The Environmental Impact of Scallop Dredging in Breiðafjörður, West Iceland a Call for Fishing Technique and Management Reform
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Master‘s thesis The environmental impact of scallop dredging in Breiðafjörður, West Iceland A call for fishing technique and management reform K. Megan Chen Advisor: Jónas Páll Jónasson University of Akureyri Faculty of Business and Science University Centre of the Westfjords Master of Resource Management: Coastal and Marine Management Ísafjörður, February/May Year 1 Supervisory Committee Advisor: Jónas Páll Jónasson, Fisheries Ecologist Reader: Name, title Program Director: Dagný Arnarsdóttir, MSc. K. Megan Chen The environmental impact of scallop dredging in Breiðafjörður: The need for fishing technique and management reform. 45 ECTS thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of a Master of Resource Management degree in Coastal and Marine Management at the University Centre of the Westfjords, Suðurgata 12, 400 Ísafjörður, Iceland Degree accredited by the University of Akureyri, Faculty of Business and Science, Borgir, 600 Akureyri, Iceland Copyright © 2012 K. Megan Chen All rights reserved Printing: University Centre of the Westfjords and/or Printer, town, Month YEAR 2 Declaration I hereby confirm that I am the sole author of this thesis and it is a product of my own academic research. __________________________________________ Student‘s name 3 Abstract The fishery for C. islandica in Breiðafjörður was closed in response to the stock collapse around 2003. High rates of natural mortality, an increase in sea surface temperature, and inability to endure fishing pressure have been mechanisms suggested for the collapse. Fishing using inefficient or non-selective gear not only incurs direct mortality, but can also reduce individual fitness by applying physical damage and physiological stress. Reductions in fitness may compromise yield per recruit or lead to indirect mortality. The environmental impact of roller dredging was examined in two ways: (1) a framework for assessing cumulative impact on vulnerable marine taxa, and (2) modeling the effects on yield per recruit with the inclusion of different levels of indirect mortality. Results showed that total historical cumulative impact was highest for maerl (35.25%), echinoidea (35.25%), bivalves (33.24%) and alcyonacea (30.85%). As well, peak yield per recruit with the addition of indirect fishing mortality of 0.155 dropped to 27% of peak yield per recruit with no indirect fishing mortality. The certainty and significance of these results are discussed, along with strengths and weaknesses of both methods used. Then, a list of criteria was developed for fishing technique transform, and management actions are suggested. Útdráttur Veiðar á hörpudiski (C. islandica) í Breiðafirði voru stöðvaðar árið 2003 í kjölfar hruns í stofninum. Hár náttúrulegur dauði, hækkun sjávarhita og afleiðingar of mikillar sóknar hafa verið nefndar ástæður fyrir hruninu. Í þessari ritgerð voru áhrif veiðarfærisins (plógs) metin. Umhverfisáhrif plógsins voru metin á tvo vegu: (1) rannsóknaraðferð er metur uppsöfnuð umhverfisáhrif á viðkvæma lífveruhópa og (2) líkan sem metur afrakstur á nýliða að teknu tilliti til óbeins fiskveiðidauða af völdum veiðarfæris. Niðurstöður leiddu í ljós að uppsöfnuð neikvæð áhrif voru hæst hjá kalkþörungum (35.25%), ígulkerjum (35.25%), samlokum (33.24%) og náhönd (30.85%). Afrakstur á nýliða var metinn 27% af mögulegum hámarksafrakstri þegar tekið var tillit til óbeins fiskveiðidauða upp á 0.155. Fjallað var um áræðanleika og mikilvægi þessara niðurstaðna sem og veik- og styrkleika aðferðanna. Útbúin voru viðmið til að fylgja við breytingar á veiðarfærum og ráðlagðar nýjar nálganir við fiskveiðistjórnun. 4 Table of Contents Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................. 5 List of Figures .................................................................................................................................... 7 List of Tables ..................................................................................................................................... 8 Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 9 1.0 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 The Chlamys islandica Fishery in Iceland ............................................................................ 12 1.1.1 History of the Fishery and Changes in Stock ................................................................................. 12 1.1.2 Scallop Processing ..................................................................................................................................... 14 1.1.3 Management of the Fishery ................................................................................................................... 15 1.1.4 Chlamys islandica Research ................................................................................................................... 15 1.2 Incentives of Reopening the Fishery ...................................................................................... 16 1.2.1 Socio-Economic Incentives .................................................................................................................... 16 1.2.2 Alignment with Consumer Values ....................................................................................................... 17 1.3 Scallop Background ..................................................................................................................... 19 1.3.1 General Biology ........................................................................................................................................... 19 1.3.2 Scallop Ecology ............................................................................................................................................ 25 1.3.3 Epibenthic Role in Environment .......................................................................................................... 28 1.4 Traditional Fishing Method: The Dredge ............................................................................ 30 1.4.1 Indirect, Direct & Natural Mortality of Scallops ............................................................................ 31 1.4.2 Mortality of other Taxa ............................................................................................................................ 32 1.4.3 Other Environmental Considerations ................................................................................................ 35 1.5 Reason for Research ....................................................................................................................... 35 2.0 Literature Review .................................................................................................................. 36 2.1 Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 36 2.1.1 The Impact Assessment Framework ................................................................................................. 36 2.1.2 Including Indirect Mortality in Scallop Stock Modeling ........................................................... 36 2.2 Likely cumulative environmental impact of scallop dredge fishing activities ........... 37 2.2.1 The implications of physical change in benthic environments ............................................. 37 2.2.2 Alteration of Population Dynamics .................................................................................................... 40 2.2.3 Variables On Impact Intensity .............................................................................................................. 45 2.2.4 Deficiencies in Impact Research ......................................................................................................... 47 2.3 Summary ............................................................................................................................................ 48 3.0 Materials & Methods ............................................................................................................ 49 3.1 The Impact Assessment Framework ........................................................................................ 49 3.1.1 Why the framework was chosen ........................................................................................................ 49 3.1.2 Outlining the framework steps ............................................................................................................ 50 3.2 Modeling Changes in Indirect Mortality .................................................................................. 51 3.2.1 Biomass yield per recruit function ................................................................................................... 51 4.0 Results .................................................................................................................................... 53 4.1 The Framework ............................................................................................................................... 53 4.1.1 Step 1: Description of Fishing Gear ................................................................................................... 53 4.1.2 Step 2: Description of Fishing Activity ............................................................................................