The use of effort as a management tool

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

Experiences in the Baltic

Michael AndersenDanish Fishermen’s Association

FISHING EFFORT BRUSSELS 5 JULY 2012

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

Regulation by days-at-sea – not kWdays

Also by closed seasons and areas

Present effort regulation in the Baltic

introduced to reduce overfishing

West: closed from 1. April to 30. AprilEast: closed from 1. July to 31. August

Spawning areas in East closed from 1. May to 31. October

Characteristics of cod fishery in the Baltic Sea

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

”Clean” cod fishery

Very low discards

Resident fleet as well as migratory fleet

Experiences

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

Real effort reduction

”No” overfishing

Growing problem for small scale fleet

STECF concludes that effort regulation is not needed

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

ICES considers that, in 2008 and 2009, the enforcement of fishing control led to a significant reduction of non-reporting; the available information suggests that unreported landings in 2009 were only 6% of the reported landings. In 2010 and 2011 the unreported landings are assumed to be zero.

From ICES Advice 2012

”No” overfishing

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

All from: COM (2012) 278 final

Western Baltic

Eastern BalticReal effort reduction

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

Development in Days-at-Sea and TAC

West

East

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

Problem for small scale fleet

The large vessels just leave- if they have historical rights

Only with historical rights

Not as efficient as…

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

Council regulation (EC) No 1098/2007 of 18 September 2007:

Article 8, 5:

Where the fishing mortality rate for one of the cod stocksconcerned has been estimated by the STECF to be less than10 % above the minimum fishing mortality rates defined in Article 4,

the total number of days where fishing with the gear referred to in paragraph 1 is allowed shall be equal tothe total number of days allowed in the current year, multiplied by the minimum fishing mortality rate defined in Article 4 divided by the fishing mortality rate estimated by STECF.

X Target

x 10 % above

Article 8,4

Article 8,5

F’ometer

Quote from letter from BSRAC to COM in 2011

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

For the western Baltic, the number of days at sea in 2011 is 163. The target mortality is 0.60 and the estimated mortality is 0.57.

We calculate the number of days at sea for 2012 as follows: 163 x 0.6 ÷ 0.57 = 172

For the eastern Baltic, the number of days at sea in 2011 is 160. The target mortality is 0.3 and the estimated mortality is 0.23.

Our calculations give: 160 x 0.3 ÷ 0.23 = 209

Quote from COM answer

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

… the cod plan does not foresee the possibility to increase fishing effort if fishing mortality (F) is below target

!?!?!?!?!?!?

In ICES’ advice from 2012, the interpretation of Article 8, 4 is similar to that of the BSRAC

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

Fishing mortality

Days-at-Sea

F target

time

X

X

Not to becontinued…

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

As effort regulation does not provide any benefits to the management, as long as TACs are efficiently controlled (according to STECF) – it should be removed as a management tool.

- a closure of a spawning area – in the spawning period - is a meaningfull way of restricting effort on bad fisheries

- do not micromanage, when stock is not in immediate risk

Closed periods are not usefull if they affect other fisheries

July 5th 2012 Effort management in the Baltic

Problem solved…

…your’e welcomme

Thank you for listening