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Allan Wilson :The Scottish Executive is aware of cetacean bycatch in the offshore sea bass fishery off South West England and has been working closely with colleagues in the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs () to mitigate this.
In 2000, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) recorded a bycatch of 15 dolphins over 9 days at sea. The Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) of St. Andrews University was engaged to monitor the Spring 2001 fishery, specifically in relation to cetacean bycatch, to check the CEFAS findings and, if necessary, develop effective mitigation measures. On that occasion monitoring a different Scottish pair trawl recorded the bycatch of 52 dolphins in 12 hauls out of a total of 116 hauls over 71 days at sea. It had been agreed with the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association and the skippers that, if dolphins were encountered, acoustic deterrents called ‘pingers’ would be fitted to the mouth of the nets. This was done, but without any noticeable reduction in bycatch.
Last Spring SMRU was engaged to trial new mitigation measures involving the use of separator grids and an escape hatch for cetaceans. The new gear was tested on a Scottish pair trawl, again with the active participation of the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s association and the skippers, but no cases of dolphin bycatch were recorded. The trial is to resume during the next fishery season, in Spring 2003.
SMRU has also monitored other pelagic fisheries in this area, but has recorded no cases of dolphin bycatch.
If the new mitigation measures prove successful, we and will consider their wider introduction, as part of a joint UK Small Cetacean Bycatch Reduction Strategy to address bycatch issues across all UK fisheries. The majority of vessels involved in this particular fishery, however, are French. It is therefore important that any mitigation measures are implemented at EU level also and to this end the UK Government has already made contact with the European Commissioner.
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