Proposed Atlantic (Rockall) Cod Fisheries Management Plan

Fisheries management

Management strategy for Rockall cod

In the JFS, the UK fisheries policy authorities lay out a shared ambition to deliver ‘world class, sustainable management of our sea fisheries and aquaculture across the UK, and to play our part in supporting delivery of this globally’. The JFS also states that ‘As part of being an independent coastal State, the fisheries policy authorities will work together to support a vibrant, profitable, and sustainable fishing and aquaculture sector supported by a healthy marine environment that is resilient to climate change’. These ambitions are managed in line with numerous domestic and international policy drivers, which oblige action to consider and mitigate for the wider adverse environmental impacts of fishing activity.

In UK waters fisheries are managed in line with UK fisheries legislation (such as the 2020 Act, UK and devolved administration secondary legislation) and licence conditions where appropriate.

The management of the Rockall cod fishery in the UK is carried out within this overarching context.

Rockall cod is a jointly managed stock with bilateral Coastal States negotiations taking place between the UK and the EU. The approach to Coastal States negotiations follows the principles stated in the JFS.

Following the conclusion of annual negotiations with the EU, the UK’s share of the TAC is then determined as fishing opportunities for British boats by the Secretary of State and published in a document under section 23 of the 2020 Act.^[8] As Rockall cod is managed as a bycatch species, which should not be targeted, the TAC is not apportioned and allocated in the usual way. It is retained by the UK Government, with the bycatch element noted within individual fishing vessel licence conditions.

Given the lack of available data in place for Rockall cod, in order to ensure an effective management strategy is in place, our understanding the biology, distribution and population dynamics of the stock must first be improved. This is challenging, however, based on the resource intensive nature of any additional scientific work and the geographical distance to Rockall in order to conduct surveys and otherwise gather data. The planned work through the SCF to strengthen the evidence base for Rockall cod is an important factor in improving the accuracy of TAC setting in the future, and in ensuring that the right management measures are in place. Improving the evidence base could be possible through the use of additional observers and/or the use of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM). Specific actions relating to this will be considered as part of the SCF work and are reflected within the actions under the ‘FMPs policies’ section 11.

Until the evidence base is improved, fisheries authorities will continue to take a precautionary approach to management. In particular this involves managing the stock as a bycatch only stock, which helps to ensure that it is not targeted, but also that when it is caught alongside other species (for example, Atlantic haddock, which is subject to a separate FMP) that it does not ‘choke’ those fisheries. ICES also advise taking a precautionary approach to TAC setting. Fisheries policy authorities take account of ICES advice when setting the TAC for Rockall cod, however, they also take account of the potential for socio-economic impacts that could occur if the restrictive Rockall cod TAC is set too low, therefore risking the creation of a ‘choke’ situation. This is consistent with the principles set out in the JFS.

Current technical measures

All fishing activity in UK waters is managed through a range of technical measures. These technical measures were historically laid out in the form of technical conservation regulations written into the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) legislation through various EU delegated acts, which have now been retained into UK law following the UK’s exit from the European Union and are referred to as ‘assimilated law’. Following the UK’s exit from the EU, the UK Government and devolved administrations have various powers available to them to introduce new technical measures, for example by using licence conditions, or through secondary legislation under the 2020 Act or other relevant UK laws.

Technical measures tend to apply to specific groupings of vessels, or types of fish, and as such can be very similar. This means that the technical measures in place to support sustainable exploitation of the Rockall cod stock are likely to be very similar to those in place to manage other whitefish stocks, particularly when they are part of a mixed fishery.

In addition to the restrictive bycatch TAC that is in place, current technical measures^[9] in place to manage sustainable exploitation of the Rockall cod stock include:

• Minimum Conservation References Size (MCRS) (which prevents targeting of undersized fish by ensuring that only fish above the MCRS can be sold for human consumption);
• Minimum mesh sizes and structure of fishing nets (which set a minimum standard intended to reduce catches of fish below the MCRS and generally make fishing operations more efficient and effective); and
• The landing obligation^[10] which stipulates that all catches of quota species, which includes Rockall cod and includes all catches below MCRS must be landed and counted against quota unless exemptions apply.

Further detail regarding technical measures can be found on the UK Government’s Technical Conservation and Landing Obligation rules and regulations webpage.^[11]

In relation to the landing obligation, steps are being taken across the UK to improve its operation, and actions relating to this are included within the actions section.

As already noted within this FMP, despite the landing obligation being in place, there remains issues with illegal discarding of fish within the Rockall cod fishery. These issues are not specific to UK vessels, and will also apply to other non-UK vessels that catch the stock (both within and outwith UK waters). Steps are being taken across the UK to address issues with discarding, and actions relating to this are included within the actions section. This includes consideration of additional technical measures which might support fishing vessels to be more selective and avoid catching fish they wish to avoid. In Scotland this is under the Future Catching Policy programme of work.

The Rockall cod stock has the potential to cause a ‘choke’ issue in the context of the wider mixed whitefish fishery operating out of Rockall. Choke refers to a situation that may occur when the quota opportunities for one stock in a mixed fishery limit the ability of fishing vessels to maximise catches of another stock because the available quota is limited. Fisheries policy authorities take account of potential choke problems as part of the setting of quota opportunities. Rockall cod is a significant choke risk for the valuable Rockall haddock fishery, therefore the UK has made a management decision in recent years not to follow the advice and roll over the TAC. This is consistent with the approach we have taken for a number of years seeking to balance ecological and socio-economic fisheries management drivers.

Monitoring, control and enforcement

Fisheries regulations serve a range of purposes, including the prevention of actions which adversely impact the sustainability of the marine environment. Fisheries policy authorities are focused on reducing the main risks for non-compliance with those regulations, for example relating to non or inaccurate reporting, use of illegal fishing gear and fishing in areas where activity is restricted. There have been particular issues relating to discarding and mis-reporting of catch for this stock in recent years. Mis-reporting is where fishing vessels incorrectly record catches of cod against the wrong TAC area. These instances of illegal activity are used to inform the wider monitoring, control and enforcement approach, particularly in relation to the targeting of detection and deterrent activity.

Fisheries enforcement authorities (the Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) in this instance) carry out enforcement that is intelligence-led, risk-based or is required by the UK’s international obligations. Enforcement of the respective regulations, domestic and international is in line with applicable guidelines for regulators. Across the UK there are a range of assets to support this, including compliance vessels, surveillance aircraft, the UK Fisheries Monitoring Centre and Marine Enforcement Officers conducting physical and office-based inspections throughout the chain of traceability.

Fishing vessels over 12 metres are required to have fully operational satellite Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS), and electronic logbooks, enabling authorities to remotely monitor and control fishing activity and encourage higher compliance. VMS is also being rolled out across the under 12 metre fishing fleet and will form part of the monitoring and enforcement regime for all fishing vessels once this rollout is complete. Understanding and being able to monitor and control where fishing activity is taking place is an important part of fisheries management, particularly where area restrictions are in place. Accurate and robust locational data is also crucial for informing marine planning decisions. Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) is also being rolled out in parts of the UK and for certain fishing vessels. REM can provide a higher degree of locational data, along with the use of sensors and cameras where appropriate which enable monitoring of fishing activity and can provide a richer dataset, for example, in relation to catches and bycatches. Specific actions relating to VMS and REM are contained within the actions section below.

UK fisheries authorities apply a fishing vessel licensing regime along with control measures throughout the whole chain of traceability from catching to sale. These measures include requirements to record catch details whilst at sea, the weight of catch landed, transport and takeover documents once landed and sales notes from registered buyers. This comprehensive data set enables fisheries authorities to effectively monitor fishing activity and compliance with national and local regulations.

These measures are not specific to Northern Shelf cod fishing, but apply across the wider demersal fishing fleet. As an internationally managed stock, it is important that this FMP reflects appropriate actions identified through the relevant monitoring and control group.

Actions to enhance the current monitoring and enforcement approach are contained within the ‘actions’ section.