10A Victory Park Victory Road Derby DE24 8ZF UK Intertek Fisheries Certification (IFC) www.intertek.com/food/msc-certification INTERTEK FISHERIES CERTIFICATION Ref: 82080/v5 Assessors: J. Andrews, M. Pawson MSC Assessment Report for Cornish Hake Gill Net Fishery Client: Cornish Fish Producers Organisation Ltd Version 5: Public Certification Report Client Contact: Paul Trebilcock Cornish Fish Producers Organisation Ltd 46 Fore St Newlyn Cornwall TR18 5JR Tel + 44 01736 351050 Fax +44 01736 350632 www.cfpo.org.uk FN 82080 v5 Page 1 Intertek Fisheries Certification (IFC) Contents 1 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................................. 7 2 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 9 2.1 THE FISHERY PROPOSED FOR CERTIFICATION ............................................................................................ 9 2.2 REPORT STRUCTURE AND ASSESSMENT PROCESS ................................................................................... 12 2.3 STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS ATTENDED ...................................................................................................... 13 2.4 OTHER INFORMATION SOURCES .............................................................................................................. 13 2.4.1 Publications .................................................................................................................................. 13 2.4.2 Legislation .................................................................................................................................... 19 3 GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS USED IN THE REPORT .................................................................... 20 4 BACKGROUND TO THE FISHERY ..................................................................................................... 21 4.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 21 4.2 BIOLOGY OF THE TARGET SPECIES .......................................................................................................... 21 4.3 HISTORY OF THE FISHERY ....................................................................................................................... 23 4.4 FLEET AND GEAR DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................. 23 5 STOCK ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................................... 26 5.1 COMMERCIAL CATCH .............................................................................................................................. 26 5.1.1 Landings: ...................................................................................................................................... 26 5.1.2 DISCARDS: ............................................................................................................................................... 26 5.2 BIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS ...................................................................................................................... 27 5.3 SURVEYS ................................................................................................................................................. 27 5.4 COMMERCIAL LPUE ............................................................................................................................... 28 5.5 STATUS OF THE STOCK & REFERENCE POINTS ........................................................................................ 28 5.5.1 Stock status & reference points using an age-based assessment (as of 2009) .............................. 29 5.5.2 Stock status & reference points using a length-based assessment (2010) .................................... 30 5.5.3 Stock status & reference points using a length-based approach (2011) ....................................... 31 5.5.4 Stock status & reference points using the most recent length-based assessment (2013) .............. 32 5.6 HARVEST STRATEGY ............................................................................................................................... 34 5.6.1 Hake Recovery Plan...................................................................................................................... 34 5.6.2 Long-term management plan ........................................................................................................ 34 5.7 HARVEST CONTROL RULE & TOOLS ....................................................................................................... 35 6 ECOSYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS .................................................................................................... 37 6.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................................... 37 6.2 ECOSYSTEM OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................................... 37 6.2.1 Effect of the fishery on ecosystems ................................................................................................ 38 6.2.2 Effect of ecosystems on the fishery ................................................................................................ 38 6.2.3 Managing ecosystem effects .......................................................................................................... 38 6.3 NON-TARGET SPECIES ............................................................................................................................. 38 6.3.1 Retained non-target species .......................................................................................................... 39 6.3.2 Discarded non-target species ....................................................................................................... 45 6.4 ENDANGERED, THREATENED & PROTECTED (ETP) SPECIES ................................................................... 50 6.4.1 Bony fish ....................................................................................................................................... 50 FN 82080 v5 Page 2 Intertek Fisheries Certification (IFC) 6.4.2 Elasmobranchs ............................................................................................................................. 50 6.4.3 Marine mammals .......................................................................................................................... 50 6.5 HABITATS ............................................................................................................................................... 65 7 FISHERY MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK ....................................................................................... 69 7.1 OVERVIEW .............................................................................................................................................. 69 7.2 GOVERNANCE & POLICY ......................................................................................................................... 69 7.2.1 Legal / customary framework ....................................................................................................... 69 7.2.2 Management systems and processes ............................................................................................. 70 7.2.3 Long term objectives ..................................................................................................................... 73 7.2.4 Incentives for sustainable fishing .................................................................................................. 74 7.3 FISHERY SPECIFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ............................................................................................... 74 7.3.1 Fishery – specific objectives ......................................................................................................... 74 7.3.2 Decision-making processes ........................................................................................................... 76 7.3.3 Compliance & enforcement .......................................................................................................... 77 7.3.4 Research Plan ............................................................................................................................... 78 7.3.5 Monitoring and evaluation ........................................................................................................... 79 8 OTHER FISHERIES AFFECTING TARGET STOCK ....................................................................... 80 8.1 OTHER HAKE FISHERIES .......................................................................................................................... 80 8.2 OTHER MSC-CERTIFIED HAKE FISHERIES - HARMONISATION ................................................................ 80 9 STANDARD USED ................................................................................................................................... 82 9.1 PRINCIPLE 1 ............................................................................................................................................ 82 9.2 PRINCIPLE 2 ...........................................................................................................................................