Bass- What's next?

[charlieannear]

Well, tomorrow (Weds 3rd December) Bass is being debated in Parliament.

 

The Politicians will be considering some very important information which suggests that Bass should ONLY be caught by rod and line.

 

A month ago it looked like RSA's might be getting a single Bass bag limit while commercials carried on doing their worst- what a difference a month can make. Perhaps we'll get both, a bag limit and a ban on all other methods of Bass fishing...

 

http://www.ukbass.com/the-timing-is-right/

[Rob]

Hope so, let em be a sport fish!

[Wedger]

Don't mind one a day myself! Might need a better tank on board for selection but I can live with that if it means I can catch at least one bass when I go out.

 

Bring it on!!

[great white]

I agree with Trevor

 

1 a day limit is fine for me, as long as everyone has to comply [including commercial netters and rod and line guys]

[fisherman1055]

One a month would be an improvement!!!!!

 

Tony

[Paul J]

here's the debate- long but interesting and good to see so much time devoted to it

 

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/hansard/commons/todays-commons-debates/read/unknown/1256/#c1256

[fisherman1055]

wow

 

And??

[Leicester Fisheagle]

Read with great Interest. Have met both fisheries Ministers and they seem genuine. Problem seems to that as soon as they get their feet under the table they are moved on and there are well funded commercial lobbies. As Tony says what comes next? We must keep trying and not give up.

 

Allan.

[Matt]

Sorry too be devils advocate but what for those who don't like bass fishing if the commeercials then push for greater quotas in other areas?

[ChrisE]

Yep, they can have the LSD quota ...

[Stuie]

Allan is right - we need to keep nibbling away at the problem and PJ is a big help in continuing to highlight what's happening in the big bad world of politics. We all need to stand up and be counted when the opportunity arises.

[Maverick Martin]

This makes it easier to find http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm141203/halltext/141203h0001.htm#14120349000001

[Paul J]

From the AT

 

"BBC South East news picked up on the Blue Marine report and ran a story about bass today. Thanks to Tim for doing a great job and getting out on the water this morning. The item starts 12.20 minutes in "http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b04sxbss/south-east-today-05122014

[Paul J]

 

Those who contributed to the debate should be congratulated IMO

 

I intend to send emails, write a few letters and maybe even telephone one or two thanking each for their support and thought others would care to do likewise:

 

George Hollingbery (Meon Valley)

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 7109

george.hollingbery.mp@parliament.uk

 

 

Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham)

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 4471

Fax: 020 7219 0461

loughtont@parliament.uk

 

Constituency

88A High Street, Shoreham, BN43 5DB

Tel: 01273 757182

eastworthingandshoreham@tory.org

 

Guy Opperman (Hexham)

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 7227

Fax: 020 7219 6435

guy.opperman.mp@parliament.uk

 

Constituency

Hexham Conservatives, 1 Meal Market, Hexham, NE46 1NF

Tel: 01434 603777

Fax: 01434 601659

hexham@tory.org

 

Sarah Newton (Truro and Falmouth)

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 7174

sarah.newton.mp@parliament.uk

 

Constituency

Rooms 5 and 6, 18 Lemon Street, Truro, Cornwall, TR1 2LZ

Tel: 01872 274760

 

 

Mr Bernard Jenkin (Harwich and North Essex)

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 4029

Fax: 020 7219 5963

bernard.jenkin.mp@parliament.uk

 

Constituency

Harwich and North Essex Conservative Association, Unit C2, East Gores Farm, Salmons Lane, Coggeshall, Colchester, CO6 1RZ

 

Mr Ben Bradshaw (Exeter) (Lab)

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 6597

Fax: 020 7219 0950

bradshawb@parliament.uk

 

Constituency

Labour HQ, 26B Clifton Hill, Exeter, EX1 2DJ

Tel: 01392 424464

Fax: 01392 435523

 

Richard Benyon (Newbury)

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 8319

Fax: 020 7219 4509

benyonr@parliament.uk

 

Constituency

6 Cheap Street, Newbury, RG14 5DD

Tel: 01635 551070

Fax: 01635 569690

mp@richardbenyon.com

 

 

Jim Shannon (Strangford)

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 7160

Fax: 020 7219 2347

jim.shannon.mp@parliament.uk

 

 

Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP):

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 8495

Fax: 020 7219 1953

fieldingm@parliament.uk

 

Constituency

25 Bushmills Road, Coleraine, BT52 2BP

Tel: 028 7032 7327

Fax: 028 7032 7328

wilkinsonh@parliament.uk

 

 

Simon Hart (Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire) (Con):

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 7228

simon.hart.mp@parliament.uk

Constituency

15 St John Street, Whitland, SA34 0AN

Tel: 01994 342002

 

Jon Cruddas (Dagenham and Rainham) (Lab):

 

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 8161

Fax: 020 7219 1756

cruddasj@parliament.uk

 

Mr Charles Walker (Broxbourne) (Con):

 

Constituency

57-59 High Street, Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, EN11 8TQ

Tel: 01992 479972

broxbourne@tory.org

 

 

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 0338

Fax: 020 7219 0505

charles.walker.mp@parliament.uk

 

 

 

Angela Smith (Penistone and Stocksbridge) (Lab):

constituency

The Arc, Town Hall, Manchester Road, Stocksbridge, Sheffield, S36 2DT

Tel: 0114 283 1855

Fax: 0114 283 1850

wilsonst@parliament.uk

 

Parliamentary

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 6713

Fax: 020 7219 8598

smithac@parliament.uk

 

 

 

George Eustice on the other hand will be getting an ear-full from me

 

George Eustice. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Parliamentary

House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA

Tel: 020 7219 7032

george.eustice.mp@parliament.uk

 

Constituency

1 Trevenson Street, Camborne, TR14 8JD

Tel: 01209 713355

camborneredruthconservatives@googlemail.com

 

I have included both Parliamentary and constituency contact details where known

Last edited by Steve Pitts

; Fri 5th Dec 2014 at

09:07 AM

.

Do you wish yours were bigger?

Then support the BMP! ( bass mgmt plan)

I told George Eustice that i will be voting UKIP unless he grows some balls or words to that effect

[charlieannear]

I have to say, there is now more information on Bass being distributed in the mainstream media, and on social media than I can keep up with!

Some of you may be aware of Leon Roskilly. He does a fabulous job of bringing together the information on Bass.  Below is just some of what has been put out in the last 3 weeks...
•Kent & Sussex IFCA talk about Bass: http://www.kentandessex-ifca.gov.uk/technical-panel-meeting-sea-bass/
•B.A.S.S Newsletter: http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=83572fb1ebde271ded88e7664&id=b94aed67e4&e=3f698d4861

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Bass: Collapse and Recovery

The problem is overfishing of bass. Without timely action to significantly reduce the amount of bass being taken, there will be a collapse that will have devastating consequences for commercial and recreational fishing.

There is no getting away from the fact that to decide not to take action quickly, a decision has been made to allow the stock to collapse. That applies to IFCAs who do nothing to address overfishing in their district, to DEFRA who fail to act to address the problem in UK controlled fisheries and to other countries and to the EU as a whole.

You won't find in any of the minutes of various meetings 'A decision has been made not to take urgent and necessary action now and to allow the stocks to collapse', but that is exactly what is being decided by default.

Instead you will find a recognition of the problem, an amount of hand-wringing, and some box-ticking that something is being done, i.e. further research, development of bass nursery areas and other tinkering that will not upset too many stakeholders.

(It's as though we are standing watching flames take hold and doing nothing to quench the developing fire. Rather we are drawing up plans for laying down new foundations and finding funding for the re-building).

It is commercial fishing that will be hit hardest. The availability of bass is often the key to viability of running an inshore vessel.

And yet we are fast heading towards a situation that will see either a moratorium on fishing for bass or the disappearance of the species at significant commercially exploitable levels.

I'm sure that the blame will be laid squarely at the managers who allowed it to happen, but it should be shared by all who stuck their heads firmly in the sand, simply hoping for the best, and who and failed to support any proposal to manage bass differently.

And so onto Recovery.

By then 'too little, too late' restrictions will be in place, thanks to studies already under way, and those being proposed now; we will have a greater knowledge of the dynamics of bass populations in regional waters and their interactions with other populations, and new nursery areas created with new rules in place.

The emphasise will be on safeguarding the recovery which, given the slow-growing, late maturity of the species will take decades rather than years.

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Some figures courtesy of Malcolm Gilbert:
•The MMO figures for UK bass landings in 2014 have been published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...ember_2014.pdf
•UK landings have risen to over 1000 tonnes – 1004 tonnes to be precise.
•In 2013 - http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140507202222/http://www.marinemanagement.org.uk/fisheries/statistics/documents/monthly/2013/december.pdf
•UK vessels landed 772 tonnes.
•So in just one year, UK commercial landings have increased by 30%.
(MMO figures do not reveal the full extent of catches)

Leon

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"It’s All About The Bass"

The Angling Trades Association (ATA) fully supports the recent EU proposal to raise the minimum legal size (MLS) for bass. However, the Association insists that the limit must apply to all those fishing for them, without showing any bias to a particular sector.

Rumours have suggested that the new proposed MLS of 42cm would only apply to recreational catches whereas commercial fishermen would continue to be able to harvest immature bass at 36cm, effectively discriminating against recreational anglers and undermining the scientific rationale for the change.

In addition, the EU is proposing a monthly limit on how many bass commercial vessels are allowed to catch. But the proposal of one tonne per vessel means that up to 90 per cent of the under-10m fleet in England will not be affected at all, according to the 2010 database figures. This makes it imperative that the small-scale commercial sector shoulders its fair share of responsibility for helping to reduce bass mortality through the adoption of a higher MLS.

Recreational catches are already likely to be subjected to a daily bag limit of three fish a day. The ATA is supporting the Angling Trust’s insistence that a higher MLS applied to all fisheries, as well as technical changes to reduce discards of bass, will help move closer to the required 80 per cent overall catch reduction strongly advised by scientists.

Naidre Werner, Chair of the Angling Trades Association commented: ‘Penalising recreational sea anglers and the economic benefits they generate is unfair and cannot be tolerated. I fail to understand why the EU is not listening to the facts being presented to them. Sea Angling 2012 (a research study commissioned and funded by Defra) clearly showed the huge value of the recreational sea fishing market specifically in bass fishing. It highlighted that recreational anglers who fish for bass practice catch and release in most instances (75% from the shore and 50% from a boat) and that the current catch and take home levels are negligible compared to commercial catches. So why are recreational sea anglers apparently to be restricted selectively?’

Naidre continued: ‘Furthermore, implementing restrictions like these limits on recreational anglers will jeopardise jobs in the wholesale and retail tackle industry in the UK. This could result in a loss of up to 15% of jobs, and more could follow as the trade weakens on the back of poorer fish stocks. The UK leads the world in tackle design and development, and it is bizarre that the EU would adopt a policy that puts both people out of work and discourages development. This situation would be very short-sighted and incredibly stupid.’

Dr Bruno Broughton, ATA Chief Executive and an experienced fisheries scientist, commented: ‘Allowing a minimum size limit of 42cm for all caught bass lets 50% of the stock spawn once. At 48cm all bass will spawn once and many twice. The current size limit of 36cm for commercial fishermen allows no spawning at all… ever! If this is allowed to continue, there won’t be an argument as there won’t be any bass for anyone to catch.’

The ATA is urging all sea anglers, businesses involved in sea angling and sympathetic individuals to support the Angling Trust’s campaign by emailing the EU Commissioner, Karmenu Vella, with a short message of support. The email address is karmenu.vella@ec.europa.eu.

Bruno added: ‘It won’t take long to write a message, but it could save your hobby, your job or your business!’

Media Contacts:
Naidre Werner, ATA Chairman
Telephone: +44 (0) 845 459 9956; Mobile: +44 (0) 7767 371802
Email: naidre@theanglingtradesassociation.com
Website: www.anglingtradesassociation.com

Dr Bruno Broughton, ATA Chief Executive Officer
Telephone: +44 (0)1952 691515
Email: bruno.broughton@virgin.net

Notes to Editors
The Angling Trades Association represents angling manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, fisheries, publishers and distributors. Currently celebrating its 42nd year, the ATA is the only voice of the British angling industry.

The Association’s aim is to promote, represent and protect the trade across all three angling disciplines - sea, game and coarse fishing. In so doing it strives to achieve not only long-term stability for the sport but, more importantly, sustainable growth and development.

Source Information

Sea Angling 2012 http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140108121958

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/uk-sea-fisheries-annual-statistics-2012

Blue Marine Foundation The Economic Value of Bass in Sussex 2014
http://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/20141128-Final-Bass-Report-BMF-MRAG.pdf

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http://www.seafishingmagazine.com/news/the-big-european-bass-debate/

The big European bass debate

Posted on March 2, 2015

Simon Everett delves deep into the European debate on bass

The European Parliament had a debate last month about the proposals for the bass regulations. Chairman of the European Fisheries Committee, Alain Cadec, put forward a draft motion on bass which would restrict recreational anglers to a bag limit and an increase in the minimum landing size (MLS). No proposals were put forward to restrict the commercial catching of bass.

UKIP MEP Ray Finch put forward an amendment to try and stave off these regulations and explained that Britain’s sea anglers have always had a voluntary code of only keeping a limited number of fish anyway, self regulating the numbers they take to a sensible number, a brace if they are lucky! He explained that this regulation would be the thin end of a very large wedge. Questions were asked about how it would be policed effectively and that if the committee felt the need to do something then they should raise the MLS across the board for all bass landings, rather than set unenforcable bag limits. It was also pointed out that it wasn’t sea anglers who caused the reduction of the stocks, but the industrial commercial fishermen.

It strikes me that the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is run by the Spanish and French industrial fishing conglomerates, the ones who have caused the problem, but they have massive political clout and are driving this policy of restricting recreational sea anglers so as to deflect the issue away from themselves and create a smokescreen for their activities. The French politicians are afraid of their commercial fishermen, if they do anything to restrict their catches, even if it is for the good of the seas, it will impact on the vast profits and the fishermen will likely blockade the French ports. So they are afraid of political unrest but want to be seen to be doing something positive without upsetting the status quo by implementing measures against RSA. By doing this they can stand up and say they have put conservation measures in place but without upsetting the big industrial players whose pockets they are in.

If we are to see any improvement in our fishing, then better fish stocks are a fundamental prerequisite. To do this we need to change the focus of sea fisheries management away from the commercial sector. The fish in the sea are not there for them to exploit at the expense of other people. The commercial sector should feel privileged they are allowed to make a living from the fish that you, me and everyone else has part ownership of. Imagine if builders and furniture makers were allowed to run riot with chainsaws, cutting down the prime trees in the New Forest and Epping Forest under the pretext that “it is their livelihood” and others who enjoy the trees don’t have a say in the matter. There would be uproar, and so there should be over how the fish in the sea are being greedily hovered up for the benefit of a few.

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THE TIMES, March 10 2015

British fishing fleet ‘pushing sea bass to the brink’

Ben Webster Oceans Correspondent

Blaming French trawlers for the decline in sea bass around our shores has been a popular pastime among British fishermen for years. Now that argument is wearing thin as figures show a leap in the amount of bass caught by British boats, despite evidence that the stock is close to collapsing.

British commercial fishermen caught 1,041 tonnes of bass last year, up more than a quarter on the 817 tonnes caught in 2013, according to the Marine Management Organisation. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea recommended last July that the total bass catch throughout the English Channel, Irish Sea, Celtic Sea and southern North Sea should be cut by 80 per cent to 1,155 tonnes.

The British fleet alone is now close to catching the recommended limit, even if no bass were caught by the much larger French fleet or fishermen from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany or Denmark.

In January the European Commission imposed an emergency ban on trawling for bass until the end of April, when the fish will have finished spawning. The ban primarily affected 70 French trawlers, which operate in pairs and tow giant nets. British fishermen target bass mainly using small boats, which escaped the ban.

However, many of these small boats use a relatively new method of fishing called trammel netting, in which three vertical layers of different size meshes are drifted on to spawning shoals of bass.

The result is that fishermen are hauling in the breeding stock of bass, leaving a gap in the population that could bring collapse of the stock by 2018.

Martin Salter, of the Angling Trust, which represents game, coarse and sea anglers, said: “These figures are proof that the commercial sector is hellbent on catching all the bass it can, irrespective of the dire warnings from the scientists that stocks are in a parlous state and need to be preserved. The government needs to stop dragging its feet over introducing catch limits in UK territorial waters.”

Malcolm Gilbert, conservation officer for the Cornish Federation of Sea Anglers, said that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had failed to take sufficient action to protect bass. “You have to wonder why they pay for the research. It seems they get the science then ignore it.”

Charles Clover, the chairman of Blue Marine Foundation, a conservation charity, said: “British fishermen based at ports all the way from Lincolnshire to Sussex are taking too many bass. We need a scientifically based management plan with clearly understood limits on all fishing methods.”

British fishermen are resisting a French proposal for bass to be subject to quotas apportioned according to previous activity, meaning that French boats would get the greatest share. The commission has proposed a minimum size of 42cm — instead of the present 36cm — for bass caught and killed to allow them to reach sexual maturity and spawn.

George Eustice, the fisheries minister, said: “We support the emergency measures taken by the European Commission to protect the declining stock. We are now working with other member states to agree a wider package of measures, paving the way for the stock to recover.”

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Be Sure To Have Your Say

 

In the coming months most IFCAs will be consulting on measures within their district to protect bass.

It's important that as many people as possible respond to the consultations.

But if you don't know about it, you will only find out too late.

So, please make sure that you register with your IFCA to receive any newsletters, and notice of any consultations.

As far as newsletters go, there's usually an option to register on the IFCA website, and details of consultations will be published in the 'NEWS' section.

But each website is different, and each IFCA is different, so you may have to simply drop them an email (ask for an acknowledgement).

It will only take you a little time to register your email address to 'put you in the loop' (you may also want to request details of meetings, and meeting papers).

As well as your own IFCA remember to also register with any other IFCA if you are likely to be fishing in their district.

(As well as measures on bass, there will be other consultations coming up that may affect anglers ie new MCZs etc. and as new management measures come into force, you need to be aware of them as ignorance will not be accepted as an excuse if you fall foul of them).

Links to the IFCA websites are given at:
http://www.association-ifca.org.uk/useful-links

Please also make sure that as many anglers as possible are informed of the need to register so that there voice may be heard.

If you are a member of a club, the IFCA officers will normally be happy to come along to a meeting to explain what is going on in the district and how this may affect angling.  You only have to ask.

Leon

 

https://www.facebook.com/leon.roskilly

https://twitter.com/LeonRosk

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[charlieannear]

Bass: Commission proposes a minimum size to 42 cm for all

The European Commission has to clarify its intentions on the bass. It will offer in May the 3rd part of the emergency measures, including the transition to a minimum size of 42 cm for all professionals (all equipment) and recreational.

The first two emergency measures taken since the beginning of the year have been to prohibit fishing for pelagic bass during the breeding period (end of April) and to limit the recreational fishermen by 3 bass day, all for the northern area. In May, the proposal will therefore include the passage of the minimum size from 36 to 42 cm for all, as well as "concrete steps to limit catches" for all businesses that have an impact on the bass: pelagic and demersal trawls, trolling, netters, purse seiners. These measures should be discussed by the European Council of Fisheries Ministers for adoption expected before the summer, and should be valid until the end of 2015.

New management measures will be proposed for adoption at the Council of Ministers covering the year 2016, measures "could be similar to those adopted in 2015 and will in all cases based on scientific advice expected by June 2015". For the long term, multi-year plan will be in place, "adopted in 2016 and based on scientific advice."

Commission document (in English)

[charlieannear]

Please also see:

http://www.eaa-europe.org/european-parliament-forum/ep-recfishing-forum-events/14-april-2015-sea-bass-event.html
 

http://ec.europa.eu/newsroom/mare/itemdetail.cfm?item_id=22547
 

 

European Union Bass Management Q and A How was sea bass managed in the EU until now?

For years France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium have managed sea bass nationally. National management measures varied: voluntary minimum landing sizes in France, closed areas to protect nurseries in the UK, a ban on recreational fishing for bass from 15th May to 15th June in Ireland, a maximum bag limit for recreational anglers in Ireland and the Netherlands, full prohibition for commercial fishing in Ireland.

Today scientists warn that these measures are inadequate for sustainable management. All countries now agree that a common approach is needed.

What does the common approach consist of?

The common approach for 2015 has rules for each of the actors involved, so that all contribute in a fair way to saving this stock:

1. Commission emergency measures prohibit pelagic trawling on spawning sea bass, to alleviate the immediate threat to the stock from fishing during reproduction season;1

2. A Council regulation sets a bag limit of 3 fish per recreational angler, per day2

3. In May 2015 the Commission will propose further measures to limit the catches of commercial fisheries and to increase the minimum landing size for both recreational anglers and commercial fishermen from the current 36 cm to 42 cm, so that sea bass are not caught (or if caught they are released) before reaching reproduction age.

What will be proposed under the third part of this package?

The section to be proposed in May 2015 will contain concrete measures to limit the catches of all commercial fishing activities that currently have an impact on sea bass. Demersal and pelagic trawlers, pole and line fisheries, gill netters and purse seiners all catch sea bass – and it is important that all contribute fairly to rebuilding this valuable stock. The proposal will need to be discussed between EU Member States. The Commission expects the Council of Fisheries Ministers to adopt the proposal before summer 2015.

The Commission will also propose to increase the minimum landing size from the current 36 to 42 cm.

Sea bass landings are increasing from year to year, what will the Commission do to tackle this?

1 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/111 of 26 January 2015 establishing measures to alleviate a serious threat to the conservation of the sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) stock in the Celtic Sea, Channel, Irish Sea and southern North Sea

2 Council Regulation (EU) 2015523 of 25th March 2015 amending Regulations (EU) No 43/2014 and (EU) 2015/104 as regards certain fishing opportunities

The Commission’s proposal will be based on the latest scientific advice on the state of sea bass.3 The Commission will also be collecting catch data from the Member States concerned in order to have an informed view of the real situation on the ground. Should these catch data confirm an increase in catches, then the Commission will not hesitate to propose urgent management measures that allow better management of sea bass in the short term and avoid stock collapse.

Why are recreational anglers covered by the measures, when the commercial sector catches the lion share of sea bass?

According to scientific assessment, recreational anglers catch 25% of sea bass4 and therefore have an impact on the stock. Scientists found that we can reduce mortality with a daily bag limit and a greater minimum landing size5. On this basis the Council of Ministers, where all Member States are represented, adopted a three fish bag limit.

The commercial fishing industry catches 75% of sea bass and, while the pelagic industry has been prohibited from fishing for sea bass from end of January to end of April 2015, the Commission will also cover other commercial activities with a fresh proposal to be adopted in May to make sure that they too take a share of the burden and contribute to rebuilding this important stock.

What about the longer term?

Sea bass will be one of several stocks to fall under a multiannual management plan for North Western Waters. This proposal will be adopted in 2016 and will be based on the latest scientific advice.

What happens in January 2016, during the next spawning season of sea bass?

The third part of the package on sea bass should be adopted by the Council by the summer and remain in place until 31 December 2015. The Commission will ensure that a new proposal for sustainable management measures is put before the Council to cover 2016. These could be measures similar to what was adopted for 2015 and will in any case be based on the scientific advice from ICES expected for to June 2015).

What is the potential economic impact of a further decline of seabass?

3 STECF Plenary July 2014 (); ICES 2014 advice for sea bass can be accessed here:

4 STECF 2014. Request for Services – Sea bass. Commitment No. SI2.680348. Paper for STECF July2014 Sea bass fisheries in Europe and their management. Mike Armstrong (contract lead) and Mickael Drogou, Independent scientific experts, UK and France (background documents on: '>https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/plen1402).

5 Request for Services – Sea bass. Commitment No.686192, Paper for STECF; not yet published.

Halting the decline of sea bass and rebuilding this valuable stock is the number one principle guiding the Commission’s action. Many thousands of jobs in the UK, France, Netherlands and elsewhere in Europe depend on commercial sea bass fishing and for many small-scale fishermen sea bass is the main source of income6. Recreational fishing (including everything from angling equipment to boat rentals) plays an important role as well. There are more than 1.3 million recreational anglers in France and another 800.000 in the UK. Their direct contribution to sea bass catching is hard to quantify, as recreational sea fishing is generally on a mixed species basis. However estimates from surveys7 suggest that the added value is considerable. If the stock were to collapse, the impact would be catastrophic for the livelihoods of many fishermen and coastal communities. It is therefore vital to rebuild sea bass for the benefit of both commercial fishermen and recreational anglers, and the Commission will not shy away from taking any measure that is necessary to achieve this goal.

6

Section 3.5 STECF 2014. Request for Services – Sea bass. Commitment No. SI2.680348. Paper for STECF July2014 Sea bass fisheries in Europe and their management. Mike Armstrong (contract lead) and Mickael Drogou, Independent scientific experts, UK and France (background documents on:

https://stecf.jrc.ec.europa.eu/plen1402

).

7 Armstrong, M. A. Brown, J. Hargreaves, K. Hyder, S. Pilgrim-Morrison, M. Munday, S. Proctor, A. Roberts, K. Williamson “Sea Angling 2012 – a survey of recreational sea angling activity and economic value in England” Defra,2013

And Blue Marine Foundation: Defining the Economic and Environmental Values of sea bass- Link to publication

here

.

Background 1. The sea bass fishery

Sea bass is a high-value fish in the North-East Atlantic and particularly abundant in the southern North Sea, Irish Sea and West of Ireland down to the Iberian coast.

In this area sea bass has been declining rapidly since 2012 and according to ICES it will approach its historically lowest level in 2016. The number of young fish adding to the stock (the so-called recruitment) has been falling for a decade now, and has been very poor since 2008, which makes for the longest period of low recruitment on record. By contrast, fishing pressure (the so-called fishing mortality) has been constantly rising since the early nineties and has reached an all-time high in 2013. ICES advises a reduction in catches by 80% to halt the rapid decline in biomass.

Sea bass is targeted by a number of fishing techniques. Pelagic (mid-water) trawlers, contribute more than 25% of the total fishing mortality. Pelagic trawling targets sea bass during the spawning season from December through April, when bass aggregate in spawning areas and are therefore an easy target. Lines and hooks, gill-nets and other gears catch sea bass in different areas and throughout the year.

Ireland, France, the UK, the Netherlands and Belgium have a stake in the commercial fishery for sea bass.

Ireland prohibited the commercial landing and sale of sea bass and closed its sea bass fishery in the early nineties. France fishes 67% of the total commercial catches and has developed an industrial fishery targeting sea bass in spawning areas, during periods when the fish congregate to reproduce. It also has the largest recreational fishery. All other countries have smaller-scale fisheries using different techniques. Some countries have a ban on pelagic pair trawling within their own 12-mile zones.8

Sea bass is popular among recreational anglers. France has the largest recreational fishery for sea bass with 1,3 million anglers, followed by the UK with 800.000 anglers and the Netherlands. Recreational angling contributes approximately 25% of sea bass landings.

2. Economic value

The commercial fishing fleet that catches sea bass includes a wide diversity of vessel sizes, ranges and gears. A large fraction of the fleet is made up of small vessels (below 12m) that are mainly active in the 12-mile zone.

Equally varied is the extent to which fishing vessels depend on sea bass. Small vessels that fish sea bass with lines and hooks can depend considerably more on bass than large vessels using trawls, and often operating in mixed fisheries. In France, more than 220 small vessels using lines, with more than 270 crew, depend on sea bass for more than 50% of their revenue; the same is true for 21 pelagic (mid-water) trawlers and approx. 100 people, although these exercise most of the fishing pressure (25% of total fishing mortality). Of the demersal (bottom trawlers), 2 vessels with 6 crew depend on sea bass for more than 50%.

Another important economic aspect is recreational fishing. In France, more than 1.3 million people undertake more than 9 million fishing trips per year, and sea bass is the main species caught. The total yearly expenditure on angling equipment, baits and boats is estimated at approx. EUR 530m. In the UK, it is estimated that 800,000 sea anglers spent GBP 1.23bn on the sport in 2012.

By comparison, the annual revenue generated by the first sale of sea bass for commercial fishing in France amounts to EUR 43 million (according to France).

[charlieannear]

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-fishing-restrictions-issued-for-bass-dicentrarchus-labrax

[Maverick Martin]

So commercials can catch up to 1800 kilos per month whilst we are allowed just 3 bass per trip, yes that sounds fairly equitable.....not

[Mark26]

The Fisheries are pretty Hot on it as well.I was Boarded out on the Shambles.last week.

[Stuie]

Hopefully IFCA's will maximise their checks on commercial's as they arrive in port - scratching around for the odd fish caught by RSA's won't have any effect on the demise of bass......