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Ref. Ares(2018)3458642 - 29/06/2018
Ref. Ares(2019)2387732 - 04/04/2019
ANNEX IX .Report to support the request for by-catches of the following pelagic
species: horse mackerel (Trachurus spp.), mackerel (Scomber scombrus),
anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) and boarfish (Caproidae), a combined de
minimis for the species up to a maximum of 1% in 2019 ,2020 and 2021, of the
total annual catches of these species made by for longliners (codes: LHP, LHM,
LLS, LLD) in fisheries in ICES divisions VIII and IX, X and CECAF areas 34.1.1,
34.1.2, 34.2.0.
The request for an exemption for de minimis is based on article 15.c.i), due to difficulties to
further increase selectivity in this mixed fishery, and on article 15.c.ii), due to disproportionate
costs a total application of the landing obligation would cause in this fishery. The fleet is
particularly vulnerable for the risk of commercial catch losses an improvement in selectivity
would cause.
The selectivity of longlines and hooks and lines is very difficult to improve as it is already a very
selective gear. The main problem this metier have to face when the total landing obligation
enters in force in 2019 is the lack of quota to cover a relative small quantities of unwanted
catches of these pelagic species. This is more a seasonal problem as the discard rate varies a
lot from one season to another. But the lack of flexibility could cause that their activity is
choked by this by-catches although the vessels have enough quota of target species available.
Summary
Motive ................................................................................................................................. 1
Definition of the species ..................................................................................................... 2
Definition of the management unit .................................................................................... 3
Specifying de minimis volume ............................................................................................ 4
Reference ............................................................................................................................ 5
Annexes ................................................................................
¡Error! Marcador no definido.
Motive
Although this is a very selective gear, as said before, some pelagic species which can be
spatially and temporally abundant can be found in the hooks, especially mackerel and horse
mackerel.
Thus, it is very difficult to improve selectivity without causing significant commercial losses.
Taking into account that the amount of unwanted catches is very low this should not be a
problem for the stock. The objective to improve selectivity more in this fleet at the moment
seems to be unnecessary moreover if the consequences of doing that could lead this fleet to
be unviable economically.
This specificity of longlines, hooks and lines fisheries justifies this exemption request due to
how complicate is to improve the selectivity.
In addition to those situations of choke species if the quota for some stocks in to enough or is
exhausted, landing application enforcement may generate disproportionate cost due to hold
overloading and increase the sorting time on board for the crew. Those arguments justify this
de minimis request also for disproportionate costs.
This de minimis request aims to give some flexibility needed for fishermen using longlines
hooks and lines to implement the landing obligation in practice.
Definition of the species
All pelagic fish under landing obligation are concerned by this exemption. Pelagic fish inhabit
the water column (not near the bottom) of coasts, open oceans, and lake
(National Ocean
Service).
Below, the states of the stocks affected by this exemption, according to ICES:
- Mackerel (subareas 1–8 and 14, and in Division 9.a): ICES advises that when the MSY approach
is applied, catches in 2018 should be no more than 550 948 tonnes. The spawning-stock
biomass (SSB) is estimated to have increased in the late 2000s and has remained above MSY
Btrigger since 2008. The fishing mortality (F) has declined from high levels in the mid-2000s, but
remains above FMSY. Discarding is known to take place, but is only quantified for part of the
fisheries; the proportion of the landings covered cannot be calculated. Partial discard
estimates are included in the assessment and overall discarding is assumed negligible.
- Horse-mackerel (Subarea 8 and divisions 2.a, 4.a, 5.b, 6.a, 7.a–c, and 7.e–k): ICES advises that
when the MSY approach is applied, catches in 2018 should be no more than 117 070 tonnes.
The stock and the fishery are very dependent on occasional high recruitments. Recruitment
from 2002 onwards has been low; however, recruitment in the last three years is above the
geometric mean (1983–2016). In recent years, SSB has been declining and is currently the
lowest observed in the time-series, below MSY Btrigger. Fishing mortality increased from 2007,
but dropped in 2015–2016 and is currently below FMSY.
- Horse-mackerel (Division 9.a (Atlantic Iberian waters)): ICES advises that when the MSY
approach is applied, catches in 2018 should be no more than 55 555 tonnes. Fishing mortality
has been below FMSY over the whole time-series. The spawning-stock biomass (SSB) has been
above MSY Btrigger over the whole time-series and has slightly increased in recent years.
Recruitment (R) in 2011–2015 has been above the time-series average.
- Anchovy (Subarea 8 (Bay of Biscay)): ICES advises that when the management strategy is
applied, catches in 2018 should be no more than 33 000 tonnes. The spawning–stock biomass
(SSB) has been above Blim since 2010. Recruitment and SSB have been well above the historical
average in recent years. The incoming recruitment (age 1) in 2018 is the third highest in the
historical series. Harvest rates since the reopening of the fishery in 2010 have been below
average.
- Boarfish (subareas 6–8 (Celtic Seas, English Channel, and Bay of Biscay)): ICES advises that
when the precautionary approach is applied, catches should be no more than 21 830 tonnes
in each of the years 2018 and 2019. The relative stock biomass was stable until 2009, and then
increased in 2010–2012 before declining rapidly in 2013 and 2014. Since 2014, relative
biomasses have been stable but lower than previously.
Definition of the management unit
Characteristics of the bottom trawl fishery and its activity
Table 1.1. Métiers included in the SWW discard atlas and their target stocks
Métier
Métier code
Target species
Hake
Nephrops
Sole
Portuguese métiers
Polyvalent Portuguese fleet
LLS, GNS_>80mm,
S
IXa
GTR_>100mm
Spanish métiers
Bottom longline targeting demersal species in Spanish
LLS_DEF_VIIIc_IXa
S
Iberian waters
French métiers
Bottom longline targeting demersal species in the
LLS_DEF_LHM_LHP_FI
N
northern Bay of Biscay
F _VIIIab
Composition of catches, landings and discards
From Spain and France there is no information from observers data in the case of the
Hooks
Catches
Species
(tonnes)
(%)
ANE
0,000
0,00%
BOC
0,000
0,00%
JAX
516,965
14,17%
MAC
57,275
1,57%
Other
species
3.075,281
84,27%
Total
3.649,521
Lines
Vessels
Species
(tonnes)
(%)
ANE
2
0,18%
BOC
0
0,00%
JAX
317
27,76%
MAC
39
3,42%
Total
1142
Specifying de minimis volume
Discard volume As there is not complete data about the exact composition of pelagic species in this fisheries
the amount of the de minimis should be calculate based on the Portuguese example and
revised in the next years in light of new data registered in the observers programe or through
the logbooks.
Safeguards
This de minimis would respond partly in how to implement landing obligation in specific
fisheries where it is difficult in a 2019 scenario to implement it. Also this de minimis has its
limits and its risks. It is true that the combination of several species can represent a high
volume of possible discards. Nevertheless, it will never be more than 1% of the catches
concerned.
As said before, volume and composition of catches can be unpredictable and vary from a year
to another. It is also important to emphasize that, because of the mixed character of the
fisheries it is highly unlikely that only one species would be discarded. This is all the point of a
combined de minimis: giving some flexibility needed for fisherman to face the variability of by-
catch stocks abundance.
Nevertheless, in order to limit the risk of discarding only one species and because discard rate
can be significantly different from a species to another it is propose to put in place safeguard.
Here after is a proposition of safeguards that need to be evaluated and discussed:
According to the discard profile of the fishery (see annexe I), a margin on 25% shall apply. This
margin would allow the flexibility needed to face the variability of catches and discards. On the
overall discard volume permitted by this exemption, only the proportion calculated (+25%)
could be discarded on the overall discard.
Those safeguards should be revised if necessary and according to discard profile that can
evolve over the years.
Reference
ICES 2017a.Horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) in Subarea 8 and divisions 2.a, 4.a, 5.b, 6.a,
7.a–c, and 7.e–k (the Northeast Atlantic)
http://ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2017/2017/hom.27.2a4a5b6a7a-ce-
k8.pdf
ICES 2017b. Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) in subareas 1–8 and 14, and in Division 9.a (the
Northeast Atlantic and adjacent waters)
http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2017/2017/mac.27.nea.pdf ICES 2017c. Boarfish (Capros aper) in subareas 6–8 (Celtic Seas, English Channel, and Bay of
Biscay)
http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2017/2017/boc.27.6-8.pdf
ICES 2017d. Anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in Subarea 8 (Bay of Biscay)
http://www.ices.dk/sites/pub/Publication%20Reports/Advice/2017/2017/ane.27.8.pdf
NATIONAL OCEAN SERVICE
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/pelagic.html