Taking stock

Overview by Edward Fahy, Fisheries Science Services, Marine Institute

Since 1999, the Stock Book has had an inshore section. It is impossible to have too much information on a wild fishery, especially in a world of rapidly changing environmental conditions and ever-increasing catching power of a versatile and hungry polyvalent fleet. In the absence of a TAC regulation mechanism for inshore species, and given the case histories of some inshore stocks, it is highly desirable to have an annual review of the status and the scientific advice for inshore species.

The inshore sector in Ireland is less precisely defined than elsewhere in the EU. Large fishing vessels work close to the coast whereas in Britain there is a policy of confining exploitation of waters inside 6 n miles to boats of less than 10m. Some landings of TAC species are made close to shore in Ireland; on the other hand, species like brown crab, which were traditionally a mainstay of the inshore sector, are now being harvested outside 12 n miles.

The inshore sector is sub-divided into three clusters of metiers:
Pot fishing: shrimp, large crustaceans (four crab species, lobster and crawfish) and whelk
Dredge fishing: surface living bivalves (escallops) and a variety of clams which live in the substratum (razor clams, surf clams and cockles).
Gatherers work on the shoreline harvesting a variety of fauna of which the bivalve, Palourde, the purple sea urchin, Paracentrotus, and the highly valued periwinkle are included in our review. Two fish species, bass and conger, complete the contents list.

Case studies
In 2001, the DCMNR introduced an initiative to develop the inshore sector, and it would be appropriate to compare how the fisheries performed in 2000, the year before it commenced, and in 2003, the last full year for which we have data. The species contributing to the inshore sector had a first-sale value of almost €36.15m in 2000 and €30m last year. (The data on which these figures are based come largely from the DCMNR, modified slightly by data from industry.) Overall figures like these, however, conceal a variety of valuable detail which can only be revealed on a case-by-case basis, as follows:

Brown crab
More than 80% of the value of the inshore landings was contained in four species in 2003: the yield of brown crab (much of the tonnage being taken offshore) has increased at a rate of almost 600 tonnes per year over the 13 years since 1990. Now there are signs that the landings per unit effort (LPUE) are in decline in the largest fishery, off Co Donegal, which accounts for more than 50% of all crab landed into Ireland.

In 2003, the first-sale price of brown crab fell abruptly, due to a combination of a decline in quality of the product and because the market for it had reached saturation point (both explanations have been expressed within the industry).

Lobster
Lobster landings to Ireland totalled 657 tonnes valued at €8.2m in 2003. Lobster has produced steady landings in recent years and it is the only marine species that enjoys an active and continuing enhancement programme.

V-notching has proved beneficial, and in spite of disappointment within the industry at the failure of government to support the scheme with additional legislation, which would go some way to excluding from a lobster fishery those who had not contributed directly to its development, there is a steadfast conviction that its continuance is necessary. Other species would benefit from a similar level of concern.

Whelk
Landings of 10,000 tonnes of whelk in 2003, the heaviest to date, made sales of almost €6m, representing a dramatic increase from less than half that figure in 2000; however the south west Irish Sea fishery, the largest for this species, slumped early in 2004.

In 2002, a large recruitment of whelk attracted additional fishing effort that was largely directed at harvesting undersized animals. That spike of recruitment was fished down in 2003, leaving a mis-match of fishing capacity and resource the following spring, which led to a sizeable proportion of the vessels seeking alternatives.

Escallops
Landings of escallop to Ireland remain high; the majority of local stocklets probably being fully or over exploited. Fishing effort has sought the animals further afield so that the majority of landings are currently taken outside our 12 mile limit. Indeed, some of the fishery now takes place in the eastern English Channel. In 2003 there was a decline in the average price obtained for this valuable shellfish. (An explanation for this is the long steaming time to distant fishing grounds and consequent deterioration of quality in the landings.)

Opportunistic fisheries
Within months of its inception in the late 1990s, hydraulic dredging over fished the shellfish resource and, at the same time, landings over-supplied the market. Razor clam patches were rapidly fished down in the Irish Sea. Between 2000 and 2003, landings to Ireland declined by 43% in weight and 41% in value; however as one target species declined, others were sought. Surf clams came briefly to prominence; to date they have been fished at five different locations.

Between 2000 and 2003, landings declined in weight and value by more than 90%. These beds will take time to regenerate although not so long as razor clam stocks. Surf clams reach market size in 3-4 years while most of the razor clams harvested in Ireland were in the region of 15 years old.

Another bivalve fishery whose landings reached a maximum to date in 2003 was the cockle. Dundalk Bay has yielded landings from time to time and it is currently the largest supplier of this species in Ireland. In 2001 only 9 tonnes were landed from this fishery but fishing effort increased and more than 228 tonnes were landed in 2003. The rate of expansion of this fishery has been dramatic and is considered unsustainable.

One bivalve that is harvested by hand digging at low spring tide is the palourde. Occasionally is provides large catches but these are irregular. There has been little change in its yield (1-2 tonnes) between 2000 and 2003. The palourde belongs to the gathered sub-sector in which harvesting conditions are not constrained by adverse weather conditions.

Another member of the group is the purple sea urchin, Paracentrotus whose populations have been depleted to the point where it is no longer regarded as a commercial species and a special permit to authorise local harvest is required. The third gathered species in the Stock Book is the periwinkle whose landings declined from 3,460 tonnes in 2000 to 2,055 tonnes in 2003. The species, Littorina littorea, has been studied in the recent past but its populations are not regularly monitored and the reason for its decline in yield, despite increasing price per tonne is not immediately obvious.

Accommodating mixed interests
It has often been said that the inshore zone is exploited by a variety of fishing gears and that it accommodates a wide range of interests, from commercial fishing through recreational angling to diving and merely observing sea life.

Until recently, little administrative provision was made for those who wanted to angle but times are changing. Ireland’s decision to reserve bass as an angling-only species was enlightened and pioneering, and the authorities in the UK have indicated that a similar move may take place there. Removing a species from the commercial list does not automatically afford it protection from exploitation, however, and bass is illegally captured and sold in spite of Trojan efforts to suppress the trade. The latest assessment of bass stocks has grounds for encouragement.

There can be no doubt that a great deal of work remains to be done if we are to achieve our goal of a vibrant and sustainable inshore sector founded on a well managed resource base. Scientific advice on the status on inshore stocks will be a cornerstone in delivering this goal, and the advice contained in the Stock Book is a small step in the right direction.

The Marine Institute will continue to work closely with BIM in the many and varied inshore fisheries around the coast. Nevertheless, a vibrant and sustainable inshore sector can only be achieved if scientists, managers and industry work closely together to achieve sound scientific advice, good management and a profitable inshore industry.