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Moody Marine Ltd Loch Torridon Nephrops Creel Fishery Certification Report Moody Marine Ltd. May 2002 Ref: 011-008/V4 Author(s): Mrs E Mason, Professor R.J.A. Atkinson, Dr. A Hough, September, 2002 Certification Report for Loch Torridon Nephrops Creel Fishery Client: Shieldaig Export Limited Certification Body: Moody Marine Ltd. Client Contact: Mr. John MacGregor Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies Shieldaig Export Limited 2 Vanguard Way Rosebank Birkenhead Strathcarron Wirral Ross-shire CH41 9HX IV54 8XN Tel: +44 (0) 151 650 2275 Tel: Office +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) 151 650 2274 Tel: Evenings +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) FN 07/019 Rev. 00 02/04/00 Page 1 Moody Marine Ltd Loch Torridon Nephrops Creel Fishery Certification Report CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................... 4 1.1 THE FISHERY PROPOSED FOR CERTIFICATION IS:........................................................... 4 1.2 ASSESSMENT AND REPORT STRUCTURE ....................................................................... 4 1.3 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR THIS ASSESSMENT........................................................ 5 1.4 INFORMATION SOURCES USED...................................................................................... 8 1.5 BACKGROUND TO THE CREEL FISHERY....................................................................... 10 1.6 BACKGROUND TO THE TARGET SPECIES ..................................................................... 10 2 ADMINISTRATIVE CONTEXT............................................................................... 12 2.1 LEGISLATION AND ADMINISTRATION .......................................................................... 12 2.1.1 The Loch Torridon area closed to mobile fishing gear ................................... 13 2.1.2 The Loch Torridon Management Plan ............................................................ 14 2.2 RESPONSIBLE AGENCIES............................................................................................. 14 3 THE LOCH TORRIDON NEPHROPS CREEL FISHERY .................................... 16 3.1 FISHING METHODS...................................................................................................... 16 3.2 SURVEILLANCE VISIT CONDUCTED ON 30TH MAY 2002............................................... 16 3.2.1 Discard ............................................................................................................ 17 3.2.2 By-catch........................................................................................................... 17 3.3 MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES; ...................................................................................... 18 3.4 THE LOCH TORRIDON NEPHROPS CREEL FISHERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ................. 19 3.4.1 Licensing ......................................................................................................... 19 3.4.2 Quota management.......................................................................................... 19 3.4.3 Recording of landings ..................................................................................... 20 3.5 STOCK ASSESSMENT................................................................................................... 20 3.6 CURRENT STATUS OF THE STOCK ............................................................................... 22 3.7 VOLUNTARY MANAGEMENT....................................................................................... 22 3.8 OTHER RELEVANT ACTIVITIES .................................................................................... 22 3.8.1 Other Nephrops fisheries within the “Closed Area” Loch Torridon and Inner Sound of Rona................................................................................................................ 22 3.8.2 Other fisheries prosecuted by Loch Torridon Nephrops Creel fishers............ 23 4 BACKGROUND TO THE EVALUATION .............................................................. 24 4.1 EVALUATION TEAM;................................................................................................... 24 4.2 PREVIOUS CERTIFICATION EVALUATIONS ................................................................... 24 5 STANDARD USED...................................................................................................... 25 5.1 MSC PRINCIPLES AND CRITERIA USED FOR THE EVALUATION;................................... 25 PRINCIPLE 1........................................................................................................................ 25 PRINCIPLE 2:....................................................................................................................... 25 PRINCIPLE 3:....................................................................................................................... 26 6 THE EVALUATION PROCESS................................................................................ 29 6.1 INSPECTIONS OF THE LOCH TORRIDON NEPHROPS CREEL FISHERY .............................. 29 7 STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION........................................................................ 30 7.1 IDENTIFICATION OF STAKEHOLDERS:.......................................................................... 30 7.2 SUMMARY OF RELATIVE USE-RIGHTS; ........................................................................ 30 7.3 STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTED:..................................................................................... 31 7.4 INFORMATION OBTAINED AND CONCLUSIONS DRAWN;............................................... 32 8 OBSERVATIONS AND SCORING........................................................................... 34 8.1 INTRODUCTION TO SCORING METHODOLOGY ............................................................. 34 FN 07/019 Rev. 00 02/04/00 Page 2 Moody Marine Ltd Loch Torridon Nephrops Creel Fishery Certification Report 8.2 EVALUATION RESULTS ............................................................................................... 34 9 LIMIT OF IDENTIFICATION OF LANDINGS FROM THE LOCH TORRIDON NEPHROPS CREEL FISHERY .......................................................................................... 35 10 CERTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION.............................................................. 35 10.1 CERTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION ...................................................................... 35 10.2 SCOPE OF CERTIFICATION ..................................................................................... 35 10.3 PRE-CONDITIONS, CONDITIONS OR RECOMMENDATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH CERTIFICATION .................................................................................................................... 35 11 AGREEMENT ............................................................................................................. 37 11.1 APPLICANT'S AGREEMENT TO MEET SPECIFIED CONDITIONS................................. 37 12 APPENDICES.............................................................................................................. 38 12.1 PEER REVIEW REPORTS (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) .................................................... 38 FN 07/019 Rev. 00 02/04/00 Page 3 Moody Marine Ltd Loch Torridon Nephrops Creel Fishery Certification Report 1 INTRODUCTION This report sets out the results of the certification assessment of the Loch Torridon Nephrops Creel Fishery in the North West of Scotland, United Kingdom. The aims of the assessment are to determine the degree of compliance of the Loch Torridon Nephrops Creel Fishery with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Principles and Criteria, as set out in Section 5. 1.1 The fishery proposed for certification is: Species: Nephrops norvegicus Common names: Langoustine, Dublin Bay prawn, Norway lobster Geographical area: Loch Torridon & Inner Sound of Rona, *'Closed Area', Ross-shire, North West Coast of Scotland, United Kingdom within International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) Area: VIa, Management Area C, Functional Unit 11. (Figure 1a) and 1b) overleaf). *From 30th May 2001 the area between Red Point, including Loch Torridon, and the south end of the British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre (BUTEC) Range in the Inner Sound of Rona was closed to all mobile fishing gear - Scottish Statutory Instrument 2001 No. 174. (Figure 2). Method of capture: The exclusive use of baited Nephrops creels pots deployed on lines. Management system and practice: Those fishers taking part in the Loch Torridon Nephrops Creel Fishery who fish according to the Torridon Management Plan, a voluntary management plan implemented within the 'Closed Area' (defined above). Directed ultimately by the European Union (EU) through the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Controlled nationally by the Member States of the EU. In UK waters the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) enforce legislation and quota management rules. For Scotland, the Scottish Executive, through a Subject Specific Concordat with DEFRA enforce legislation and quota management through the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD). 1.2 Assessment and Report structure The aims of the assessment are to determine the degree of compliance of the fishery with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing, as set out in Section 5. It must be stressed that this assessment is concerned only with the fishery defined above. No assessment is made here of the management of any other