Evolution

In September 2007, a voluntary system of real-time area closures was introduced with the co-operation of the Scottish fishing industry as an effective means to protect concentrations of code in the North Sea. At this time it was not subject to any enforcement, but areas where high abudances of cod are known to occur were targeted with direct sampling techniques; high concentration areas were closed for a period of three weeks. In December 2007, the EU Fisheries Council gave Member States the option to administer their own (Kw days) control systems. The Scottish Government welcomed this move and immediately conducted consultation, discussions and formulated a Scheme with the inclusion of industry, fishery scientists and other stakeholders, such as those with environmental concerns; to bring about the introduction of the Scottish Conservation Credits Scheme (SCCS) on 1st February 2008.

Throughout 2008, the SCCS was developed and modified with very close co-operation and input from the formation of the Conservation Credits Steering Group (CCSG). Members of the group were drawn from the industry itself, scientific expertise and environmental NGOs.

Main Aims

The primary aim of the Scheme is to reduce cod mortality and general whitefish discards. This is achieved by providing a number of incentives to the demersal fleet in which pro conservation behaviours are promoted and rewarded. The Scheme partially exmpted participating vessels from cuts in effort agreed for 2008. It also provides the facility for vessels to operate under hours, rather than days, at sea, thus providing increased flexibility for the fleet and allowing them to conserve fuel and operate their vessels more safely.

Delivery & Commitment

The Scottish Conservation Credits Scheme forms a key part of the Scottish Government's vision for the future of sea fisheries in Scotland and across Europe. It is seen as an important building block for the future of Europe's fisheries.

The CCSG met on a monthly basis throughout 2008 to monitor, modify and ensure optimum operation of the SCCS. This commitment across such a group of stakeholders was thought to be a unique example of close cross sector collaboration and was also a good way to communicate information to the industry as a whole.

 

At the end of 2008, 15 voluntary real time closures (RTC's) had been invoked; virtually the whole Scottish demersal fleet participated in the Scheme and as such almost 100% compliance was achieved. See WWF (Scotland) Briefing paper giving overview.

2009 and Onward

Building on the success of the voluntary Scheme in 2008, the Scottish Conservation Credits Scheme is operated under a compulsory set of rules in Scottish effort management for 2009. It is now used as an integral tool as part of the Scottish management system for the revised cod recovery plan which requires a 25% reduction in cod mortality for 2009. Hence the scheme now applies to all Scottish areas of the cod recovery zone; under these new effort rules the SCCS now applies to all vessels >10m length overall.

The main features of the SCCS for 2009 are as follows:

Real Time Closures (RTC's)
- Triggered when a predetermined number of cod are caught per hours fishing.
- Figure set at 40/hour for the beginning of 2009 and kept under review by the CCSG.
- In 2009 the trigger level applies to any cod caught; (in 2008 this applied to spawning cod or juvenile cod).
- The estimated target number of closures will be ~140 for the year, so the trigger level may be adjusted.

It is estimated that the RTC's will account for 11-12% of the mortality reduction if this figure can be achieved for the year. All vessels will be expected, on request, to carry an observer.

Seasonal Closures
The Long Hole seasonal closure was put in place and remained closed till sampling indicated sufficiently low levels of cod. In addition three other closures were put in place for fixed periods of time.

Pappa Bank (from 15 January to 15 March)
Coral Edge (from 15 January to 28 February)
Stanhope Ground (from 21 February to 30 April)

In these three cases and unlike the Long Hole these will be automatically re-opened.

Introduction of 'Amber Areas'
Amber areas are associated with cod abundance and are identified for each quarter of the fishing year. Vessels may operate in them but those who agree to remain outside these areas at all times qualify for additional days at sea.

One Net Rule
Vessels may carry on board regulated gears of one category only whilst engaging in fishing activity.

Effort Management
Effort allocation is administered on either a basic flat rate of days at sea for the year or valculated on a track record over 2004-7.

Flat rate allocations have been reduced by 11% for whitefish boats and 7% for nephrops; vessels opting for track record effort allocation receive 85% of their average annual effort over the period.

The days at sea allocation for vessels who have landed <2.5% cod receive a slightly higher allocation of days over the basic. Those who have landed between 2.5 - 5% will also qualify for slightly more days provided they agree to fish south of 59o in the North Sea and outside of the Farn Deeps.

Any of these such vessels will immediately revert back to basic allocation if on any one occasion it lands more than 2.5% cod / inspection at sea records a catch of cod >5% of the total catch / if it's fishing activity infringes the Farn Deeps or 59o N area.

Current Position

The rafts of meausres now incorporated into the Scottish effort mangement regime are both wide ranging and of a dynamic nature to help adapt to what is often a rapidly changing picture. A huge amount of resource has been committed by Marine Scotland (Science) and the CCSG to continually monitor the effectiveness of the scheme.

- The Scottish fleet remains positive regarding the contributions the Scheme can make.
- Compliance by the fleet in 2009 to these new rules remains very high.
- The RTC programme remains on track to meet the target 140 closures over the course of the year.

Some of the more immediate 'next steps' will be to work with skippers and gear manufacturers to provide and test more choices of selective gear which can be recognised in contributing to discard reduction and to continue to encourage more vessels to take up these selective gear options.

Further info can be found here.