Review to bring parity of crawfish minimum landing size underway

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, has asked BIM to review current conservation measures for crawfish by July 29 because the current prohibition on landings below 110mm “present difficulties for Irish inshore fishermen as smaller crawfish are preferred by European markets”.

He added that a range of technical conservation measures were in use internationally.

“I want to see if we can find a management strategy for this species which will allow Irish inshore fishermen to compete in international markets, while stabilising the stock and ensuring its long-term sustainability and bringing to an end undesirably by-catch.”

 

The review will be conducted by BIM in conjunction with the Marine Institute and in consultation with crawfish fishermen.   

EU law (Regulation 850/98) specifies a minimum landing size (MLS) of 95mm.  This Regulation allows Member States to set higher national MLS for conservation purposes.  The Irish MLS of 110mm was first set in 2001, replacing an earlier national MLS of 100mm set in 1999.  Under S.I. 232 of 2006, crawfish below 110mm in length may not be taken or landed by an Irish vessel and must be returned immediately to the sea.  The S.I. also prohibits the sale, transport or trans-shipment of such undersize crawfish.  Under S.I. 233 of 2006, fishing for crawfish in certain specified protected areas off the coasts of Galway and Kerry using nets is prohibited. Despite these conservation measures, the decline of the crawfish stock, which commenced in 1990, has continued unabated.