Brussels, 25/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - An external study on small-scale driftnet fishing, which was published on Thursday 24 June, states, amongst other things, that a total ban on these fishing gears, as proposed by the European Commission in May this year, would have a considerable economic and social impact, whilst it is hard to quantify the environmental effects of such a ban (see EUROPE 11079 and 11080).
Regulation 345/92 brings in a ban on driftnets of total or individual length greater than 2.5 kilometres (and the obligation for driftnets of more than 1 km in length to be permanently attached to the fishing vessel). According to the authors of the study, which was commissioned by DG MARE, there is a clear need to continue to ban drift nets of more than 2.5 km. However, a total ban on driftnets “will result in an increase in administrative burden for the member states”, particularly those which currently do not prioritise driftnets fisheries for control activities, the study says. This option would “result in significant social and economic impacts for affected fishers, particularly in the short term as they adapt”, the report reads.
The report goes on to stipulate that it is not easy to determine the possible environmental impacts of the total ban. In particular, the fact that effort would be transferred from driftnet fisheries to other metiers “could result in either positive or negative impacts on the environment depending on the relative impact of the impact of driftnets compared to the new gears”. The report points out that fleets using driftnets generate low levels of catch compared to other European fleets. Furthermore, there is no evidence to suggest that the stocks targeted by driftnets are at risk of overfishing in the North Sea and North-East Atlantic as a result of these fisheries. “The proportion of catch taken by driftnets is low compared to other metiers used”.
The report indicates that the current controls used by the member states are sufficient to detect infringements against the maximum length of driftnets. For nine of the 10 countries consulted, small driftnet fisheries were not considered risk or priority fisheries in terms of control and surveillance. However, infringements were reported in the Mediterranean concerning the catch of banned species. National legislation has been tightened up to improve the control on driftnets (Italy), by banning vessels from simultaneously holding driftnets and longlines on board. This makes it possible to prevent species being targeted and caught using driftnets and then declared longline-caught. “This suggests that the tools in place to implement the subject may not be entirely relevant to requirements within the Mediterranean”, the report concludes.
44 fisheries using small driftnets have been identified in ten case studies, covering several basins of the EU: the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the North Sea, the North-East Atlantic and in soem outermost regions (French Guiana and Martinique). The Mediterranean has eight fisheries, all of which are located in Italy. There are 24 fisheries in the North-East Atlantic (France, the United Kingdom and Portugal). In this region, fisheries target seabass, salmon, herring, common sole, sardine, shad (Alosa spp.), lamprey (Petromyzontidae spp.) and sea bream (Sparidae spp.). The majority of vessels are less than 12 metres in length and operate within 12 nautical miles of the shore. Two fisheries have been identified in the French overseas territories of Guiana and Martinique. The fishery in Guiana targets acoupa and reportedly involves 83 vessels, while the fishery operating out of Martinique involves 45 vessels targeting flying fish. (LC)