Post by SHARK on Apr 21, 2009 21:40:50 GMT 1
Workshop aims to mitigate fishing's impact on environment.
SEAFISH recently held a workshop to discuss how fishing and aquaculture impacts on marine wildlife, and how these impacts can be reduced and managed. One of the major topics was how the fishing industry can work together to protect the marine environment.
With nearly 200 European Marine Sites designated as Special Areas of Conservation or Special Protection Areas dotted around the coast of the UK, it is important that fishermen are fully aware of the need to protect wildlife, and to work within environmental laws, Seafish said.
“This workshop was really an opportunity for dialogue and to review mitigation measures that have been successfully used,” said Mark Gray, Seafish project manager. “Over the last year, we have catalogued the interactions between fishing activities and wildlife that are known to have caused the most problems in the past.
“We really wanted feedback from fisheries regulators and nature conservation agencies on management measures that had allowed fishing and aquaculture to develop and, in some cases, continue in European Marine Sites. We will now incorporate case studies into the reports, with local examples of mitigation measures that had been successful in different parts of the country.”
Seafish has focused its research on three key areas. Firstly, it has looked at impacts on the bird population. The study has looked into all aspects of bird disturbance, both on the foreshore and at sea, caused by fishing vessels and their activities, and by on-shore activities, as well as all aspects of competition for shellfish resources between fisheries and wetland birds, waterfowl and seabirds.
Dredging is another key activity that has been investigated to look at the impact of scallop dredging and hydraulic dredging on the target species and on the seabed.
The third key area is oyster cultivation. Research has focused on how oyster farming can impact the seabed near to farms, as well as investigating concerns about the escape of Pacific oysters into the wild.
“In addition to providing valuable information for the industry as a whole, by emphasising successful mitigation measures, the reports will be useful information for anyone planning a new fishery, or possibly developing a shellfish farm in a wildlife protected area. Alerting them to potential conflicts with protected wildlife at the earliest stage could save both time and money,” said Mr Gray.
The workshop is part of an ongoing Seafish programme to help the fishing and aquaculture industries protect wildlife and ensure their activities are compatible with new nature conservation legislation. The reports will be published on the Seafish website.
SEAFISH recently held a workshop to discuss how fishing and aquaculture impacts on marine wildlife, and how these impacts can be reduced and managed. One of the major topics was how the fishing industry can work together to protect the marine environment.
With nearly 200 European Marine Sites designated as Special Areas of Conservation or Special Protection Areas dotted around the coast of the UK, it is important that fishermen are fully aware of the need to protect wildlife, and to work within environmental laws, Seafish said.
“This workshop was really an opportunity for dialogue and to review mitigation measures that have been successfully used,” said Mark Gray, Seafish project manager. “Over the last year, we have catalogued the interactions between fishing activities and wildlife that are known to have caused the most problems in the past.
“We really wanted feedback from fisheries regulators and nature conservation agencies on management measures that had allowed fishing and aquaculture to develop and, in some cases, continue in European Marine Sites. We will now incorporate case studies into the reports, with local examples of mitigation measures that had been successful in different parts of the country.”
Seafish has focused its research on three key areas. Firstly, it has looked at impacts on the bird population. The study has looked into all aspects of bird disturbance, both on the foreshore and at sea, caused by fishing vessels and their activities, and by on-shore activities, as well as all aspects of competition for shellfish resources between fisheries and wetland birds, waterfowl and seabirds.
Dredging is another key activity that has been investigated to look at the impact of scallop dredging and hydraulic dredging on the target species and on the seabed.
The third key area is oyster cultivation. Research has focused on how oyster farming can impact the seabed near to farms, as well as investigating concerns about the escape of Pacific oysters into the wild.
“In addition to providing valuable information for the industry as a whole, by emphasising successful mitigation measures, the reports will be useful information for anyone planning a new fishery, or possibly developing a shellfish farm in a wildlife protected area. Alerting them to potential conflicts with protected wildlife at the earliest stage could save both time and money,” said Mr Gray.
The workshop is part of an ongoing Seafish programme to help the fishing and aquaculture industries protect wildlife and ensure their activities are compatible with new nature conservation legislation. The reports will be published on the Seafish website.