Devon trawlers reduce discards by 57%
Jan 1st, 2010 | By editor | Category: CommercialRadical approach by scientists to work alongside fishing fleet brings unprecedented results
An innovative partnership between scientists and the Devon beam trawler fleet aimed at helping to protect fish stocks, has led to skippers reducing the amount of juvenile fish discarded overboard by 57%.
This unprecedented success has been achieved, using modified nets as part of a revolutionary approach that uses a deep understanding of the behaviour and attitudes of fishermen.
Cefas scientists have worked closely with trawlermen who have volunteered to be involved in the project. Working in partnership they have drastically reduced the number of juvenile fish discarded overboard (typically because they have no market value or legislation forbids their landing and sale).
Nicknamed Project 50% by all those involved, the voluntary trials aimed to reduce the number of juvenile fish thrown overboard by 50 percent. Many industry experts believed this to be an unrealistically high target, however the results published today show an unprecedented average reduction of 57 percent.
Dr Andy Revill of Cefas, the Project Manager for the Project 50% explains: "The starting point is to understand the lives and attitudes of fishermen in detail, so that we could successfully work in partnership to achieve the desired results. Because we now have a much better understanding of what it’s like to be a trawlerman, and have built the project from the bottom up, the fishermen have achieved amazing results. They have been inspired by this approach and taken pride in what they have achieved."
Trawlermen have been looking at ways to ensure the results of this project are not just a "one off". In a further development to make positive changes towards sustainable fishing practice, South West producer organisations and trawler owners have also announced today that they are working towards Marine Stewardship Council accreditation, for its key fisheries.
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