National Scallop GroupeNGO dredging positions

Dr Tom PickerellShellfish Development Manager - SAGB

UK eNGOs contacted:• MCS• WWF-UK• RSPB• Wildlife Trusts• Greenpeace• Wildlife & Countryside Link• Seafood Choices Alliance

UK eNGOs contacted:• MCS• WWF-UK• RSPB• Wildlife Trusts• Greenpeace• Wildlife & Countryside Link• Seafood Choices Alliance

EU eNGOs contacted:• Oceana• Seas at Risk• European Bureau for Conservation

& Development • European Union for Coastal

Conservation

EU eNGOs contacted:• Oceana• Seas at Risk• European Bureau for Conservation

& Development • European Union for Coastal

Conservation

EU eNGOs contacted:• Oceana• Seas at Risk• European Bureau for Conservation

& Development • European Union for Coastal

Conservation

Not an EU-wide issue?

MCS (I)• Bottom-towed gear position• “Not opposed to the use of bottom-

towed fishing gears”• Can be high-impact

– Habitat damage– Bycatch

• Damage not the same everywhere

MCS (II)• 30% of each UK representative habitat must

be protected to a level equivalent to Marine Reserves

• For rare, threatened and vulnerable species and habitats, potentially more than 30% will be required

• Marine reserves should be used in conjunction with Designated Fishing Zones and reduced total bottom fishing effort (such as reduced days at sea or decommissioning schemes), to avoid the displacement of fishing effort

• Outside of protected areas, MCS recommends Regional Environmental Assessments are undertaken for fisheries in each regional sea.

MCS (III)• Increased survey work to identify the

distribution and location of habitats sensitive to the impacts of bottom towed fishing gears.

• Continued and increased experimentation and development of lower impact bottom fishing gears and mitigation measures.

• The continued and increased participation of vessels in the Seafish Responsible Fishing Scheme.

WWF-UK (I)• WWF do not have a definite position on

scalloping as such• However, as with all forms of fishing, if

practised in a sustainable manner the fishery should not have a negative overall environmental impact.

• In addition, the industry needs to be defined by the whole sector, not merely those who fish with dredges but those who fish using other methods, e.g. diver fishing.

WWF-UK (II)• That said certain conditions need to be in

place to ensure that the fishery operates within limits so that its overall "footprint" does not impact on the wider environment or other fisheries– Need for effective and efficient enforcement– Need for more meaningful penalties– Requirement for all vessels to carry VMS– Introduction of some form of effort management– Proposals for closed areas– Every fishery which may have an impact on the

conservation objectives of an SAC should be subject to an appropriate assessment

RSPB• principal conservation issue in relation to

scallop fisheries is damage to sensitive sea bed habitats

• Any “impact is not uniform”• Need to reduce or mitigate any impact of

scallop dredging on known sensitive marine areas

• Investigate the possibility of improving scallop gear to reduce environmental impact.

• support spatial management measures for both the fishery and for biodiversity

Buglife• It is essential that scallop

harvesting is sustainable and that collateral damage to nationally important marine features and Biodiversity Action Plan Priority species and habitats is avoided.

Seafood Choices Alliance• No position• Recommend toothless dredge• Note Patagonia scallop is MSC cert• Dive-caught scallops offer the most sustainable

wild scallop choice when properly licensed and minimum landing sizes are adhered to.

• Dredging can have a negative impact on the marine environment and if possible it is better to buy dive-caught scallops, or scallops from responsibly managed farms

• Dredged rated 3/5 (2 in Isle of Man)

Summary• Concerns are about benthic damage not

stock-size or bycatch• No one wants dredging banned outright• Spatial restrictions are supported for

sensitive areas• Some form of impact assessment or

appropriate assessment recommended• Not seemingly an EU-wide issue