An Assessment of the Impact of Selected Fishing Activities on European Marine Sites and a Review of Mitigation Measures

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An Assessment of the Impact of Selected Fishing Activities on European Marine Sites and a Review of Mitigation Measures An Assessment of the Impact of Selected Fishing Activities on European Marine Sites and a Review of Mitigation Measures July 2007 Jack Sewell, Rebecca Harris, Hilmar Hinz, Steven Votier and Keith Hiscock SR591 Working with the seafood industry to satisfy consumers, raise standards, improve efficiency and secure a sustainable future. The Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish) was established by the Government in 1981 and is a Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB). Seafish activities are directed at the entire UK seafood industry including the catching, processing, retailing and catering sectors. Seafish Technology and Training: We promote the sustainable use of fish resources, quality, the reduction of waste and the improvement of safety through practical applied research. We also develop standards, training programmes and learning support materials. We also promote training opportunities for all sectors of the sea fish industry through a national network of Group Training Associations. Quality award schemes are available for processors and friers. ISBN – 0 903941 69 4 Seafish Technology Authors: Jack Sewell, Rebecca Harris, Hilmar Hinz, Stephen Votier, Keith Hiscock. The Marine Biological Association and the University of Plymouth Date: July 2007 AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF SELECTED FISHING ACTIVITIES ON EUROPEAN MARINE SITES AND A REVIEW OF MITIGATION MEASURES. 2 ©Seafish AN ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF SELECTED FISHING ACTIVITIES ON EUROPEAN MARINE SITES AND A REVIEW OF MITIGATION MEASURES. Jack Sewell, Rebecca Harris, Hilmar Hinz, Stephen Votier, Keith Hiscock. Executive summary Introduction ‘European Marine Sites’ (EMS) include Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA) established under European Commission Directives. A proposal to carry out a fishing or aquaculture activity in a European marine site could be subject to an environmental impact assessment, known as an ‘appropriate assessment’, depending on the nature of the proposal and whether it is likely to have a significant effect (e.g. deterioration or disturbance) on the key features of the site. If there is a likelihood of significant harm, the body that authorises the fishing or aquaculture proposal (known as the ‘competent authority’) will carry out an appropriate assessment and will request information from the applicant as well as receiving advice from the relevant nature conservation agency. The appropriate assessment considers the implications of the proposal on the features for which the site was classified (e.g. reefs, sandbanks, coastal bird species etc). The scope and content of an appropriate assessment will depend on the nature, location, duration and scale of the proposed activity and the conservation objectives for the interest features of the site. Following the appropriate assessment, the competent authority must ascertain that the proposal will not have an adverse affect on the integrity of the site before it may grant permission. The appropriate assessment procedure is set out in the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994, sometimes known as the ‘Habitat Regulations’, which transposed into UK law the provisions of the European Union’s ‘Habitats Directive’ on the conservation of natural habitats, and of wild fauna and flora. Objectives of the study The report summarised here has been commissioned by the Sea Fish Industry Authority (SEAFISH) with the aim of determining the potential impact of fisheries on EMS interest features and site integrity in relation to their conservation objectives. The report also identifies potential mitigation methods to reduce the impact of selected fisheries on EMS interest features and provides recommendations for further work in order to improve the accuracy of future desk-based assessments. It is hoped that the report will reduce the time taken to carry out future appropriate assessments. The report provides the scientifically sound information required to evaluate the potential impact a fishery may have on interest features. Methods used The project has taken the form of a desk-based study. Available literature from scientifically sound sources has been reviewed and information regarding potential impacts of different fisheries added to an existing database. Interviews have also been carried out with UK competent authorities (mainly fisheries authorities). Research organisations, non governmental organisations and statutory nature conservation agencies throughout the UK and overseas were also contacted for their views and to identify past, current and future relevant work. 3 ©Seafish Conservation issues and fishing types The following conservation issues and fishing types are the primary focus of the report. • All aspects of bird disturbance, both on the foreshore and at sea, caused by fishing vessels and activities, and on-shore fishing activities. • All aspects of competition for shellfish resources between fisheries and wetland birds, waterfowl and seabirds. • All aspects of benthic and consequential impacts of hydraulic suction dredging (all dredge forms that enable fishing for bivalve molluscs buried in seabed sediments by using high pressure water to loosen or fluidise sediments). • All aspects of benthic and consequential impacts of scallop dredging (toothed scallop dredges whether used for scallops or other bivalve species). • All aspects of benthic and consequential impacts of oyster culture systems, husbandry techniques, stock enhancement and harvesting. Description and distribution of relevant habitats and species The report includes information about Habitats Directive relevant Annex I habitats and Annex II species; seabirds and estuarine/coastal birds occurring around the UK which are on Annex I of the Birds Directive; regularly occurring migratory seabirds and estuarine/coastal birds around the UK not on Annex I of the Birds Directive and other marine species protected by law in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which may be affected by the subjects covered. Current distribution of EMS features and status of the features within EMS are also provided where possible. Source references and information Throughout the text, the scientific papers and reports that have led to conclusions are identified. References are maintained on an electronic database which can be accessed from http://www.marlin.ac.uk. The database has been used to generate a tabulated summary of the information in each source reference used in the review. Using the report to assist in appropriate assessments At the time of preparation, the report and associated database and its Web front-end is considered to provide a comprehensive source of literature and conclusions from the literature on the likely effects of different fishing activities on Interest Features within EMS. When an activity is being considered that requires an appropriate assessment, the proposer should check if existing information is sufficient to identify likely adverse effects on interest features. If there is not sufficient information, then new research may need to be pursued. Summary tables for each fishing type have been used in the report for quick reference. The information within the tables is fully referenced. Information is given for the relevant interest features and an assessment is given on whether the activity is likely to have an acceptable impact on the feature based on the conservation objectives given in the Habitats Directive. 4 ©Seafish Report Outline Description and distribution of relevant habitats and species This section of the report includes information about Habitats Directive Annex I habitats; relevant Annex II species; seabirds and estuarine/coastal birds occurring around the UK which are on Annex I of the Birds Directive; regularly occurring migratory seabirds and estuarine/coastal birds around the UK not on Annex I of the Birds Directive and other marine species protected by law in the UK under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which may be affected by the subjects covered. Current distribution of EMS features and status of the features within EMS are also provided where possible and maps have been provided showing the distribution of EMS features around the UK. An overview of relevant fishing activities in the UK EMS based on interviews with competent authorities An overview is given of the status of hydraulic suction dredging; scallop dredging; oyster culture; fishery related bird disturbance and competition between fisheries and birds for shellfish resources in UK EMS. The information has come from interviews with regional competent authority representatives and as such, represents the views and opinions of this expert group. For England and Wales, all regional Sea Fisheries Committees (SFCs) were interviewed. For Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Scottish Executive were interviewed and for Shetland, the Shetland Council. Unfortunately, it was not possible to arrange interviews with competent authority representatives from Northern Ireland. Disturbance of birds by fisheries Specific effects of fisheries are discussed for the following fishing types, which are thought to cause disturbance to bird populations: • offshore fisheries; • hand gathering and bait collection; • mariculture; • dredging, and • coastal net fisheries. Mitigation methods including those currently undertaken in the UK are also discussed. Competition for shellfish food resources between fisheries and birds Fisheries where such competition is likely to occur are discussed in detail, these fisheries
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