Scottish Nephrops Working Group Report: Scottish Government response

7. Improving data management

7.1. Build on existing technology to enable automatic data transfer through supply chain (S-M)

7.2. Review how blockchain technology could enhance the competitive position of Scottish nephrops through improved traceability and provenance (S-M)

7.3. Develop a market portal with information on landing and sales data to improve transparency and increase trust (S-M)

Scottish Government response

As part of its fisheries data collection programme, Marine Scotland invests approximately £700k annually on data collection to help ensure the sustainability of the Scottish Nephrops fishery. This programme covers research vessel surveys of stocks using underwater cameras to count burrows on the seabed, sampling at markets of the landed catch and the deployment of scientific observers at sea on the vessels targeting Nephrops. The data collected is used to generate independent advice on sustainable catch limits.

A key theme of our FFM Strategy is the importance of collaboration and cooperation. One of the ways we want to do this is by increasing our openness and transparency around data, improving our evidence base and taking account of the range of knowledge that exists, in particular valuing the knowledge of fishers and others who work at sea, and using this to help boost our understanding of the marine environment. We would encourage a similar approach from our stakeholders, in how they engage and in the behaviours they adopt with regards to transparency.