Impacts on Fisheries

Sligo Harbour Dredging Dumping at Sea Licence Application Appendix F.1(vi) APPENDIX F.1(VI) ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT: IMPACTS ON FISHERIES (*UPDATED 2017) For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Appendix F.1(vi) Rev_01 EPA Export 27-10-2017:03:30:19 Sligo Harbour Dredging Dumping at Sea Licence Application Appendix F.1(vi) For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Appendix F.1(vi) Rev_01 EPA Export 27-10-2017:03:30:19 Sligo Harbour Dredging Dumping at Sea Licence Application Appendix F.1(vi) 6.0 FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 6.1 INTRODUCTION This section describes fisheries interests in the area of the proposed dredging scheme in Sligo Harbour and at the proposed dumpsite outside Donegal Bay, specifically with regard to: Commercial fisheries Shellfish aquaculture Salmonid migrations Eel & lamprey migrations Recreational sea angling Also included is an assessment of impacts and recommended mitigation measures. 6.2 COMMERCIAL FISHERIES Fisheries are considered in the areas of both the proposed dredging activity and the proposed dumpsite for dredged spoil materials. Dredging Area The course of the navigation channel into Sligo port and the area proposed for dredging is shown in Drawing 1. There is little fishing activity in the proximity of area to be dredged within Sligo Harbour apart from some limited potting for lobster along the shore to the north of the channel. Outside of Sligo Harbour there is further potting for lobster and crab together with a limited degree of gill netting. Proposed Dumpsite For inspection purposes only. The material from the proposedConsent dredging of copyright of ownerthe requiredchannel for any in other Sligo use. Harbour is to be dumped at a proposed offshore location outside Donegal Bay (see Drawing 5). The dumping site is located in ICES statistical rectangle 38E0 and is approximately 17km from Malin More Head and 30km north of the nearest point on the north Mayo coast. This site is in an important area for Brown crab fishing, although the most intensive fishing activity is probably to the west of the actual dumping area. 6.2.1 Irish Brown Crab Fishery The Irish fishery for Brown crab (Cancer pagurus) has been examined in detail by Tully et al (2006) in a BIM report produced for the national Crab Management Advisory Group, a committee of the Management Framework for Shellfisheries which advises the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) on the management of shellfisheries. This assessment is based largely on the findings of the BIM report and is supplemented with updated information through consultation with local BIM representatives covering the north Mayo, Sligo and Donegal region. Landings of brown crab into Ireland in the last decade reached a peak of over 14,200 tonnes in 2004 with a value of almost €17 million, falling to 7,100 tonnes worth €9.09 million in 2014 Appendix F.1(vi) 6-1 Rev_01 EPA Export 27-10-2017:03:30:19 Sligo Harbour Dredging Dumping at Sea Licence Application Appendix F.1(vi) (Table 6.1). In terms of value, from 2001 to 2005 brown crab was in the top five most important species of fish landed into Ireland; catches have since declined but in most years remain in the top ten species landed. Table 6.1: Total landings of brown crab into Irish ports, 2001-14 (Source: SFPA) Year Live wt (tonnes) Value (€000s) 2001 10,312 13,109 2002 10,098 13,213 2003 11,462 10,231 2004 13,690 16,992 2005 8,833 9,571 2006 8,957 9,863 2007 9,251 na 2008 6,331 9,149 2009 6,614 na 2010 6,758 9,843 2011 na na 2012 6,261 8,591 2013 6,510 9,105 2014 7,105 9,086 National landings increased by approximately 500 tonnes per year between 1990 and 2004 with a higher rate of increase during the latter half of this period (Figure 6.1). Landings have since declined but remain relatively stable at 6,500-7,000 tonnes over the last seven years. 16,000 For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. 14,000 12,000 10,000 landed crab 8,000 of 6,000 Tonnes 4,000 2,000 0 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 Figure 6.1: National landings of brown crab 1970-2014 (Source: Tully et al, 2006; SFPA) Appendix F.1(vi) 6-2 Rev_01 EPA Export 27-10-2017:03:30:19 Sligo Harbour Dredging Dumping at Sea Licence Application Appendix F.1(vi) The Irish fleet can be divided into <12m vessels which land crab on a daily basis and a more mobile >18m vivier fleet which can carry live crab onboard and remain at sea for extended periods. The vivier fleet fishes off the northwest coast although, through modernisation, the <12m fleet has increased its seaward range and can fish outside the 12nm limit on a daily basis. 6.2.1.1 Biology of the Brown Crab The brown crab or edible crab (Plate 6.1) is a decapod crustacean and is the largest of the common crabs found in Irish waters. It is widely distributed in Irish and British waters, and throughout north-western Europe. Brown crab can live for at least 15 years - mating first takes place is in spring and summer when the females are 5-6 years old and occurs shortly after the female has moulted. Females are 'berried', carrying the eggs under the abdomen over winter for 6-9 months and releasing the larvae in late spring/early summer. Crabs have a high fecundity with each female hatching 1-4 million eggs depending on size. Post-larvae settle in inshore areas and juveniles are often found in shallow waters. Adult crabs are migratory and undertake extensive seasonal migrations, probably associated with the reproductive cycle. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Plate 6.1: Brown Crab Tully et al (2006) consider that Irish stocks are probably regional in scale (>100km) with a variable range from the coast to offshore waters. The authors also note that crabs on the northwest coast may be regarded as a single functional unit distributed over a wide range off the northwest coast of Ireland and west of Scotland (Figure 6.2). 6.2.2 The North West Crab Fishery A significant proportion of the national crab catch is taken in the northwest fishery and is landed into Donegal and Mayo (Figure 6.3). 6.2.2.1 Fishing activity in the north Mayo area The crab grounds off the north Mayo coast form a significant part of the North West crab fishery which is the largest stock fished by Irish vessels. The area is fished predominantly by vessels of <12m from ports on the north Mayo coast but also including ports on the Sligo coast and extending round into south Donegal. These vessels may steam five to six hours offshore to the fishing grounds. Appendix F.1(vi) 6-3 Rev_01 EPA Export 27-10-2017:03:30:19 Sligo Harbour Dredging Dumping at Sea Licence Application Appendix F.1(vi) Many of the fishermen in the north Mayo area are represented by the Erris Inshore Fishermen’s’ Association (EIFA) which covers ports from Belderrig to Doohoma – the group has around 50 members. All vessels concentrate on shellfish although not all fish in the area under consideration. A second group, the Erris Lobster Conservation and Restocking Association operates more locally in the Erris area. Local fishermen are also involved through the North West Regional Inshore Fisheries Forum (RIFF), one of six recently established RIFFs. This is a consultative forum with the membership representative of inshore sector fishermen using vessels of less than 12m in length, who are encouraged to participate in management of fisheries within six nautical miles of the coast. For inspection purposes only. Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. Figure 6.2: Probable distribution of the northwest crab stock (from Tully et al, 2006; reproduced by permission of BIM) Appendix F.1(vi) 6-4 Rev_01 EPA Export 27-10-2017:03:30:19 Sligo Harbour Dredging Dumping at Sea Licence Application Appendix F.1(vi) Figure 6.3: Annual landings of crab into Donegal and Mayo, 1990-2015 (Source: BIM, Marine Institute). The crab fishing area overlaps with the pelagic fishery operating out of Killybegs and there is an agreement in place between EIFA and the Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation (KFO) to avoid damage to static gear from trawling activities. In 2004 over 1,500 tonnes of crab was taken by the Mayo <12m fleet in ICES rectangle 38E0, in which the proposed dumpsite is located (Figure 6.4). However, it is believed that more vessels are now active in this area and the annual crab catch is now in excess of 2,000 tonnes (D Nee, BIM; pers comm). Peak fishing activity takes place from spring to early autumn during the months May to September, with activity declining between For inspection purposesOctober only. and December, and fewer vessels Consent of copyright owner required for any other use. operating from February to April. However, 6-8 boats now fish year round and the fishery is developing towards a 12-month operation. Landings per unit effort (LPUE) data for the offshore fishery has been examined by Tully et al, (2006) while LPUE data for <12m vessels from the inshore fleet at Malin Head, Co.

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