PRINCIPAL FISHERY OFFICER’S REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD 1st NOVEMBER 2009 to 31ST JANUARY 2010
1. It is to be expected that fishing activity declines during the winter months through a combination of seasonal fisheries and poor weather. These restrictive forces cause greatest hardship for the inshore fleets that cannot venture far from home port. The following Area reports document mixed fortunes throughout all sectors, but with virtually all the vessels based within the District now being classed inshore fleet, the socio-economic impacts are hard felt when landings decline.
2. The change in structure of the fleet is not unique to this District, as over the last 10 years there has been a UK wide trend to replace large whitefish trawlers with small vessels targeting high value shellfish. Since 1999 there has been a 25% increase in the value of shellfish landed into the UK, however the true increase in tonnage landed is masked by the fact that price paid per kilo landed has remained almost static over the same 10 year period. This vast increase in tonnage landed not only exceeds market demand, depressing prices further but creates increasing pressure on the inshore fisheries. The industry has taken the initiative in an attempt to stabilise the brown crab market and increase prices through a voluntary agreement to temporarily reduce landings by 25%. This follows the earlier attempts to reduce oversupply with the localised voluntary reduction of lobster landings into North East England ports.
3. The level of activity within the non-commercial sector is also a barometer of the general state of the UK economy, with a recordable increase in netting recently occurring principally on the Welsh beaches, and ‘scouting’ for cockles in Morecambe Bay. Thus targeted enforcement has reacted mainly to intertidal fishing activity, which includes the low level cockle fishery on the North Wales coast.
4. During the winter period the focus of offshore enforcement centres around the scallop fishery. Due to the Welsh Assembly Government‘s (WAG) prohibition of scallop fishing in all Welsh waters from 1st November 2009 to 1st March 2010, offshore enforcement has been greatly reduced during this reporting period. However the imminent but spatially restricted re-opening of the fishery on 1st March, will present huge challenges in deploying sufficient resources to oversee an expected large number of vessels working within a relatively small area designated within the Cardigan Bay SAC. Additionally, with scallop fishing being prohibited in all Welsh SACs, cSACs and within 1 mile of the beach, the enforcement burden has risen dramatically with no additional resources being provided.
5. I foresee the overstretching of enforcement resources as an ever-increasing problem with the forthcoming designation of MCZs. It is easy to identify areas that satisfy conservation aspirations, but the enforcement of the ensuing restrictions is extremely difficult. Sea Fisheries Committees (SFCs) currently have the facility to deliver appropriate enforcement at sea, and although the Marine Act 2009 provides for hard negotiated improved and extended powers for inshore fisheries managers, there is no automatic uplift in resources to deliver new plans. The UK economy is unlikely to provide for any substantial increase in public sector finance for a considerable period of time, therefore I would urge the conservation agencies to exercise restraint in designating new restricted areas, and fully understand the limitations of the organisation that will ultimately bear the burden of providing sea-borne enforcement.
6. Much has been reported with regards to the dissolution of the NWNWSFC on 1st April 2010, and the relatively easy reformation of the north west region as North West SFC. Unfortunately the Welsh part of the current District is not faring so well. Whilst the project to take inshore fisheries functions into WAG has identified and resolved the legislative issues for the transition of Byelaws, the Menai East Fishery Order, and transfer of assets, much remains to be completed. At the time of writing, there are just 6 weeks to ‘D’ day, and the staff based in Wales have yet to receive job offers, the organisational structure remains in draft format, and the autonomy of the 2 proposed inshore management units (based on current SFC boundaries) has not been agreed. Staff morale is understandably very low. The Stakeholder Advisory Group and Inshore Fisheries groups (the new conduit for policy that replaces the current SFCs) have yet to be formed, and already a variety of sectors are questioning how they can make representations during the interim period.
7. WAG and SFC staff would both wish for a seamless transfer, however this seems highly unlikely within the North Wales area as there will be a great imbalance of staff resource between south and north. South Wales Sea Fisheries are a fully resourced discreet operational unit, and will remain so after 1st April 2010. However, administrative and science support for the Menai Bridge office has yet to be agreed and will, in the interim, probably be contracted back from Carnforth.
8. It is unfortunate that NWNWSFC comes to an end in such an untidy fashion. However the challenges for managing inshore fisheries remain and in order to capitalise on the last 100 years and ensure long term fishing opportunities, we must all strive to make best use of the new organisational structures in both England and Wales.
MARTYN BOYCE
Principal Fishery Officer
18th February 2010
NORTH WALES AREA POINT OF AYR TO ANGLESEY
Senior Fishery Officer, P. H. Capper
As with the corresponding quarter last year, winter arrived early with heavy snowfalls and prolonged periods of very cold weather. This again has had a noticeable impact on sea temperatures and consequently an impact on the seasonality of fish species pursued by the industry and anglers.
Small-scale engineering works have been under way or are proposed in various locations. These include sea defence works and consultation on proposed extensions to the pier facilities at Beaumaris and structural changes to the commercial docks at Mostyn.
TRAWLING
Trawling continues to take place on suitable grounds at a very low level and an occasional basis but interest is minimal and is mostly undertaken by the smaller vessels.
One vessel has been observed to be undertaking work in Conwy bay, two vessels have been observed in the Colwyn Bay area and a boat from Amlwch is working to the north east of the island. Generally catches that have been observed proved to be reasonable with the occasional good landing of flat fish.
POTTING
The lobster and brown crab fishery is at its usual moribund seasonal norm and like last year even more so than in previous winters. The supply of lobsters has been impacted on by the prolonged periods of cold weather and high winds. There is some small-scale activity in sheltered waters.
Potting for whelks continues to be undertaken on both the north and west coasts of Anglesey on a limited basis, weather permitting.
The north coast of Anglesey prawn fishery commenced in the first month of the quarter and has continued throughout this quarter, it appears to be little effected by the cold weather.
The shore crab fishery in the Menai Strait continued at the relatively low level observed over the past 12 months
COCKLES
The cockle fishery has been open throughout the quarter and has been undertaken to large extent at Lavan Sands and as reported in the past, at what is in my view is a sustainable level of activity, both from the point of view of stock management and the physical management of the activity. I have assisted the project officer with activity at this site and no doubt she will be reporting in more detail with regard to effort statistics.
The other cockling areas have not been exploited this quarter but ongoing survey and patrol work has been undertaken.
MUSSELS
The mussel fishery is in full swing with the public, Several Order and Regulating Order areas being harvested as and when opportunity arises. Observance of size limits on the public and regulated beds has been good.
Reports of illegal hand mussel dredging on the Conwy beds have been received in the last half of the period and a patrols have been undertaken by myself and the patrol boat crew. The Conwy fishery has continued throughout the quarter at a reduced level to recent years with poor levels of orders reported. The issue of water quality in the area of the Conwy mussel fishery and its consequential impact on the health classification of the beds continues to be a matter of concern, however it is noted that there has been a small improvement in the results as reported at the shellfish hygiene meeting. The procedures put in place for the management of the Conwy fishery in the absence of the Regulating Order seem to be continuing to work well on an interim basis.
The expression of interest that was received last quarter in relation to the seed mussel resource at Llanddulas resulted in a short period of activity in November, when a quantity of no more than 20 tons was harvested. It is interesting to note that the honeycomb worm that was spreading in the area appears to have stabilised, with some new patches and some patches succumbing to wave action and colonisation by mussel spat.
The Menai Strait continues to be worked consistent with the management aims of the lay holders.
NETTING
The small mesh fishery, both set and drift has been undertaken throughout the area in the early part of the quarter, but since the onset of the cold weather and sea temperatures in December, it has been much reduced. Catches initially were quite good, with some numbers of sizeable bass and mullet observed.
ANGLING
Angling for leisure and pleasure has been observed throughout the area and quarter; observance of the minimum landing size has been good. Activity has been mainly undertaken by “local” anglers; observance of the minimum landing size has been good. Results have been variable, latterly there have been reports of some cod being taken.
Reports continue to be received of activity at Wylfa and checks on size have continued to be undertaken at irregular hours.
ENFORCEMENT, PATROLS, SURVEYS ETC.
I have undertaken patrols by van, on foot, and ATV Q5. I have undertaken patrols within my area in conjunction with other shore based fishery officers. I have undertaken cockle sampling duties for Gwynedd County Council. I have attended various meetings on the Committee’s behalf and others as part of the normal officer complement. This quarter has seen a considerable amount of time spent on the bureaucracy of the changes coming to the management of the inshore fisheries. The last month of the quarter has seen me unable to patrol due to some broken ribs. I would like to thank those officers who have assisted in the management of the area during my absence.
LLŶN PENINSULA BANGOR TO BARMOUTH
Senior Fishery and Fisheries Science Officer, G. Hughes
After almost 28 years, this is the last full quarterly report that I shall write for the North Western & North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee as we Welsh Fishery Officers are forced to part company with our North Western friends and colleagues.
The quarter was characterised by a period of very stong winds followed by the coldest weather recorded for many years with much ice and snow.
TRAWLING
An over 12 metre scalloper with a Byelaw 9 sunset clause displaced from her traditional scalloping grounds off Cardigan by The Prohibition of Fishing for Scallops (Wales) Order 2009 scalloping ban in Welsh waters caused consternation when she was seen trawling off the north coast of Llŷn.
LOBSTER POTTING
Lobster potters suffered significant pot losses during the rough weather with some reporting losses of over one third. They were also disillusioned by poor lobster prices, £14.50 per kg compared to £18 per kg during the corresponding period last year. Despite this, some lobster potting was carried out throughout the area during the quarter.
WHELK POTTING
Whelk potting continued from Porthdinllaen throughout the quarter when the weather allowed.
PRAWN POTTING
The rough weather had brought prawn potting to an end by Christmas as prawn pots are not robust. Catches obtained at the beginning of the quarter were good, however.
NETTING
More beach netting activity has been seen in the area during the quarter than has been seen for many years. From previous experience, the level of beach netting activity particularly in the run up to Christmas has always been a good indicator of the state of the economy as people turn to such methods of making money either by selling shore caught fish or saving on food bills by netting fish to eat themselves.
Beach netsmen fell into three categories during the quarter, a) commercial fishermen trying to earn a wage when it was too rough for boat fishing, b) itinerant opportunistic fishermen working nets at various locations throughout the area over single tides, and c) hobby netsmen working a single net to catch fish for family and friends.
Nets appeared to be taking reasonable catches of seafish and several netsmen were not deterred by the bitterly cold weather. One bass of approximately 1½kg taken in a net at Abersoch was seen to disgorge a partially digested 22cm long herring that was a good third as long as itself.
An unfortunate consequence of beach netting activity coinciding by large numbers of seabirds being driven in very close to the shelter of the shore by stong winds and heavy seas were that some of the seabirds became enmeshed. Assistance was given to an RSPCA Inspector following reports of seabirds taken in a net set at Morfa Nefyn. The net was located and one dead great northern diver and two cormorants were seen. The net was voluntarily removed to another location by its owners.