How can Fisheries Improvement Projects contribute to the discard policy? Lisa Borges DAG, November 2012
Brussels, Belgium
SFP is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Started in 2006 and grown to about $4,500,000 annually We have 45 people in 15 countries.
We work with major buyers & suppliers
www.sustainablefish.org
What we don’t do Define “sustainability” ourselves Don’t certify or eco-label fisheries or aquaculture Don’t engage in negative campaigns
Don’t require any certification but do use MSC criteria evaluation Don’t lobby governments www.sustainablefish.org
FishSource.com
www.sustainablefish.org
FishSource.com Score 1 - Is management precautionary? Score 2 - Do fishery managers follow scientific advice? Score 3 - Do fishers comply? Score 4 - Is the stock biomass healthy? Score 5 - Will the stock be healthy in the future?
www.sustainablefish.org
FishSource.com
Management Score 2 - Do fishery managers follow scientific advice? Stock Status Score 3 - Do fishers comply? Environment Score 4 - Is the stock biomass healthy? Score 1 - Is management precautionary?
Score 5 - Will the stock be healthy in the future?
Low Risk, Medium Risk, High Risk, Data Deficient www.sustainablefish.org
Discards & risk assessments
Management - TACs, tech mea & discard ban Stock Status – exploitation pattern Environment – bycatch & impact of discards Low Risk, Medium Risk, High Risk, Data Deficient www.sustainablefish.org
fix not flee! 1. improve fisheries rather than abandon them
2. join/create a FIP!
www.sustainablefish.org
what’s a FIP? alliance of stakeholders resolve problems improve aspect (population, environmental, management)
www.sustainablefish.org
FIP Stages
FIP case studies 1. Baltic cod – monitoring FIP 2. North Sea sprat – work in progress FIP 3. North sea cod – initial FIP 4. Lemon sole – future FIP?
www.sustainablefish.org
Baltic Sea cod FIP – job done! × Very low stock biomass × High IUU × TACs did not follow scientific advice
• Catch documentation • Public refusal of buying IUU fish Stock is recovering 4 fisheries MSC certified www.sustainablefish.org
North Sea sprat FIP – work in progress × × ×
Unknown population status No reference points Catches likely to be sustainable Reduction in TAC
• Promote research & biological data • Support management objectives & EBFM Wrote letters to management bodies Participate in industry meetings www.sustainablefish.org
North Sea cod – initial FIP × Very low biomass & high F × 30% unallocated catches × Industry resistance to effort scheme
• LTMP up for revision Make public statement on the need for fishery meeting sustainability requirements before it can be sourced www.sustainablefish.org
North Sea lemon sole – future FIP? × × × ×
Catch data collection not optimal Stock boundaries are uncertain No reference points & assessment TAC with witch & unmatched stock area
Investigate the possibility of a stock identification study as part of CEFAS Fisheries Science Partnership Lobby national Gov & EC for a TAC separation www.sustainablefish.org
Benefits of FIPs Recognised structured by NGOs Public reporting can be used by industry & managers More power to change Share costs Share work
Thank you! www.sustainablefish.org