings value for all vessel lengths and gear types
(2007 to 2011). ........................................................................................ 28
Figure 25: Value (a) and volume (b) of landings caught in the South marine plan
areas by UK vessels (2002 to 2011). ...................................................... 29 
Figure 26: Value (a) and volume (b) of landings caught in the South marine plan
areas by foreign vessels (2002 to 2011). ................................................ 29 
Figure 27: Value (a) and volume (b) of species types caught in the South marine
plan areas (2002 to 2011) by UK vessels. ............................................... 30 
Figure 28: Value (a) and volume (b) of the top 10 species caught in the South
marine plan areas (2002 to 2011) by UK vessels. ................................... 31 
Figure 29: Number of sea fish processing units by region and processing type
(Source: Seafish, 2012a). ........................................................................ 44 
Figure 30: Location of recommended Marine Conservation Zones in the South
marine plan areas. ................................................................................... 69 
Figure 31: Location of shellfish harvesting areas and shellfish aquaculture activity in
the South marine plan areas. ................................................................ 120 
Figure 32: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for dredges (2007 to 2010). .............. 205 
Figure 33: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for pots and traps (2007 to 2010). .... 205 
Figure 34: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for nets (2007 to 2010). .................... 206 
Figure 35: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for lines (2007 to 2010). ................... 206 
Figure 36: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for mid-water trawls (2007 to 2010). 207 
Figure 37: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for demersal trawls (2007 to 2010). . 207 
Figure 38: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for dredges (2007 to
2010). .................................................................................................... 208 
Figure 39: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for pots and traps
(2007 to 2010). ...................................................................................... 208 
Figure 40: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for nets (2007 to
2010). .................................................................................................... 209 
Figure 41: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for lines (2007 to
2010). .................................................................................................... 209 
Figure 42: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for mid-water trawls
(2007 to 2010). ...................................................................................... 210 
Figure 43: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for demersal trawls
(2007 to 2010). ...................................................................................... 210 
Figure 44: VMS (over-15m) Landings value for all gear types (2007 to 2010). ..... 211 
Figure 45: MCZ Fisheries Model (under-15m) Landings value for all gear types
(2007 to 2010). ...................................................................................... 211 
Figure 46: MCZ and VMS All Landings value for all vessel lengths and gear types
(2007 to 2010). ...................................................................................... 212 
Figure 47: Summary of ICES’ stock assessment for cod in Subarea IV (North Sea)
and Divisions VIId (Eastern Channel) and IIIa West (Skagerrak) 1963 to
2012, showing estimated catch, and recruitment at age 1, SSB and F with
95% confidence intervals....................................................................... 228 
Figure 48: Summary of the ICES stock assessment for cod in Divisions VIIe-k
(Celtic Sea cod). .................................................................................... 229