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Seafish has produced a combined response to two Scottish consultations on the future of the Scottish marine environment. The consultations were on the draft Marine Nature Conservation Strategy for Scotland and on draft guidelines on the selection of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and the development of the MPA network in the seas around Scotland. The original consultation papers can be found here: A Strategy for Marine Nature Conservation in Scotland: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/marine-environment/Conservationstrategy/draftconstrategy Marine Protected Areas in the Seas around Scotland: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/marine-environment/mpanetwork/draftmpaguide

Guidelines based on outputs from a technical workshop organised by the UK Fisheries Economics Network.

Since 1987 the Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF) fleet has towed double rigs (two nets). Prior to this most trawlers towed quad rig (four nets). To improve economic efficiency in the fishery there is great interest to again allow the use of quad rig.

This report details work carried out in assembly of a prototype containerised batch production plant that is portable and suited to deployment quayside to support fishermen that wish to selfmanufacture biodiesel. The biodiesel batch plant has a maximum production capacity of approximately 210,000 litres per annum when working one shift and approximately 420,000 litres per annum with 24 hour working.

The feasibility and costs of alternative fishing methods.

This report reviews ecosystem risk assessment methods and describes in detail the method evolved in Australia by CSIRO.

A comprehensive guide to commercial fishing methods. This publication contains illustrations and descriptions of commonly used fishing methods, gears and rigs.

This report details work carried out on the design and installation of an engine performance test facility located at the Holman’s Test Mine, operated by the Camborne School of Mines (CSM), an academic department of the University of Exeter. The work was commissioned by the Sea Fish Industry Authority (SeaFISH) with the aim of developing a facility to permit the testing of biofuels such as biodiesel and biofuel blends in marine diesel engines. Engine performance test cells of this nature are generally configured to test various engines, whereas for this project, the engine needed to be a constant with the fuel being the variable.

Areas of potential alternative Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) sites representing mud habitat within the UK Irish Sea regional sea were selected at a stakeholder engagement meeting in October 2014. In order to assess the suitability of these sites within the Irish Sea regional area, existing data were examined to assess habitat condition, variation and how well these meet the mud habitat criteria set by the UK government. Nephrops stock assessment video surveys were utilised along with grab sample data, across both eastern and western Irish Sea areas. Macroinvertebrate community analysis was undertaken on the grab infaunal data, along with analysis of sediment parameters. The level of disturbance was also examined through benthic community assessment relating to successional stage.

The study covered fisheries from northwest Norway through the North Sea, English Channel/la Manche, Cantabrian Sea and Algarve to the French Mediterranean. It was carried out as a series of tasks. Task 1, preparation, involved reviewing each partner’s national fisheries and establishing liaison groups of fishermen and other industry members; Task 2, quantifying lost gear, required the partners to interview fishermen to establish their experiences of gear loss and then the survey the areas where losses were reported; Task 3, physical evolution, started with the retrieval of ‘naturally lost’ gears and then moved on to a series of exercises simulating gear loss and monitoring how the ‘lost’ gears changed over time; Task 4, ecosystem impacts, involved interpreting catch data from the experimental gears, raising the data to métier level and comparing the results to targeted commercial catches; Task 5, mitigating measures, established a sub-group to look at the ways in which gear loss is treated elsewhere, matched those approaches to the European fisheries and assessed the likely benefits of alternate strategies; Task 6, ran throughout the project and involved industry liaison, reporting and other dissemination. The work required a relatively high level of industry liaison. In practical terms this meant that each national partner set up a national advisory group (NAG) to guide the work and to ensure that the sea trials and recommendations were representative and realistic. The NAGs were mainly made up of experienced skippers but also included net riggers and other professionals as appropriate. This report, wherever possible, follows the sequence of tasks described above.

This report describes work carried out under contract to MAFF. It examines the implications of the impending ban on high seas drift netting on that sector of the Cornish fleet that is currently licensed to fish for albacore tuna. More specifically, it covers investigations in the UK, Ireland and northern Spain into alternative fishing methods, the potential for converting the vessels in question and some of the market aspects of these changes. It is concluded that conversion to the trolling system of towed lines is the most appropriate option for the Cornish vessels, that this conversion could be carried out at a realistic cost, that crews could adapt to the necessary changes quite readily and that market opportunities would be open to re-equipped vessels. Given the current volatility of the global market for albacore tuna it is not possible to predict whether the converted vessels would be commercially viable. Indications are that, in the long term, conditions in Europe could be favourable to vessels that converted to trolling.

On 6th March 2008 representatives from SeaFISH and the University of Exeter met to discuss testing of fuel economy enhancement technologies at the CSM dynamometer test cell facility. These discussions resulted in an order for testing of various technologies to determine their effectiveness. The proposed technologies were varied in nature, ranging from the use of permanent and electromagnets installed on fuel lines to performance exhaust systems and engine lubricant conditioners. For each of these technologies, engine performance and fuel consumption tests were undertaken once without the technology deployed, then once with the technology installed. The results from the two tests were compared.