#	Pagina
attuale pagina	/open-h2020/projects/193293/results.html
-1	/open-h2020/projects/196911/results.html

Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - MINOUW (Science, Technology, and Society Initiative to minimize Unwanted Catches in European Fisheries)

Teaser

Summary

\"Sustainable fisheries are a key aspect of the rational exploitation of European marine natural resources. Among the regulations enshrined in the reformed Common Fisheries Policy (EU Reg. 1380/2013), article 15 established the progressive obligation to land all catches of regulated species in different phases in the period 2015-2019 (\"\"Landing Obligation\"\"). The MINOUW project (\"\"Science, technology and society initiative to minimize unwanted catches in European fisheries\"\") is a Research and Innovation Action of the H2020 programme addressing the complexity of the problem of implementing the Landing Obligation from the scientific, technical, economic and societal perspectives. The strategy followed is based on a multi-actor approach, whereby scientists, fisheries technologists, fish producers and NGOs (as representatives of civil society) work collaboratively to provide the scientific and technical basis to achieve the gradual elimination of discards in European marine fisheries. The project\'s overall objective is the minimization of unwanted catches by incentivising the adoption of fishing technologies and practices that reduce pre-harvest mortality and post-harvest discards, while avoiding damage to sensitive marine species and habitats.

\"

Work performed

The review of existing knowledge on the production of unwanted catches and discarding practices showed that catches of unwanted fractions of target fisheries species can be large in demersal fisheries, particularly those using bottom trawl, but the magnitude varies according to season of the year, depth and specific fishery practiced. In periods of high abundance of recruits, bottom trawling on fish nursery areas can generate large amounts of unwanted catches, that are usually discarded for legal reasons (undersize specimens or catches over quota).
The project has carried out field tests of fishing technologies aiming at the reduction of unwanted by-catch, jointly developed with fishers and tested in real commercial conditions. The results show that it is possible to decrease the production of unwanted by-catch by changes in fishing procedures, for example in purse seine fishing, or adopting more selective nets in bottom trawl or in set nets. New types of sorting grids specifically designed for Mediterranean trawls have proved effective. In small scale fisheries, a guarding net fitted to the footrope of the trammel net can reduce unwanted by-catch, as well as costs. In surface longline fisheries targeting swordfish, an important reduction in the catch rates of undersize swordfish was demonstrated. In addition to technological solutions, the project has progressed in researching technologies to avoid unwanted catches: the project is developing a GIS tool by combining maps of potential high discards with \'fisheries footprint\' spatial information that can assist in marine spatial planning to exclude fishing from certain areas with high potential of production of unwanted catches. Early detection of undersize fish by using the remotely operated DeepVision system fitted to a trawl is a technology that has been trialed successfully in the project, after modifying the original design.

The post-release survival of unwanted catches has been researched in different commercial species and types of fishing, by way of experiments following standard methodologies. Demonstrated high survival of discards can be used to justify an exemption to the Landings Obligation for specific regulated species. All project results are being communicated to the industry, policy makers, fisheries managers and other relevant stakeholders by means of key communication actions. Communication activities included the organization of joint meetings with MEDAC (representing the fishing industry in the Mediterranean), the GFCM, organizing fishermen\'s exchanges to promote the horizontal communication of results between peers and producing 22 short video films highlighting the project\'s result to wider. The project scientific contributions are complemented with bio-economic analyses of the impact of the Landing Obligation at the level of individual fisheries, ecosystem and processing industry.

Final results

The results of on-going bioeconomic analyses and ecosystem models show that the full implementation of the discards ban on the may have very little ecological or economic impact on the systems modelled, while avoiding the capture of unwanted fractions of these species would have a large positive economic impact, as well as contributing to significant decreases in fishing mortality. Avoiding the catch of juveniles is clearly the best strategy to minimize the production of unwanted catches. Solutions based on improved selectivity of fishing gear are a step forward in the objective of minimization unwanted by-catch, but establishing spatial/temporal bans to fishing in certain areas is likely to be more effective to reduce fishing mortality, minimize unwanted by-catch and improve the economic efficiency of European fisheries.

The analysis of the potential impact of unwanted catches brought to land for the processing industry showed that although the quantity of biomass for processing (under traditional uses, such as conversion to fishmeal) would be non-negligible, the relatively low price of the primary product makes former discards from Mediterranean fisheries still not competitive.

Two capacity building courses have been designed in the project, specifically targeting the relevant stakeholders in fisheries. A graduate-level course based on the concept of ecosystem approach to fisheries management has been designed and is freely available through the Tutor-Web platform (http://tutor-web.net/fish). A project webpage (http://minouw-project.eu) contains communication material, video feeds and legacy outputs that can be used by stakeholders.
The results of the research by the MINOUW Consortium has led to innovations that may lead to the launching of new products into the market: new designs of trawl sorting grids, modifications to fishing pots with lights to increase catchability of cod or other gadiforms, new artificial light prototypes to enhance selectivity in trawls, and a mobile device application to assist fishers in self-reporting and full documentation of catches. The results related to the spatial distribution of fishing effort and potential distribution of unwanted catches are of immediate application in fisheries management to define areas restricted (temporally or permanently) to fishing. The estimates of survival produced can contribute to draft exemptions to the Landing Obligation in national fisheries discards management plans.