MSC SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES CERTIFICATION On-Site Surveillance Visit - Report for Cornish Hake Gill Net Fishery 2nd Surveillance Audit February 2018 Certificate Code F-ACO-0040 Prepared For: Cornish Fish Producers Organisation Ltd. Prepared By: Acoura Marine Authors: Jim Andrews and Mike Pawson BH (21/10/15) – Ref FCR 2.0/GCR/2.1 Acoura Marine Surveillance Report Cornish Hake Gill Net Assessment Data Sheet Fishery name Cornish Hake Gill Net Species and Stock Northern Hake (Merluccius merluccius) Stock Division 3a, sub- areas 4, 6 and 7, and Divisions 8a, b, d) Date certified 11th June 2015 Date of expiry 10th June 2020 Surveillance level and type Normal - Onsite Date of surveillance audit 7th November 2017 Surveillance stage (tick one) 1st Surveillance 2nd Surveillance ✓ 3rd Surveillance 4th Surveillance Other (expedited etc.) Surveillance team Lead assessor: Jim Andrews Assessor(s): Mike Pawson CAB name Acoura Marine CAB contact details Address 6 Redheughs Rigg Edinburgh EH12 9DQ Phone/Fax 0131 335 6662 Email [email protected] Contact name(s) Louise Allan Client contact details Address Cornish Fish Producers Organisation 46 Fore Street Newlyn Cornwall, TR18 5JR Phone/Fax 01736 351050 Email [email protected] Contact name(s) Paul Trebilcock Page 1 of 48 BH (21/10/15) – Ref FCR 2.0/GCR/2.1 Acoura Marine Surveillance Report Cornish Hake Gill Net Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Scope of Surveillance ............................................................................................................. 5 1.2 Aims of the Surveillance .......................................................................................................... 5 2 Background to the fishery ............................................................................................................ 6 2.1 Biology of the Target Species ................................................................................................. 6 2.2 History of the Fishery .............................................................................................................. 6 3 Surveillance Process .................................................................................................................... 7 3.1 Findings of the original assessment ........................................................................................ 7 3.2 Surveillance Activity ................................................................................................................ 7 3.2.1 Surveillance team details ................................................................................................ 7 3.2.2 Date & Location of surveillance audit .............................................................................. 8 3.2.3 What was inspected ........................................................................................................ 8 3.2.4 Stakeholder Consultation & meetings ............................................................................. 8 3.3 Surveillance Standards ........................................................................................................... 8 3.3.1 MSC Standards, Requirements and Guidance used ...................................................... 8 3.3.2 Confirmation that destructive fishing practices or controversial unilateral exemptions have not been introduced ................................................................................................................ 8 3.3.3 Forced labour .................................................................................................................. 8 3.4 Harmonisation ......................................................................................................................... 9 4 Fishery .......................................................................................................................................... 10 5 Species ......................................................................................................................................... 10 6 Gear types .................................................................................................................................... 10 7 Locations ..................................................................................................................................... 10 8 MSC status ................................................................................................................................... 10 9 CAB ............................................................................................................................................... 10 10 Updated Fishery Background ................................................................................................ 11 10.1 Changes in fleet structure or operation ................................................................................. 11 10.2 Changes to scientific base of information including stock assessments .............................. 11 10.2.1 Harvest strategy ............................................................................................................ 13 10.4 Changes in ecosystem interaction or management .............................................................. 14 10.4.1 Non-target species ........................................................................................................ 14 10.4.1.1 New information ............................................................................................................ 14 10.4.1.2 Species status ............................................................................................................... 15 10.4.1.3 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 16 10.4.2 ETP species .................................................................................................................. 20 10.4.2.1 Definition of ETP species .............................................................................................. 20 10.4.2.2 Spurdog ......................................................................................................................... 20 10.4.2.3 Interactions with cetaceans ........................................................................................... 21 Page 2 of 48 BH (21/10/15) – Ref FCR 2.0/GCR/2.1 Acoura Marine Surveillance Report Cornish Hake Gill Net 10.5 Changes in the management system ................................................................................... 22 10.6 Changes in relevant regulations............................................................................................ 22 10.7 Changes to personnel involved in science, management or industry................................... 22 10.8 Any developments or changes within the fishery which impact traceability or the ability to segregate between fish from the Unit of Certification (UoC) and fish from outside the UoC (non- certified fish) ...................................................................................................................................... 22 10.9 Any complaints against the certified operation ..................................................................... 22 10.10 TAC and catch data .......................................................................................................... 23 10.11 Summary of Assessment Conditions ................................................................................ 23 11 Results ..................................................................................................................................... 24 11.1 Condition 1: Harvest Control Rules & Tools ......................................................................... 24 11.2 Condition 2: Bycatch species outcome ................................................................................. 26 11.3 Condition 3: Bycatch species - information ........................................................................... 29 11.4 Condition 4: ETP Species - Management ............................................................................. 30 11.5 Condition 5: Ecosystems ....................................................................................................... 33 12 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................... 35 12.1 Summary of findings ............................................................................................................. 35 13 References ............................................................................................................................... 36 13.1 Legislation ............................................................................................................................. 37 14 Glossary ................................................................................................................................... 39 15 Appendix 1 – Re-scoring evaluation tables (if necessary) ................................................. 40 16 Appendix 2 – Revised conditions .......................................................................................... 41 16.1 Condition 1 – Harvest Control Rules & Tools ....................................................................... 41 16.1.1 Original