charlieannear Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 If you have any feelings about this- comments, complaints or support, please let the SIFCA know. Bottom Towed Fishing Gear byelaw Southern IFCA is formally advertising a byelaw to prohibit the use of bottom towed fishing gear to protect reefs and seagrass within European Marine Sites within the Southern IFCA District. This byelaw will introduce management in: Lyme Bay and Torbay candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC); Studland to Portland cSAC; Chesil and The Fleet SPA and SAC; Poole Harbour SPA; South Wight Maritime SAC; Solent Maritime SAC; Solent and Southampton Water SPA; and, Chichester and Langstone Harbour SPA and Portsmouth Harbour SPA. The byelaw follows extensive consultation and is accompanied by an Impact Assessment. Maps of the closed areas may be found in Annex 5 of the Impact Assessment . The byelaw will contribute to UK compliance with the EU Habitats Directive and Birds Directive, in line with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' revised approach to the management or fisheries in EMS. A full text of the above Byelaw and associated assessments can be inspected at, or obtained from Southern IFCA 64 Ashley Road, Parkstone, Poole Dorset BH14 9BN or viewed on the Authority’s website. Formal Advertisement will run until the 1st November 2013. Any person wishing to comment on the confirmation of the above byelaw must send a statement in writing to: Marine Conservation and Enforcement Team, Marine Management Organisation, Lancaster House, Hampshire Court, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE4 7YH (or mailto:IFCAbyelaws@marinemanagement.org.uk) and must send a copy of this statement to the CEO at Southern IFCA, 64 Ashley Road, Parkstone, Poole Dorset BH14 9BN (or mailto:enquiries@southern-ifca.gov.uk). We welcome your feedback! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Not extensive enough - what's wrong with Poole and Christchurch Bays too ? Mike niggle, lofty and charlieannear 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlieannear Posted October 4, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 Exactly the kind of question/feedback to ask the MMO/SIFCA! This represents a significant proportion of the SIFCA area of responsibility (I'm sure someone will be along shortly with the figures!) The areas covered in this have been identified as being ecologically important. As we all know there are other ecologically important areas locally, and the hope is that more areas will follow. But feedback to the MMO/SIFCA will make this more likely... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisE Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 If I've read the charts right in Annex 5, it looks as though there will be no trawling allowed in most of the cod grounds S of the IoW. Goodness me, if that is indeed the case, that's a result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncan F (bathclaret) Posted October 4, 2013 Report Share Posted October 4, 2013 A step in the right direction anyway. My one word of caution from Lyme Bay, where we've had a trawling ban in force for a couple of years now, is that the quality of the fishing doesn't automatically improve. Corals and seagrass may benefit, and with them very slowly I guess the small-scale ecosystem starts to replenish, but don't expect the commercial fleet to simply go away. They've replaced their trawls and dredges with static nets - mile upon mile of them - with a much bigger impact on angling target species than ever before. I've pretty much stopped fishing in the protected area (previously my regular reef marks) and moved to an unregulated area where, although trawlers still operate, bigger tides mean less nets and definitely more fish. Duncan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Fox Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 That is an interesting observation Duncan! Having seen the impact of static nets on the 50-50 banks and Spoil Grounds area this year, I can see that happening here too. Thanks, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NigelH Posted October 5, 2013 Report Share Posted October 5, 2013 Hi Guys Numbers (Charlie) - It's about 660km2 or 24% of the S.IFCA waters that is being closed to bottom towed gear (trawls and dredges). Yes, it does include most of the south of the IoW Yes, taking trawling out might let (more) static gear in There are three or four things that will drive changes like this The law (especially environment and conservation laws) Economics Public opinion This closure is law driven (the EU Habitats and Birds Directives). These laws may drive other changes over the next couple of years. Other laws may have similar impacts over the next few years in particular the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (both EU Directives transferred into UK law) Economics - commercial fishing economics has always been there. But on 27th November, the findings of Sea Angling 2012 will be made public at a one day conference in London. Richard Benyon will launch the report with the keynote speech. I will also be doing a speech about stakeholder involvement. This will put sea angling economics and a lot more besides right in the middle of policy making (we hope). Public opinion - S.IFCA and other policy makers cannot ignore public opinion (that doesn't mean everyone gets what they ask for, but you've more chance than if you say nothing). The Cornish FSA has a petition running with more than 3000 signatures calling for a ban on all netting within the 10m depth line. It will be interesting to see what effect that has. Now if we had something similar in Dorset............. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coddy Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 If anyone is interested there is some interesting info about inshore netting around Cornwall and how the RSA have started a petition to get it banned up to the 10mtr chart datum line plus loads more info. http://cornishfed.weebly.com/conservation-and-fisheries-protection.html Also the site as a whole is very interesting Dave Stuie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 "Public opinion - S.IFCA and other policy makers cannot ignore public opinion (that doesn't mean everyone gets what they ask for, but you've more chance than if you say nothing)" Just sent an email backing the proposal and asking to include Poole and Christchurch Bays Took 2 minutes PJ Stuie and charlieannear 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Fisheagle Posted October 12, 2013 Report Share Posted October 12, 2013 I too, have added my penny worth and suggested the area needs extending and that if static nets simply replace trawls etc. that only parts of the food chain and ecosystem will benefit and a wider vision is needed. Allan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 Keep them busy chaps, they may then take notice PJ " Dear Paul Thank you for your email containing your response to Southern IFCAs proposed ‘Bottom Towed Fishing Gear’ byelaw. I can confirm that we have made a record of your response, and that it will be taken into account during our work with the Southern IFCA on the proposed byelaw. Southern IFCA have a copy of your response and will send you a formal response, if they have not already done so. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions." Patrick Gray Marine Conservation Officer Marine Management Organisation Lancaster House Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 7YH Tel: 0191 376 2566Web: http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Fisheagle Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 Just received the same reply. Only takes a few minutes to send. Allan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.