Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited TRITON KNOLL
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RWE Innogy UK | Triton Knoll Electrical System, Onshore Crossing Schedule Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited TRITON KNOLL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Recreational Fishing Baseline Report April 2015 Document Reference 6.2.5.3.2 Pursuant to: APFP Reg. 5(2)(a) 1 RWE Innogy UK | Triton Knoll Electrical System, Recreational Fishing Baseline Triton Knoll Electrical System Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited Copyright © 2015 RWE Innogy UK Ltd Environmental Statement All pre-existing rights reserved. Application Document 6.2.5.3.2 Liability Recreational Fishing Baseline In preparation of this document Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited (TKOWFL), a joint April 2015 venture between RWE Innogy UK (RWE) and Statkraft UK, subconsultants working on behalf of TKOWFL, have made reasonable efforts to ensure Drafted By: PMSL that the content is accurate, up to date and Approved By: Kim Gauld-Clark complete for the purpose for which it was prepared. Date of April 2015 Neither TKOWFL nor their subcontractors make any Approval warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of Revision A material supplied. Other than any liability on TKOWFL or their subcontractors detailed in the Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Ltd contracts between the parties for this work neither Auckland House TKOWFL or their subcontractors shall have any Great Western Way liability for any loss, damage, injury, claim, expense, Swindon cost or other consequence arising as a result of use Wiltshire, SN5 8ZT or reliance upon any information contained in or omitted from this document. T +44 (0)845 720 090 Any persons intending to use this document should F +44 (0)845 720 050 satisfy themselves as to its applicability for their I www.rweinnogy.com intended purpose. Where appropriate, the user of this document has the obligation to employ safe www.rweinnogy.com/tritonknoll working practices for any activities referred to and [email protected] to adopt specific practices appropriate to local conditions. Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Limited have been awarded EU TEN-E funding to support the development of the Triton Knoll Offshore Wind Farm Electrical System located in both UK Territorial waters and the UK’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The funding which is to be matched will support a number of surveys, engineering reports, and environmental impact assessment studies for the Triton Knoll Electrical System. The studies will form part of the formal documentation that will accompany the Development Consent Order which will be submitted to the Planning Inspectorate. The sum of €1,159,559 has been granted and the process to reclaim this funding is ongoing. Client: RWE npower Recreational Fisheries Technical Report Date: 21st July 2014 Report ref: PMSL/TKOWF-RF/07-14/23-FD Company Reg No. 2524776 VAT Reg No. 859 6462 70 Recreational Fisheries Technical Report Client Name: RWE npower Date: 21st July 2014 Report ref: PMSL/TKOWF-RF/07-14/23-FD Precision Marine Survey Ltd Tel: +44 (0) 1964 624423 Church Farm, Main Road Fax: +44 (0) 1964 623352 Thorngumbald Email: [email protected] Hull, East Yorkshire Web: www.precisionmarine.co.uk HU12 9NE © Precision Marine Survey Ltd Company Registration No. 2524776 VAT REG No. 859 6462 70 Recreational Fisheries Technical Report RWE Innogy Recreational Fisheries Technical Report Contents Page 1. Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4 2. Recreational Sea Fishing ................................................................................................. 5 2.1 Recreational Sea Angling in the Study Area ............................................................ 5 2.2 Local Clubs and Competitions ............................................................................... 12 2.3 Other Recreational Sea Angling Associated Activities ........................................... 13 2.4 Other Recreational Activities ................................................................................. 14 3. References .................................................................................................................... 16 3 Recreational Fisheries Technical Report RWE Innogy 1. Introduction 1.1.1 This report presents an overview of the recreational sea fishing of relevance to the Triton Knoll Electrical System. This activity is an importance social and economic activity that may interact with the development of renewable energy at the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm, particularly in respect to the electrical system. This report outlines the type and nature of recreational sea angling activity carried out in the area of the development, both inshore and offshore. In addition, key target species are identified along with optimal fishing periods and locations. 1.1.2 The Drew study (DEFRA, 2004) identified that 5.02% of the population participate in leisure fishing, whilst Defra (2013) estimated there to be 884,000 sea anglers in England with 2% of all adults participating in sea angling. Recreational rod and line fishing along the coast and within estuaries can be of significant value to coastal communities, producing large scale socio-economic benefits. The Sea Angling 2012 study carried out by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) in conjunction with the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), and on behalf of the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), estimated that the direct annual value of the recreational sea angling (RSA) sector in 2012 was approximately £831million. The study also found that the RSA sector supported 10,400 full-time equivalent jobs and when indirect and induced effects were taken into account, sea angling activity produced £2.1billion of total spending and to varying degrees supported over 23,600 jobs (Armstrong et al, 2013). 1.1.3 Not only does recreational sea angling provide employment within many communities, this activity also instils an outdoor, relaxing, healthy and active lifestyle that offers social and well-being benefits. Armstrong et al (2013) states that “anglers felt that improving fish stocks was the most important factor that would increase participation in sea angling”. 1.1.4 Pitcher and Hollingsworth (2002) described recreational anglers as individuals who fish for sport and leisure, whilst if applicable catching for personal consumption. There are very few limitations and or restrictions on RSA, although anglers must comply with minimum landing sizes (MLS), abide by fishing restraints in nursery areas and other locally enforced byelaws implemented by national and EU regulations. There are no requirements to purchase a licence to fish for Seafish within the marine environment and the tidal boundaries of transitional waters, which is a legal requirement in many other European countries. However, a rod licence is a legal requirement for fishing in freshwaters i.e. rivers, canals and lakes and which must be purchased from the Environment Agency, any angler wishing to fish for Salmonid species e.g. salmon Salmo salar and sea trout Salmo trutta in the sea, must apply to the Environment Agency for a salmon licence, however, there is little or no targeted activity for salmonids in the local study area. 1.1.5 There are two principal forms of recreational fishing activity; 4 Recreational Fisheries Technical Report RWE Innogy Unlicensed commercial/recreational activity, which may consist of gill netting, potting, long lining and seine netting, the latter being mainly carried out from the beach. Recreational shell fishermen are restricted to fishing a maximum of 10 pots per day, in which no more than 10 crabs and 2 lobsters may be landed, whilst recreational fishermen engaged in fin-fishing activity are restricted to 100 metres of gill net. Recreational sea angling, which consists of traditional rod and line fishing from either the shore or boat based activity. The majority of recreational activity occurs inshore and within the 6 mile limit, however it is recognised that recreational anglers using privately owned vessels are likely to also fish within the Humber Estuary and the Humber Approaches, particularly during the winter. 2. Recreational Sea Fishing 2.1.1 Consultation undertaken with commercial and recreational fishermen indicates that there are negligible levels of unlicensed commercial/recreational fishing activity along the Lincolnshire coast. This unlicensed activity does not cover fishing using a rod and line, but encompasses fishing using nets, pots, hooks and other commercial fishing gears from a vessel that does not hold a commercial fishing licence or permit. The following section concentrates on the extent and nature of RSA in the local study area, which is defined by the ICES rectangle 35FO and sub-rectangles 03, 06 & 09 of ICES rectangle 36F0 (Figure 1). 2.2 Recreational Sea Angling in the Study Area 2.2.1 Recreational sea angling using a rod and line can be separated into two distinct forms, shore fishing and boat fishing with levels of activity dependent on the seasonality and availability of target species. Shore Based Sea Angling 2.2.2 Shore fishing throughout the regional study area occurs principally from beaches, although some activity may take place on piers, harbour walls and the river bank i.e. the Greater Ouse and Humber estuary. The majority of participants engaged in RSA from the shore, are adults with a wide range of experience, from novices to highly experienced international anglers. The composition of anglers also includes youth