4
INSHORE IRELAND January 2005
Overall status quo on 2005 whitefish quotas THE Irish whitefish industry has broadly welcomed the outcome of the annual TAC and quota negotiations; however a 27% cut in the mackerel quota has been hailed ’an absolute disaster’ by the pelagic industry. In his first major engagement as marine minister, Pat the Cope Gallagher said he was "reasonably satisfied with the outcome", but did acknowledge that the situation was not "ideal" across all stocks. "I know that reductions in some species, especially mackerel, are going to have a negative impact for some fishermen in the short-term," he said. An industry-led conservation plan for Celtic Sea cod by the UK, France and Ireland sees a three-month closure in a 4,500 sq mile zone off the Waterford coast until the end of March. A last minute derogation to Belgium, however, will allow their beamer fleet to fish this zone for one month during this closure. Jason Whooley, manager of the Irish South & West Fishermen’s Organisation (IS&WFO) said the plan would not only greatly enhance cod stocks but also other stocks in the area. He added, however, that Belgium’s insistence that beam trawlers should be allowed fish in either January or March "greatly weakened its conservation benefit. This will not go down well with other fishermen who have volunteered to stay out of the area. Nonetheless, it is significant that for the first time in EU fisheries manage-
ment, an industry conservation proposal has been adopted by the Council of Ministers. Even more significantly, this plan was not deemed necessary by the scientific community. The industry chose to pursue the matter themselves," he said. The ISWFO manager paid special tribute to the minister: "We’re delighted with his performance at his first December Council. His knowledge of the industry and overall commitment was critical in securing this deal". Tom Geoghegan of
the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association (IFPEA) expressed satisfaction on increase for the nephrops (prawn) fishery on which Irish fish merchants and processors catering to home and export "so much depend", he said. Quotas increases across key stocks include monkfish (+20% to its highest level in five years); haddock (+ 20%); hake (+9% and prawns (+12%). The total aggregate volume of whitefish is 33,106 tonnes (0.7% change on 2004 quotas).
Conservation measures for deepwater species THE Council of Fisheries Ministers has agreed a range of new conservation measures to protect vulnerable deepwater species. The measures involve catch and fishing effort reductions combined with the creation of special protection areas (SPAs) for the particularly vulnerable orange roughy species. The SPAs, located to the north and west of Ireland, are also designed to safeguard sensitive coral habitats and seamounts. Minister Gallagher paid tribute to his team of officials involved in the discussions saying "their hard work had ensured that Ireland got the best deal possible from the negotiations." Lorcan O’Cinnéide of the
Irish Fish Producers Organisation (IFPO) said that fishermen did not question the need for sustainable management of a stock if it was required. "This decision, however, was taken before any adequate scientific research has been carried out." In a statement, Sean O’Donoghue of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO) said that the proposal was totally unacceptable and if adopted, "will be ruinous for Irish deepwater vessels. It is incredible that the Commission can propose reductions of fifty to eighty per cent, considering the disastrous social and economic consequences for fishermen targeting these species," he added.
Heritage Outlook is a magazine that celebrates Ireland’s natural and built heritage. Produced biannually by the Heritage Council, Heritage Outlook is the only national magazine that focuses on all aspects of Irish heritage. Heritage Outlook is a full-colour 32-page modern magazine with vibrant and varied content. Its extensive readership is diverse and influential, and includes professionals working in the heritage field, state departments, local authorities, non-governmental organisations, community groups, journalists, teachers and academics. Heritage Outlook is for anyone who has an interest in preserving Ireland’s heritage. It carries news, provides analysis and offers thought-provoking articles on all aspects of heritage.
Heritage is defined as including the following areas:
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SOURCE: BIM
Cut in pelagic quota to hit hard A 27% cut in the 2005 Irish mackerel quota is "an additional blow" to the pelagic processing sector on top of a "massive set back in 2004" relating to weighing arrangements. Not long ago, this sector supported 40% employment in the entire fish processing sector. Speaking to Inshore Ireland, Tom Geoghegan of the Irish Fish Processors and Exporters Association (IFPEA) said that the cut could only be "substantially mitigated" by the immediate substitution of the weighing system currently in place, by allowing fish to be weighed in plant after transport from the port of landing. Sean O’Donoghue of the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation hailed the cutback as "an absolute disaster". "We’re hoping the presidency will see this and take direct action to try and resolve the issue," he said. Manager of the Irish South and West Fishermen’s Organisation (ISWFO), Jason Whool e y, s a i d t h e y w e r e disappointed with the quota for Celtic Sea herring, which remains at 2004 levels. "We had been hoping for an
increase in this quota given that an industry- led management plan has been in place for the last four years. ‘‘This quota, allied to cuts in mackerel and horse-mackerel means that our pelagic fishermen have not fared well," he said. Fine Gael spokesperson on the marine, John Perry, said that prior to the negotiations, minister Gallagher would have been aware that the outcome "was a distinct possibility". I now call on the minister to outline his plans to help those that will be affected. This spells disaster for many involved in mackerel fishing," he said. Deputy Perry added that for too long, government has relied on quota allocation to provide a livelihood for fishing communities. "What is needed is a vision of how our coast can be developed. We need the development of our processing and aquaculture potential to ensure a safe and prosperous future for these communities."
Opportunities elsewhere Minister Gallagher conceded
that the reduction in the mackerel quota, which had been agreed between the EU, Norway and the Faeroe Islands before the Council, was a blow to the industry in the short-term. He pointed out, however, that the impact "would be softened somewhat by significant gains elsewhere, including a reversal of the Commission’s proposed 20% cut in the horse-mackerel quota and also a reversal in the proposed 15% cut in the Celtic Sea herring quota. "In addition, the securing of a record blue whiting quota of over 75,000 tonnes will create new catching and processing opportunities for the pelagic industry. One of my key aims during 2005 will be to examine ways of increasing the value of the blue whiting fishery," he said. Tom Geoghegan added that the IFPEA would be co-operating with BIM in an effort to set up a pilot landing/processing operation in spring to test the human food market abroad for blue whiting. "Hopefully this will create new processing opportunities for the industry," he said.
INSHORE IRELAND January 2005
5
NEWS
Mapping the connection between farming and the water environment By Gearóid Ó Riain, director, Compass Informatics Ltd IN an era of rapid change, farmers in Ireland are getting used to constantly assessing the most profitable and sustainable strategy for their enterprise. As part of that change, an awareness of impacts on the water environment has come to the fore. At the same time, farm enterprises and water resources organisations alike are looking to mapping and geographic technologies to assist with decision-making and efficient management. These technological tools now play valuable roles in making the most of what both the land and the water offer, and in minimising conflicts over what happens where and when. Another real spin-off of this awareness of the connection between farming and the water environment on one hand, and the value of geographic technologies on the other, is the employment created in companies providing these technical services and designing new solutions and tools.
Software systems IN Ireland, Compass Informatics Ltd has specialised in this area, working over the past eight years with mapping, photographic and survey technologies and creating easy-touse software systems that bring huge amounts of data together to provide colour maps and tables of data to help answer many questions. These software and survey systems run on normal computers and have been used for land management, nutrient management, water quality, angling, and coastal planning. These systems are even relevant to the strengthened REPS 3 programme now under consideration by farm managers, where there is an incentive to
* Mapping pages on the Web make maps and data available to all in a very user-friendly manner — including this example for coastal harbours and piers searches (# Marine Institute/Compass Informatics Ltd)
High resolution digital images taken from the air show a lot of detail and allow rapid assessment of the environment and what steps can be made to improve fisheries and farming jointly. Note here the lack of riverside or riparian vegetation which leaves the riverbank prone to erosion from the river and stock alike. (# Marine Institute/Compass Informatics Ltd)
*
consider issues such as river bank protection, otherwise known as riparian zone protection. The importance of such measures is apparent from the thousands of photos captured of rivers around Ireland over recent years using a digital camera system with attached GPS for recording the location of each photo. These very detailed images are added to the software and when the user zooms in on images they show individual bushes in fields, and rocks in the river. They also highlight areas where there is no vegetation on river banks and where erosion caused by the river force itself or by stock access has led to river damage. If there were riparian trees and other plant life, the erosion would be held back; insects would fall from branches to feed trout, and dung and kicked up riverbed sediment from watering animals would not release nutrients to
the river. These image and map systems help to guide REPS-type planting of bank sides and, therefore, development of angling and the generation of money for the local economy.
Mapping technologies Farmers know only too well the importance of EU funds and directives; here too, mapping technologies have a big role. While mapping technologies manage agri-payments, they also help to ensure that farming, industry, and commercial activities do not damage water quality in rivers, lakes, estuary, coastal and, importantly, in ground waters. Compass has developed advanced approaches to assessing potential areas where farming or industry might have an impact — based, for example, on soil, slope or geology type, or qual-
Company Profile — Compass Informatics Ltd LEADING the way in the use of mapping technologies in Ireland is Compass Informatics Ltd, a company that specialises in use of the technologies for natural resource and marine information applications. The company is making a commercial success of its very innovative approach and has been among the 30 fastest growing technology companies in Ireland over the past few years. The company prides itself on being a onestop-shop for mapping and web technologies with a wide range of services, including highly detailed aerial surveys; GPS satellite surveying; animal and vehicle tracking; advanced map analysis systems (Geographic Information Systems); interactive maps and multimedia for the Web and DVDs, and website design and hosting. Projects cover coastal and river management; landcover and habitats mapping; landparcel and title systems; archaeology, and even noise impact. It is a diverse but integrated mix that keeps the Compass team going.
Marine-related projects Some marine-related projects have included: * Development of an Emergency Response Information System for the Irish Sea, focusing on the development of a management information system for the Irish Coast Guard, and dissemination of emergency response information to local authorities via Internet Geographical Information Systems (GIS).
Operation of the National Coastline Survey — a complete aerial digital photographic survey of the coastline of Ireland. Compass Informatics Ltd is responsible for the capture of the imagery as well as being the designer of a custom CD-ROM based image viewing software for public dissemination. * Development of catchment (river basin) management systems for selected rivers in Co Mayo and many other areas. This involves advanced GIS and statistical techniques for modelling fish populations; use of ground GPS surveying and, separately, an airborne fully digital camera system for river habitat mapping * Historical coastal erosion/accretion assessment at Curracloe, Co Wexford, and other locations. The company also is involved in freshwater and land management projects. With a leading role in the development of multimedia and mapping kiosk systems, and Internet mapping systems, Compass Informatics Ltd is also improving the transfer of environmental information within agencies and to the public. In this respect, Compass Informatics Ltd has been actively assisting the Environmental Protection Agency to fulfil its role in increasing environmental awareness among the public. * For further information contact directors Gearóid Ó Riain or Paul Mills at Tel: 016612483/info@compass.ie, or visit their website www.compass.ie. The company is based at 19 Grattan Street, Dublin 2. *
ity of municipal wastewater treatment. This work is helping the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other regional bodies to make fair assessments and ultimately make accurate plans for action to ensure good water quality, which is of such importance
not only to our well being but to our economy. Indeed, a recent study conducted for the Department of the Environment using a Compass mapping system highlighted the billions of euro that good water quality is worth to all sectors of the economy, particularly the farming community. Making systems that help make good decisions is one thing but making these informative maps and data available to the public or across an organisation is another. Here again, geographic tech-
nologies have been used to make the information available on Web pages with maps and attached tables, photos, and even video clips. So anyone can go, for example, to the EPA website (www.epa.ie/rivermap) and find out the quality of water on their river; sailors and fishermen can assess what ports and harbour facilities are available to them by going to the Marine Institute website or Dubliners can view what archaeology is in their city by visiting the Dublin City Council website.
Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources
Visit the Marine Safety Working Group (MSWG) website at
Safety on the Water
Before going afloat, always wear a personal flotation device and get training to stay safe
Scroll down for further links to Safety on the Water Features
H
& S A
HEALTH AND SAFETY AUTHORITY
Maritime Safety Directorate
Link to Water Safety Guidelines
In an emergency, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard Marine Safety Working Group AIM To use its collective expertise and experience to create and communicate marine safety information and messages to endeavour to reduce accidents and to prevent the loss of life in Irish Waters.
OBJECTIVES ●
To establish strong working relationships with other National and Local Organisations to create/ promote accident prevention programmes
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To establish cause and trends in accidents at sea
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To develop accident prevention programmes
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To measure effectiveness of prevention programmes
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To provide a coordinated approach to the dissemination of safety information in response to individual enquiries
INSHORE IRELAND January 2005
13
REPORT
Quality decline due to nutrient rich water Dr Martin McGarrigle, senior scientific officer with the Environmental Protection Agency, Castlebar, looks at the issues SOME 70% of Irish river channel is capable of supporting healthy populations of salmon and trout. The remaining 30%, however, is in trouble mainly due to eutrophication, which is caused by too much phosphorus and nitrogen entering our rivers and lakes. Everyone knows that applying fertilizer to a lawn that has been starved of nutrients will produce more grass. Less obviously perhaps, extra nutrients flowing into river and lakes can also cause more green plants to grow in water with undesirable results.
As clear water lakes become eutrophic they turn cloudy and green due to the sheer abundance of microscopic algae — algal blooms — usually due to too much phosphorus. Algal blooms can give rise to taste and odour problems in water supplies or to toxicity. Water treatment costs a lot more as a result. Other changes include the shading effect of the turbid water by eliminating desirable plant species such as the stoneworts, which provide habitat for insects — i.e. food for trout. Angling can also be affected, simply because the water be-
as the freshwater pearl mussel or crayfish. The sources of nutrients — phosphate and nitrate — include sewage treatment works; septic tanks; farms (fields and farmyards) and industrial waste treatment plants. All biological material contains phosphorus and nitrogen, which are essential in our cells for basic biochemical reactions that keep us alive. In addition to these ‘natural’ sources, detergents and fertilizers are important causes of eutrophication.
The solution Excessive growths of filamentous algae in rivers can blanket spawning gravels, preventing young fish from emerging. PICTURE: John Lucey *
comes too cloudy for trout to see the angler’s fly on the surface. In extreme cases, the bottom layer of the lake can become a dead zone devoid of oxygen. Eutrophic rivers become
choked with algae, which suck the oxygen out of the water at night. Many fish-kills occur at night. Excessive algal growths on riverbeds can smother salmon and trout spawning beds or eliminate protected species such
Nutrient removal at sewage works and waste treatment plants is helping to reduce the problem; however diffuse sources are more difficult to solve. A major €3.4m research project funded by the EPA and Teagasc has been studying eutrophication due to agriculture. Some 50 scientists from virtually every university in Ireland were involved. Their work
has shown that many grasslands have excess levels of phosphorus. The research also identified that higher soil phosphorus levels lead to a higher risk of phosphorus loss and thus to an increased risk of eutrophication. The risk is particularly high on wet soils near rivers and lakes. Some grasslands were shown to lose up to 3kg of phosphorus per hectare each year while others barely lose any phosphorus. The research will be able to suggest new, highly focussed measures for reducing the loss of phosphorus from grassland soils. Nutrient management to eliminate phosphorus surpluses in soils is important if salmon and trout are not to be eliminated from a greater proportion of our rivers and lakes. This will benefit the environment and also produce significant savings for farmers as a result of using less fertilizer.
Disjointed approach to ICZM leads to chaos ‘‘IT is very unlikely that any more new bodies with a role in integrated coastal zone management will be created or funded by government, and it is also unlikely that any new legislation relating to it will be adopted at this stage.’’ Such is the viewpoint of Niall O’Boyle, development manager of the Clew Bay Marine Forum, who made his remarks at a seminar last October entitled ‘Clew Bay Coastal Zone Management — Responsibility towards Consensus’, organised by the Marine Institute. O’Boyle contends that for ICZM to be effective nationwide, there would have to be a stock-take approach from the outset, just to find out which government agencies and local authorities are involved. He believes that this would be the logical way to begin because it would identify the various areas of responsibility for each bay. ‘‘You would then have to do a scientific data-gathering exercise to find out what information such as local knowledge is available for that bay. After that, you have to see what legislation relates to it,’’ he said.
Inertia O’Boyle suggests that despite progress having been made,
there has been political footdragging and inter-departmental buck-passing. ‘‘I think it’s fair to say that there needs to be more progress from the politicians. I don’t think it’s because they don’t want to do it, I actually think they’re not sure of the best way of going about it even though they only have to look to the CLAMS (Co-ordinated Local Aquaculture Management System) process as a guide. CLAMS has been helping in areas where there were difficulties before.’’ O’Boyle also feels that political inaction probably stems from a fear that it will be too expensive to implement effective country-wide ICZM: ‘‘If politicians are looking at it from the point of view that every bay in Ireland would need its own manager, a realistic budget for that could be anywhere between €150,000 and €200,000 per bay.’’ Inaction, according to O’Boyle, could lead to a situation where some local management groups will want to run the bays themselves. He believes this scenario could cut across national legislation. ‘‘There are two remits to coastal zone management. There’s the Department of Communications, Marine and
Natural Resources (DCMNR) and there’s the Department of the Environment (DoE). My understanding is that the DoE has taken a total back seat and has left it entirely to the DMCNR.’’ He added, however, that the DMCNR has not made a great deal of progress either. ‘‘If the DMCNR continues to do nothing, ICZM will be left in the hands of the DoE, which will then leave it to local councils to get on with. We might then end up with a strategy that is whatever the local council decides. That is, of course, if they decide to do anything at all!" If that happens, O’Boyle thinks the focus will narrow to just beach management and issues dealing mainly with erosion and coastal defences. He fears that there could also be an attempt to impose land-based environmentalism on marine operations, — which ‘‘simply will not work.’’
different areas, and that’s one of the things that has made management of the bay ineffective. If you’re going to start managing a bay, you have to establish all those links at the outset. It’s all very complex,’’ he said. Despite the difficulties, he is optimistic that solutions will be found. This is because of the level of co-operation that exists
between the various groups and individuals at a local level who earn a living in the marine environment. He says that for the most part, when disagreement surfaces it is mainly at the landsea interface. He describes as ‘‘higgledy-piggledy’’ the current approach to finding solutions to the problems that arise in this zone:
‘‘By and large, marine users don’t have that many problems with one another. Of course there are areas of conflict, but they actually have more in common than they do with the land users. Those of us on the marine side will have to be able to deliver a committed and focussed response to whatever comes from the land.’’ Continued next page.
Clew Bay experience A lot of O’Boyle’s time as development manager of the Clew Bay Marine Forum is spent linking up with the various agencies and individuals involved in the management of the bay. ‘‘You wind up having to deal with 20 people in
Inshore fisheries and CZM SPEAKING at the Clew Bay Forum, BIM’s inshore fisheries coordinator, Oliver Tully said that the coastal fishing industry was important, not only in terms of euro and cent, but also in terms of its importance to coastal communities as part of their cultural heritage. The coastal zone as our national jurisdiction can be defined as an area of approximately 38,000 square kilometers, which is broadly equivalent to the land area of Connacht and Ulster combined, i.e. 39,175 sq km. "We’ve strong control over what we do with fisheries in this area. And following the review of the Common Fisheries Policy in 2002, that national jurisdiction and the national authority over that zone is stronger rather than weaker. ‘‘So there’s an increasing trend towards devolution of
authority back to member states over the zero-to-twelvemile limit," Tully outlined. As to how well Ireland manages the sector, "Not very well", he said. "Currently there are a number of real weaknesses in the system. And I suppose under any accepted best-practice for the management of fisheries, such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) guidelines for the management of fisheries, we’d fail the test for a number of reasons," he added. "First of all, it’s a totally uncoordinated activity. It tends to occur on an ad hoc basis, usually in a non-consultative way, and is reactionary. ‘‘In other words, we’re usually reacting to a crisis rather than proactively managing a sector and developing future planning for the sector. "In fact, most of our legisla-
tion comes directly from the EU even though we’ve national jurisdiction. ‘‘Very often, that legislation is inappropriate to Irish stocks and the Irish context. But nevertheless, we’re obliged to implement it," he said. According to Tully, data collection on fisheries in the coastal zone has been neglected in the past, "however, this is changing and increasing amounts of data are now being generated, in particular on the biological side and on the stocks. We’re still, however, relatively uniformed about the socio-economic importance and value of the sector. ‘‘Monitoring of this social and economic value and how it changes should be an ongoing project so that we can predict the impacts of changes in policy in the coastal zone," he said.
w w w. m a r i n e . i e
telephone 353 91 730 400
Foras na Mara
Marine Institute Galway Technology Park Parkmore Galway facsimile 353 91 730 470 email institute.mail@marine.ie
14
INSHORE IRELAND January 2005
REPORT
Dune erosion ALMOST all dunes are subject to erosion, most commonly caused by ’blow outs’. This happens when the wind gains access to the sand beneath the vegetation at the crest and rapidly erodes the surface causing a depression. As the wind is channeled into it, the depression grows until its width reduces the channeling effect of the wind, leaving low lying rolling dune pasture called ’machair’. Frontal erosion occurs when the entire seaward face of the dune system is cut back by storm waves. This is recognizable by a steep slope of loose sand and slipping clumps of crestal vegetation. Human activity also has a large part to play in dune erosion. The removal of sand and shingle can leave large areas of dune open to wind erosion. Cutting dune vegetation
or over-grazing the area by cattle or horses is another damaging activity. Recreation at beaches can also damage dunes. Vehicle movements can damage the turf carpet, and the creation of paths through the dunes exposes bare sand where blowouts could occur.
Sand Dunes Sand carried inland by onshore winds is deposited in a streamline form around some obstacle. Plants then colonise these small mounds of sand. As sand deposition proceeds, their foliage creates even more deposition and the root network binds the sand into low embryo dunes. As these dunes grow in height they coalesce parallel to the shoreline. In turn they are colonised and stabilised by other establishing plants and the dunes continue to grow. See www.mayococo.ie
Bertrá Beach. Looking northwards, the inner islands (drowned drumlins) are clearly visible. Bertrá, 12 km west of Westport at the foot of Croagh Patrick, is one of 10 blue flag beaches along the Mayo coastline. *
Taking stock
Overview by Edward Fahy, Fisheries Science Services, Marine Institute SINCE 1999, the Stock Book has had an inshore section. It is impossible to have too much information on a wild fishery, especially in a world of rapidly changing environmental conditions and ever-increasing catching power of a versatile and hungry polyvalent fleet. In the absence of a TAC regulation mechanism for inshore species, and given the case histories of some inshore stocks, it is highly desirable to have an annual review of the status and the scientific advice for inshore species. The inshore sector in Ireland is less precisely defined than elsewhere in the EU. Large fishing vessels work close to the coast whereas in Britain there is a policy of confining exploitation of waters inside 6 n miles to boats of less than 10m. Some landings of TAC species are made close to shore in Ireland; on the other hand, species like brown crab, which were traditionally a mainstay of the inshore sector, are now being harvested outside 12 n miles. The inshore sector is subdivided into three clusters of metiers: Pot fishing: shrimp, large crustaceans (four crab species, lobster and crawfish) and whelk Dredge fishing: surface living bivalves (escallops) and a variety of clams which live in the substratum (razor clams, surf clams and cockles). Gatherers work on the shoreline harvesting a variety of fauna of which the bivalve, Palourde, the purple sea urchin, Paracentrotus, and the highly valued periwinkle are included in our review. Two fish species, bass and conger, complete the contents list.
Case studies In 2001, the DCMNR introduced an initiative to develop the inshore sector, and it would be appropriate to compare how the fisheries performed in 2000, the year before it commenced, and in 2003, the last full year for which we have data. The species contributing to the inshore sector had a first-sale value of almost €36.15m in 2000 and €30m last year. (The data on which these figures are based come largely from the DCMNR, modified slightly by data from industry.) Overall figures like these, however, conceal a variety of valuable detail which can only be revealed on a case-by-case basis, as follows:
Brown crab More than 80% of the value of the inshore landings was contained in four species in 2003: the yield of brown crab (much of the tonnage being taken offshore) has increased at a rate of almost 600 tonnes per year over the 13 years since 1990. Now there are signs that the landings per unit effort (LPUE) are in decline in the largest fishery, off Co Donegal, which accounts for more than 50% of all crab landed into Ireland. In 2003, the first-sale price of brown crab fell abruptly, due to a combination of a decline in quality of the product and because the market for it had reached saturation point (both explanations have been ex-
Fig 1 - Irish Lobster Landings and Value
pressed within the industry).
Lobster Lobster landings to Ireland totalled 657 tonnes valued at €8.2m in 2003 (see Fig1). Lobster has produced steady landings in recent years and it is the only marine species that enjoys an active and continuing enhancement programme. V-notching has proved beneficial, and in spite of disappointment within the industry at the failure of government to support the scheme with additional legislation, which would go some way to excluding from a lobster fishery those who had not contributed directly to its development, there is a steadfast conviction that its continuance is necessary. Other species would benefit from a similar level of concern.
Whelk Landings of 10,000 tonnes of whelk in 2003, the heaviest to date, made sales of almost €6m, representing a dramatic increase from less than half that figure in 2000; however the south west Irish Sea fishery, the largest for this species, slumped early in 2004. In 2002, a large recruitment of whelk attracted additional fishing effort that was largely directed at harvesting undersized animals. That spike of recruitment was fished down in 2003, leaving a mis-match of fishing capacity and resource the following spring, which led to a sizeable proportion of the vessels seeking alternatives.
Escallops Landings of escallop to Ireland remain high; the majority of local stocklets probably being fully or over exploited. Fishing effort has sought the animals further afield so that the majority of landings are currently taken outside our 12 mile limit. Indeed, some of the fishery now takes place in the eastern English Channel. In 2003 there was a decline in the average price obtained for this valuable shellfish. (An explanation for this is the long steaming time to distant fishing grounds and consequent deterioration of quality in the landings.)
Opportunistic fisheries Within months of its inception in the late 1990s, hydraulic dredging over fished the shellfish resource and, at the same time, landings over-supplied the market. Razor clam patches
Fig 2 - Landings of Purple Sea Urchin
were rapidly fished down in the Irish Sea. Between 2000 and 2003, landings to Ireland declined by 43% in weight and 41% in value; however as one target species declined, others were sought. Surf clams came briefly to prominence; to date they have been fished at five different locations. Between 2000 and 2003, landings declined in weight and value by more than 90%. These beds will take time to regenerate although not so long as razor clam stocks. Surf clams reach market size in 3-4 years while most of the razor clams harvested in Ireland were in the region of 15 years old. Another bivalve fishery whose landings reached a maximum to date in 2003 was the cockle. Dundalk Bay has yielded landings from time to time and it is currently the largest supplier of this species in Ireland. In 2001 only 9 tonnes were landed from this fishery but fishing effort increased and more than 228 tonnes were landed in 2003. The rate of expansion of this fishery has been dramatic and is considered unsustainable. One bivalve that is harvested by hand digging at low spring tide is the palourde. Occasionally is provides large catches but these are irregular. There has been little change in its yield (1-2 tonnes) between 2000 and 2003. The palourde belongs to the gathered sub-sector in which harvesting conditions are not constrained by adverse weather conditions. Another member of the group is the purple sea urchin, Paracentrotus (see Fig 2) whose populations have been depleted to the point where it is no longer regarded as a commercial species and a special permit to authorise local harvest is required. The third gathered species in the Stock Book is the periwinkle whose landings declined from 3,460 tonnes in 2000 to 2,055 tonnes in 2003. The species, Littorina littorea, has been studied in the recent past but its populations are not
regularly monitored and the reason for its decline in yield, despite increasing price per tonne is not immediately obvious.
Accommodating mixed interests It has often been said that the inshore zone is exploited by a variety of fishing gears and that it accommodates a wide range of interests, from commercial fishing through recreational angling to diving and merely observing sea life. Until recently, little administrative provision was made for those who wanted to angle but times are changing. Ireland’s decision to reserve bass as an angling-only species was enlightened and pioneering, and the authorities in the UK have indicated that a similar move may take place there. Removing a species from the commercial list does not automatically afford it protection from exploitation, however, and bass is illegally captured and sold in spite of Trojan efforts to suppress the trade. The latest assessment of bass stocks has grounds for encouragement. There can be no doubt that a great deal of work remains to be done if we are to achieve our goal of a vibrant and sustainable inshore sector founded on a well managed resource base. Scientific advice on the status on inshore stocks will be a cornerstone in delivering this goal, and the advice contained in the Stock Book is a small step in the right direction. The Marine Institute will continue to work closely with BIM in the many and varied inshore fisheries around the coast. Nevertheless, a vibrant and sustainable inshore sector can only be achieved if scientists, managers and industry work closely together to achieve sound scientific advice, good management and a profitable inshore industry.
Seminar Programme
Fish Quality & Added Value
at THE IRISH SKIPPER INSHORE FISHERIES EXPO GALWAY 2005
Optimising the price obtained for fish is critical to the commercial development of fisheries.
Corrib Great Southern Hotel, Galway February 11-12th
9 Labelling and added value in shellfish (Saturday 11:00am)
Objectives
Themes & Seminars
Fisheries Management is about developing a sustainably viable industry. To do this information is needed and industry should be included as a partner in the process of management and a partner who can assist in the provision of information for management.
Safety & Grant aid
The BIM seminar series at The Irish Skipper Inshore Fisheries Expo will describe the way in which Shellfisheries are to be managed, how industry is to be involved and give examples of projects on development including fish quality, diversification, monitoring and research and how industry has assisted these programs in the past 10 years.
Details of training courses, safety equipment and grant aid programmes will be presented in seminars, demonstrations and on a one-to-one basis at the BIM stand and at BIM’s Mobile Training Unit which will be stationed in the hotel carpark.
Fisheries Management The proposed Framework for the Management of Shellfisheries will be launched by The Minister at the Expo. The following seminars will be presented in support of the launch.
1 The Framework for Management of Shellfisheries (Fri. 11th 12:00 noon & Sat. 10:30am) 2 Industry representation in the Framework (Fri. 11th 12:30pm & Sat. 11:00am)
Fisheries Monitoring Monitoring and Research data are needed to support the Management of Shellfisheries. This session will describe some of the existing programs and how industry is assisting monitoring, research, development and conservation.
3 The north west crab monitoring program (Friday 2 pm) 4 Alternative and novel fishing methods (Friday 2:30 pm) 5 The national shrimp monitoring programme (Friday 3 pm)
10 Handling and storage of live crustaceans (Saturday 11:30am) 11 Inshore Fisheries Quality Schemes in Australia (Keynote address Saturday 12:00 noon by Mr. Ted Loveday MD of Seafood Services Australia) Mr. Loveday will describe the link between quality, sustainability and profitability in Australia’s inshore fisheries using a number of examples in the shellfish and finfish sectors.
Training, Safety & Grant Aid Details of BIM’s training courses, safety equipment and grant aid schemes will be presented through seminars, demonstrations and a one-to-one basis at the BIM stand and on BIM’s mobile Coastal Training Unit, which will be stationed in the hotel car park.
6 Electronic logbooks for inshore vessels: a demonstration (Friday 3:30pm)
12 Safety Statements for Fishing Vessels (dates and times TBC)
7 The national lobster v-notch programme (Friday 4:00pm)
13 e-Learning Navigation & Stability Course (dates and times TBC)
8 Increasing scallop catch rates using seabed maps (Friday 4:30pm)
14 Marine Engineering Course for Inshore Vessel Operators (dates and times TBC)
INSHORE IRELAND January 2005
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AQUA NEWS
Holistic approach to marine research
Declan Clarke explains
AT the Martin Ryan Institute, NUI Galway, research in the marine field is approached from a holistic view point and is reflected in the diversity of the interdependent research, which ranges from the near inshore to the deep ocean Two on-going research programmes have particular reference to the aquaculture sector: the culture of cod and seahorses — two new species for aquaculture. On the face of it, the species would appear to have little in common; however it is their dependence on small marine creatures (zooplankton) for successful culture of the juvenile stages, along with the requirements for high-quality seawater, that brought them together at the MRI’s campus in Carna, Co Galway. Joint endeavours with Seahorse Ireland Ltd provide expertise in two critical areas for novel finfish species: production of live food and the use of recirculation technology. Over the past three years, technological advances in coldwater marine research have allowed us to build a state-ofthe-art hatchery for marine finfish, the life-cycle of which is
dependent on the large-scale production of these tiny marine zooplankton. The targeted species for pilot commercial scale culture was cod. The collaborative research we are now undertaking means that Ireland’s first farmed cod will be in sea-cages next year, and hopefully on your table by 2006. The challenges facing new species development are many and varied, and we have been fortunate to draw upon the expertise of the industry, Údarás na Gaeltachta, the Marine Institute, and BIM. This team approach also ensures that as the research provider, we are at all times firmly grounded by the necessity to focus on commercial realities; this has been a prime driver in ensuring the quality of research. So far, our research has played a key role in delivering two new species to the aquaculture industry in Ireland, and we will continue to support this sector through collaborative frameworks and demand-driven research programmes. * Using native Irish Seaweeds as an additional water purification step at the MRI Carna Laboratories
MY career in marine research began in the RTC Galway when I took the unlikely course (for a north Dubliner), of aquaculture. I am glad to say that since then my chosen path has been hugely challenging, immensely enjoyable and rewarding. Up until quite recently I never really understood the value of research and the part it plays in stimulating our economy. Whilst working with BIM, the national agency with responsibility for developing Ireland’s fishing and aquaculture sector, I learned the meaning of the much-used expression ‘development’. During my time there I worked with fish and shellfish farmers and the agencies that supported them. The diversity of the shellfish sector, where I had particular interest, is quite surprising: from the growing of the exotic sea snail (abalone), beach culture of the cupped oyster, to the large-scale culture of the familiar delicacy, the blue mussel. The combined efforts and attention to quality of development agencies, BIM and Údarás na Gaeltachta, and the industry has lead to Ireland’s seafarmed produce being sold for premium prices in competitive markets around the world. This attention to quality in the research field was what later drew me to the Martin Ryan Institute, the premier research Institute of NUI, Galway.
New smoked salmon standard traces best practice Providing services to the aquaculture and inshore fisheries sectors through the facilities on main campus and the MRI Carna Laboratories in: . Culture of new species, including seaweed, marine finfish and shellfish . Industry training, . Environmental monitoring, . Technology Transfer . Shellfish and finfish hatcheries
Contact Declan Clarke 091-750386 Declan.clarke@nuigalway.ie
BIM has launched a new quality standard for Irish cold smoked salmon, which was prepared by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources and BIM, together with industry stakeholders. The Irish Quality Cold Smoked Standard is the latest in a series of documents developed by BIM for the aquaculture and fishing industries. The Standard puts together approved quality specifications for salmon used in the process, together with a set of criteria for all operational aspects such as HACCP, staff training, personnel hygiene, equipment design and microbiological monitoring. The Standard comes under the ambit of an existing scheme — the Irish Quality Salmon scheme (IQS) — which became the first Irish food product to obtain the European accreditation, EN45011, in 2000. (IQS comes under BIM’s Quality Seafood Programme (QSP) range of quality assured seafood products.) Application to scheme is voluntary. A third party certification body, IFQC Ltd, audits the applications, and those who are successful can then avail of
Donal Maguire, BIM Aquaculture Development Manager; Catherine Morrison, BIM’s finfish quality officer; with David Lyons, Food Safety
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BIM’s QSP Quality Mark. The Quality Scheme is designed to ensure that all certified members produce quality cold smoked salmon products that can be verifiably traced to the highest possible criteria with regard to food and staff hygiene. An export Technical Advisory Committee will regularly review the standard to ensure that it reflects current best practice and that the latest information in areas such as microbiological monitoring is taken into account. Speaking at the announce-
ment, a spokesperson for BIM said the organisation was delighted to be in a position to offer the scheme to the Irish salmon smokers. "We look forward to working with the smokers so as to bring forward quality assured product in 2005. It represents a valuable addition to the range of quality assured salmon products already covered by QSP." BIM is now inviting partners from the smoked salmon sector to pilot the scheme, which will ensure the highest standards of food safety and quality to the consumer.
CREATING THE
FINEST FEED Skretting Roman Island, Westport. Co. Mayo. Tel 098 26677 Fax 098 25873 www skretting.co.uk a nutreco company
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INSHORE IRELAND January 2005
REPORTS
SeaWomen sustaining coastal communities WOMEN from rural coastal communities around Ireland, Spain and Norway have joined forces to ensure that their contribution to rural coastal economies is fully recognised and further developed. The forum for this exchange of ideas and experience is SeaWomen, which is funded through the AquaReg Programme and which promotes aquaculture exchanges between the BMW region in Ireland, Galicia in Spain and Trondelag in Norway. The first meeting of SeaMná na Mara was originally founded in the 1960s as a support group for women involved in the fishing and marine sector, and in 2003 established itself as the National Federation of Mná na Mara. According to Margaret Downey, most ports throughout Ireland have their own group. ‘‘Now however, it is time to widen the horizon with a view to ensuring that the traditions that have sustained our coastal communities for generations are protected and passed on to the next generation as their heritage.’’ The benefits of networking with similar organisations in Spain and Norway
Women took place in Vigo, Spain, where ten women representing the three regions came together with the aim of ensuring economic sustainability, gender equality and population levels in peripheral coastal areas. CETMAR (a public foundation set up by the Galician regional government to boost competitiveness in marine and fishing related sectors through research and innovation), leads the project, while AREAL, the Galician Association of Professional Shellfish Gatherers are
the main partners. Mná na Mara, facilitated by the Marine Institute is the Irish participants, and the Norwegian Fisherman’s Wives Association is also involved. Pictured (from left): Marta Ballesteros (CETMAR), Margaret Downey (Mná na Mara), Maria Armesto (CETMAR), Brid Duff (Irish Fish Producers Organisation), Maria Rita Gonzalez Sestelo (AREAL), Pauline O’Donohoe (Marine Institute), Randi Nilsen (Norwegian Fishermen’s Wives Association), Rosa Chapela Perez (CETMAR), Marianne Sandstad (Norwegian Fishermen’s Wives Association) and Dolores Bermudez Rodriguez (AREAL).
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are considerable for Mná na Mara, according to Pauline O’Donohoe of the Marine Institute. ‘‘AREAL, for example, represents about 2,300 shellfish gatherers in Galician coastal communities, all of them self-employed and 98% are women. By sharing information and experience with like-minded groups, each organisation can learn from the challenges they have overcome and how best to sustain and expand their roles in inshore fisheries and aquaculture into the future.’’ For more information on this and other AquaReg projects visit www.aquareg.com
Pictured: Nonnie Meehan and Turlough Cox from St. Joseph’s College, Enniskillen and Mercy College, Sligo, who took part in a component of the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Regions of Ireland (PEACE II), which is organised and administered by Board Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), supported by PEACE II partners Northern Ireland Seafood to promote the sea food during a visit to ESB Cathaleens Falls Hydro Power Station and Fish Hatchery, Ballyshannon. *
Fish for health
Cross border seafood education programme
support our volunteer crews Royal National Lifeboat Institution 15 Windsor Terrace Dun Laoghaire Co Dublin Telephone: 01 - 2845050 Fax: 01 - 2845052 Email: lifeboatsireland@rnli.org.uk www.lifeboats.ie
Saving Lives at Sea
VISITS to ice plants, net manufacturers, tours of fishing vessels, fish filleting factories and also fish-dish tastings are all elements in the first of a series of educational field trips organised for students participating in the 2004-2005 Seafood Education Programme. The programme is one component of the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the border regions of Ireland (PEACE II). It is organised and administered by BIM and supported by PEACE II partners, Northern Ireland Seafood. The programme’s primary objective is to encourage awareness of the fishing industry and to promote seafood consumption amongst 13 to 14 year olds. Through the process employed, the programme also seeks to maximise the opportunity for cross-border and cross-community contact. Students and teachers representing St Columba’s Comprehensive School, Glenties, Co Donegal, and St Patrick’s College, Maghera, Co Derry, kicked-off the Programme’s five-week run when they visited the Killybegs Tourism College and the Pier of Killybegs, Co Donegal. In total, 32 schools will participate in 15 educational field trips. The field trips will cover topics from the geography, science and home economics curricula currently being taught at second-level schools north and south of the border. Follow-
ing the trips, students will work with their counterparts to develop a joint project based on their experiences. Representatives from each school will present completed projects at the ‘Seafood Education Awards’ in early this year. A panel of judges selected from the education sector both sides of the border will select the winning project. Other programme site visits will take place in the Exploris Aquarium, Portaferry, Co Down; C-MAR Marine Laboratory (part of Queen’s University); the Lough’s Agency, Derry; the BIM National Fisheries College, the Inishowen Maritime Museum, Greencastle, Co Donegal and the ESB Cathaleen’s Fall Power Station and Fish Hatchery at Ballyshannon, Co Donegal. Commenting on the initiative, BIM’s market development manager, Helen Brophy, said that the organisation was delighted to be involved in the project. ‘‘The Seafood Education Programme uses a ‘handson’ experiential approach to inform young people of some of the aspects of seafood and its related industries. It offers us an excellent opportunity to educate participating students on the nutritional and dietary benefits of seafood, and also highlights the many career choices and education training opportunities the industry offers.’’
BIM has produced a series of booklets and leaflets on the nutritional and health benefits of fish. Nutritional Aspects of Fish has been developed as a specialised information resource for health professionals and those with an interest in the area. A series of leaflets aimed at informing consumers of the health benefits of fish have also been produced. These include leaflets on subjects such as ‘fish for your heart’, ‘fish for you and your baby’, ‘love your body’ (aimed at 13 to 17 yearolds), and ‘fish for the elderly’. The publications are intended to provide an overview of the nutritional content of fish, reinforcing the proven benefits of its consumption, and outlining other benefits that are currently being researched. Nutritional Aspects of Fish is supported by the Irish Heart Foundation and the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI), and was compiled with the assistance of consultant dietician, Sarah Keogh, B.Sc. Hum Nut, MINDI. Nutritional Aspects of Fish is being distributed to all nutritionists and dieticians in Ireland, as well as to a range of other health professions. The series of consumer leaflets is available by post from BIM. *
For further information, contact BIM’s ‘wellbeing’ website, which is a comprehensive guide to understanding fish, including detailed nutritional information and easy to follow recipes. www.bim.ie/wellbeing
INSHORE IRELAND January 2005
25
REPORT
The Naval Service — a view from the bridge Cdr Gerard O’Flynn outlines the activities THE Naval Service (NS) is the principal seagoing agency of the State and is responsible for patrolling Ireland’s 132,000m2 Exclusive Fishery Limit (EFL). This area represents approximately 12% of EU waters and is about six times the size of Ireland. The NS also conducts fishery protection in waters beyond the 200-mile EFL as part of Ireland’s contribution to bodies such as NEAFC, NAFO, etc (North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, North Atlantic Fisheries Commission). Provision of a fishery protection service is one of the stated roles of the Defence Forces and is fully delegated to the NS. The work of monitoring, inspection and control is conducted by a fleet of eight patrol ships ranging in age from the 27-yearold LE Emer to the newest ships, LE Niamh and LE Roisin, both commissioned within the last five years. Two Air Corps operated maritime patrol aircraft, CASA CN235 Persuader, support the work of the ships. Provision of fishery protection services is the primary task of NS ships; however they are multi-tasked, meaning that fishery patrols are part of a series of other concurrent tasks that can include maritime policing, surveillance, search and rescue, security duties, drug interdiction and military training.
Satellite monitoring The NS operates the National Fisheries Monitoring Centre (FMC), which is staffed on a seven-day week basis. The
Iris na Mara is available in leading Easons outlets, or on application to the Maritime Institute of Ireland, Maritime Museum, Haigh Terrace, Dun Laoghiare, Co Dublin.
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Iris na Mara
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Naval vessels on patrol.
FMC supports the activities of the eight patrol ships and its responsibilities include enforcement of satellite-based monitoring of fishing activity commonly referred to as VMS (Vessel Monitoring System). The system, which was introduced on a phased basis in January 2000, will apply to all vessels over 15 metres in length from January 2005. Fishing vessels transmit their registration code and position to their national FMC. The information is then automatically retransmitted to the FMC in whose waters the fishing vessel
is operating at a particular time. In the case of the Irish FMC, such positions are displayed on a system known as the Fisheries Geographic System (FGS), where at any one time the position of over 300 fishing vessels are displayed. This includes vessels fishing within the 200 mile Irish EFL as well as Irish vessels fishing anywhere in the world. The FMC currently supplies the patrol ships with paperbased snap shots of the VMS picture. From early 2005, all patrol ships have to be equipped with an electronic display.
The FGS forms part of an IT suite known as the Fisheries Protection Information system, whose other main components include a legislation system known as the FLS and the core component, the Fisheries Information System (FIS).
Fishery protection The Navy has a close working relationship with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources on whose behalf it provides the fishery protection service. A formal Memorandum of Understanding incorporating a
service level agreement defines the working relationship. In 2003, the NS conducted 1,511 patrol days, 90% of which were dedicated to fishery protection, 1,950 fishing vessels were inspected at sea, resulting in 27 detentions. Written warnings were issued to a further 119 vessels. In 2005, the Navy has programmed a total 1,660 patrol days, being the culmination of an ambitious five-year development plan that has seen a significant increase in overall output.
Naval Service Fact file . . . . THE Naval Service is located at Haulbowline Naval Base, Cork Harbour, and has a total staff of over 1,100, the majority of whom are recruited as school leavers or University graduates, hence at any one time a large number of personnel are engaged in training.
Maritime College The Navy occasionally recruits bridge watch keeping and marine engineer officers from the merchant navy. The new National Maritime College (NMCI), opened in October 2004 is located close to the Haulbowline Naval Base, and supplies all non-military training needs of the Naval Service. This world-class facility is operated jointly with Cork institute of Technology and is a world-class facility
that is already proving a magnificent boost to the Irish maritime sector.
Cover The Naval Diving Section provides 365-day coverage to the Gardai and other authorities to assist with various diving operations, mainly SAR (search & rescue) and security. The diving team provides expertise in explosive ordnance disposal, where activities include disposal of WW2 mines/depth charges. Their search expertise has been enhanced through the acquisition of an under water remotely operated vehicle (ROV), and side scan sonar equipment. Although relatively small by international standards, the Naval Service is a dy-
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Irish Coastguard helicopter assisting the Naval Service.
namic organisation populated by young welleducated people. It has invested wisely in ships, IT and other infrastructure, and its involvement in the development of the NMCI augurs
well for its future well-being. To quote from a recent article in Jane’s Navy International: ‘‘within the framework of constraints and considerable challenges it faces, it appears the NS is
punching well above what initial impressions of its size and capabilities might suggest and manages to balance its broad range of defence and maritime policing commitments.’’
IRIS na Mara, Journal of the Sea, is published by the Maritime Institute of Ireland as its official organ. It appears annually towards the end of the year, and publishes articles covering a wide range of maritime matters under its stated philosophy, ‘Acknowledge the present; Build the future; Cherish the past’. As part of its central structure, the Journal has articles acknowledging the great people of Irish maritime history, and contains regular features from specialists in the shipping and the Irish fishing industries. It has given prominence to some of the groundbreaking work of the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI), and in particular its revealing ‘National Seabed Survey’, currently underway. While its purpose is to inform and influence readers towards an appreciation of Ireland’s significance and importance as a maritime nation, it also has its moments of entertainment and humour, without which living in our world would be a duller and less appealing experience. The current edition highlights on its cover the Return of the Tall Ships to Ireland later this year with Waterford hosting the start of the race. Features focus on the amazing story of the sinking in the Atlantic off Bloody Foreland of its escort cruiser by the liner, Queen Mary, then a wartime troopship; a seemingly simple passage by a schooner in the last century from Tralee to Cahirciveen (a land distance of 30 miles), which ended up as an Atlantic adventure over 47 days, and a focus on Wicklow’s courageous Captain Robert Halpin of the Great Eastern. The ‘Dog Watch’ column casts a caring eye on matters that people of the sea would like to chat about over a glass of good rum. — Tim Magennis, Editor
Choose fish for life. For booklets outlining the nutritional benefits of fish and simple delicious recipes, contact BIM on 01 2144250 or visit: www.bim.ie/wellbeing Fish. It’s as healthy as that.
Choose fish for life. For booklets outlining the nutritional benefits of fish and simple delicious recipes, contact BIM on 01 2144250 or visit: www.bim.ie/wellbeing Fish. It’s as healthy as that.
Sometimes you may have to book couriers. ! # $ %
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If you're over 17 years and under 25 years (27 for Naval Service) and would like to know more about careers in the Army, Naval Service or Air Corps contact the number below.
A life less ordinary LoCall 1890-201148 military.ie