Purpose v1.0 Page 1 Possible Marine Protected Areas (pmpas) Analysis of possible fisheries management measures The purpose of this paper is to set out possible management measures of the pmpa and provide analysis of the amount of fishing activity that may be affected. This will provide the basis for local level discussions with fishing stakeholders and enable a full assessment of the potential displacement effects to take place. Caveat This analysis has been undertaken using the pmpa (and it s supporting information) that was subject to consultation in 2013. At present consultation responses are being analysed. This could result in changes to site boundaries, protected feature lists, conservation objectives, or the management advice. Any changes of this nature could in turn change the content of this paper Which pmpa? Summary of the measures being proposed Introduce a prohibition on suction dredging and all forms of hydraulic dredging throughout the whole pmpa. Introduce a vessel capacity restriction of 75 gross registered tonnage (GRT) and 300kw in the whole pmpa. In Upper Loch Fyne create a no take zone at Otter Narrows to facilitate the recovery of the flameshell bed. Also propose to prohibit the use of mobile demersal gear at the head of upper Loch Fyne and Loch Shira. Restrict use of mobile demersal gear to waters deeper than 30m in the Loch Goil part of the pmpa. Most of the proposed protected features are in shallow water, particularly on the sill at the mouth of the loch. Prohibit the removal of Ocean Quahog from the pmpa. (This would apply to anyone doing any activity. Not just fishing) What do we need to find out? In effort terms, how much u15m trawl and dredge activity could be displaced by the possible measures? How much creel fishing actually takes place at Otter Narrows? Is there any historic mobile demersal gear activity in waters shallower than 30m in Loch Goil?
What does the management options paper say? Full paper can be found here; http://www.snh.gov.uk/docs/a1002808.pdf Feature Flameshell beds Conservation objective Recover Mobile Gear Recommend remove/avoid pressure Diver hydraulic gear Recommend remove/avoid pressure Static Gear Consider reduce / limit pressure Horse mussel beds Conserve Recommend remove/avoid pressure Recommend remove/avoid pressure Consider reduce / limit pressure Ocean Quahog Conserve Recommend remove/avoid pressure for hydraulic dredging Recommend remove/avoid pressure No management required Burrowed Mud Sublittoral Mud and Mixed Sediment Communities Conserve Consider reduce / limit pressure Conserve Consider reduce / limit pressure Consider reduce / limit pressure Consider reduce / limit pressure What does the impact assessment say? Full paper can be found here; http://www.scotland.gov.uk/resource/0042/00429966.pdf The impact assessment estimated the possible socio-economic effects of implementing the MPA in question. To provide cost estimates 3 scenarios were used to assess the additional impact (costs and benefits) of designation. An impact is additional if it would not have occurred in the absence of the intervention. The scenarios were developed from the advice in the management options papers. For fisheries this was largely driven by the sensitivity of the feature to fishing pressure and the spatial extent of the feature(s) requiring protection. v1.0 Page 2
Lower: No additional management Intermediate: closure of site to dredging and beam trawling. Closure to all mobile gear across the flame shell beds, horse mussel beds, and burrowed mud. Limit expansion of static gear Upper: Complete closure to mobile gear. Limit expansion of static gear Vessel group Lower Intermediate Upper <15m vessels 0 <0.007 <0.011 >=15m vessels 0 0.007 0.009 Total 0 <0.014 <0.02 *figures in millions and calculated in 2012 prices based upon 2007-2011 data. Are there any existing management measures? 1. The weekend ban on all demersal mobile gear throughout the Clyde sea area 2. The restriction on use of mobile gear to vessels under 70ft overall length throughout the Clyde sea area. 3. Number of scallop dredges restricted to 8 per side What management are we proposing? Feature Mobile gear Static gear Flameshell beds Not Take Zone at Otter Not Take Zone at Otter Narrows. Narrows. Horse mussel beds Ocean Quahog Burrowed Mud Sublittoral Mud and Mixed Sediment Communities The 30m depth restriction in loch Goil will deliver protection along with the NTZ at Otter Narrows General prohibition on removal of the species from the pmpa would apply to fishing Prohibit activity in Loch Shira and at the very top of Upper loch Fyne. 30m depth in Loch Goil will also protect the fireworks anemone population. Delivered by proposed management for Flameshell beds and burrowed mud along with the vessel capacity restriction Propose to work with the IFG to consider whether any restrictions are necessary in Loch Goil General prohibition on removal of the species from the pmpa would apply to fishing Propose to work with the IFG to consider whether any restrictions are necessary Propose to work with the IFG to consider whether any restrictions are necessary v1.0 Page 3
Activity Estimates VMS data The following estimates the total amount of activity across the entire area. It is based upon the same 2007 to 2011 dataset as the impact assessment but no attempt has been made to uprate to 2012 prices. Estimated annual effort and value from whole pmpa Mobile - demersal trawl Mobile - scallop dredge Average annual effort 1 134 0 Average annual value 2 8,617 0 1 Based upon 2 hours per VMS ping and rounded up to the nearest whole number 2 Based on the notional value derived from splitting the catch value from the day in question equally between qualifying VMS pings and adding the resultant values. What does the SCOTMAP data say? Number of Scotmap value Mobile gear value Static gear value interviewees (from FIN) (from FIN) 19 158,465 47,993 150,161 Overall, Scotmap information accounts for 75% of the Scottish inshore landings (average 2010-2011) with regional variations. Vessel and landings coverage in the South West (Ayr 69% and Campbeltown 61% districts) has been found to be low. As a result, the data in this region are likely to under-represent the value of fishing by under 15 m and the spatial representation of the value of fishing may also be less robust than regions with higher vessel coverage. Estimate of displacement This has been calculated based upon the management proposed as seen in figures 1and 1b and described on page 1. The capacity would not affect any vessel who has fished in the pmpa over the 5 year reference period and therefore no displacement effect based on the reference period. It is designed to provide a limit on increase in the size of vessels using the area. No VMS activity has been identified in Loch Goil which means a depth restriction there would cause no displacement effect based on the reference period used. Over 15 vessels These estimates have been derived from the same dataset as the impact assessment based on all years from 2007 2011. The following is the estimated annual effort that has been recorded by the analysis as taking place in the 2 areas proposed for spatial measures. v1.0 Page 4
5.2% 0 Estimate of effort within the 2 proposed mobile gear restricted areas Mobile - demersal trawl Mobile - scallop dredge Average annual effort 1 7 0 Average annual value 2 410 0 Average reduction of effort 3 1 Based upon 2 hours per VMS ping and rounded up to the nearest whole number 2 Based on the notional value derived from splitting the catch value from the day in question equally between qualifying VMS pings and adding the resultant values. 3 % of activity estimate within the pmpa that would be displaced by the management proposed Under 15m vessels According to the Scotmap data both are utilised by nephrops trawlers (Figures 3a-d). In both cases it is small number of vessels deriving reasonable value from the fishery. This appears to be particularly true of the mouth of Loch Goil. The 2 areas proposed which would prohibit demersal gear in Upper Loch Fyne may displace some activity but the majority of the loch would still be available to the smaller trawlers who operate there. It is unclear whether the depth of water restriction in Loch Goil would affect the trawl activity highlighted in the Scotmap data. Further information is required to assess the potential displacement effect. The Scotmap data indicates some scallop dredge activity in the lower reaches of upper Loch Fyne (Figures 4a and 4b). This could be affected by the proposed closed area at Otter Narrows. There does appear to be similar use and value from adjacent areas on the map with means that any displacement effect would most likely be to nearby grounds. Scotmap data indicates some creel fisheries in the proposed no take zone at Otter Narrows. This would be displaced from here most likely onto adjacent fishing grounds. (Figures 5 a-d) v1.0 Page 5
Other Information, resources, and references Marine Scotland MPA webpage http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/marine/marineenvironment/mpanetwork/handbook Feature Activity Sensitivity Tool (FEAST) http://www.marine.scotland.gov.uk/feast/index.aspx Planning Scotland s seas consultation webpage http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/marine/marine-consultation Scottish Natural Heritage MPA consultation webpage http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-areas/nationaldesignations/mpa-consultations/ National Marine Plan Interactive http://marinescotland.atkinsgeospatial.com/nmpi/ SCOTMAP A Marine Scotland project which provides spatial information on the fishing activity of Scottish registered commercial fishing vessels under 15m in overall length. The data were collected during face-to-face interview with over 1000 skippers and relate to fishing activity for the period 2007 to 2011. ScotMap information accounts for 75% of the Scottish inshore landings with regional variations. The data are aggregated and analysed to provide information on the monetary value, relative importance (relative value) and the usage (number of fishing vessels and crew) of seas around Scotland. More information can be found on Marine Scotland Interactive: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/marine/science/msinteractive/themes/scotmap v1.0 Page 6
Figure 1a Overview of the pmpa (Loch Fyne) and proposed management v1.0 Page 7
Figure 1b Overview of the pmpa (Loch Goil) and proposed management v1.0 Page 8
Figure 2 Overview of the pmpa with VMS data (2007 to 2011) v1.0 Page 9
Figure 3a Scotmap data Number of nephrops trawl vessels (Loch Fyne) v1.0 Page 10
Figure 3b Scotmap data Number of nephrops trawl vessels (Loch Goil) v1.0 Page 11
Figure 3c Scotmap data Value of nephrops trawl fishery (Loch Fyne) v1.0 Page 12
Figure 3d Scotmap data Value of nephrops trawl fishery (Loch Goil) v1.0 Page 13
Figure 4a Scotmap data Number of scallop dredge vessels v1.0 Page 14
Figure 4b Scotmap data Value of the scallop dredge fishery v1.0 Page 15
Figure 5a Scotmap data Number of nephrops creel vessels (Otter Narrows) v1.0 Page 16
Figure 5b Scotmap data Number of crab / lobster pot vessels (Otter Narrows) v1.0 Page 17
Figure 5c Scotmap data Value of nephrops creel fishery (Otter Narrows) v1.0 Page 18
Figure 5d Scotmap data Value of crab / lobster pot fishery (Otter Narrows) v1.0 Page 19