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

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.

This report details work carried out to investigate the performance of biofuels in marine diesel engines, relative to the use of fossil petrodiesel. The scope of work ultimately included: 1) The installation of a dynamometer test facility, equipped to run diagnostic and simulated operational duty cycles on marine diesel engines.

Manual for developing and operating Seafish standard design for shellfish purification system: Shallow Tank System

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

The SIP project output examines opportunities for aquaculture in/around enclosed marine water bodies, as well as the development of a generic design for a shellfish hatchery - the proposed Tidal Lagoon in Swansea Bay (TLSB) case study is a significant focus

This report provides an assessment of the potential for open ocean, offshore finfish aquaculture in UK waters using candidate species which would have similar growth and performance characteristics to Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and with due reference to other potential species candidates.

The evidence and data requirements for the designation and subsequent monitoring of MPAs place significant logistical and economic burden for official bodies. This report demonstrates how the fishing industry can play an integral role in marine monitoring and evidence collection using underwater video surveys as a model. Collaborative surveys are shown to have mutual benefits in terms of cost and efficiency savings, knowledge transfer and relationship building.

he Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Seafish and the Northern Ireland (NI) Scallop Association have recently completed a report investigating the optimal areas for scallop reseeding in the Irish Sea. This work was commissioned due to an increase in exploitation of scallops around the NI coastline and a desire by industry to be proactive in enhancing long-term sustainability of stocks. Sites selected through industry engagement as proposed reseeding sites were examined by AFBI scientists to ensure that they met the characteristics required for successful settlement of scallops. Seabed habitat maps were combined to provide information for the full sea area under consideration. Scallop catches from the annual AFBI scallop survey were mapped with the full habitat map to determine the areas where scallops were present and identify the underlying habitat type. This allowed a map to be created which showed the suitable habitat for adult scallops within NI waters. All of the proposed reseeding sites fell within areas of suitable habitat. To examine further characteristics of the proposed sites, a combination of measured and modelled data was used. Salinity, food availability, bed stress (natural physical disturbance of the seabed by wave action and/or tidal currents), particulate inorganic matter, suspended particulate matter, abundance of predators, spawning season, larval dispersal and hydrodynamic models were all considered. The above information was presented to the project steering group, and using the data provided, the steering group selected the most suitable sites for reseeding from the original 13 proposed sites. Three reseeding sites (Whitehead, Drumfad Bay and South Bay) have initially been proposed, with a fourth, Roaring Rock, having potential for any future reseeding plans. The NI Scallop Association will now present the results of this work to DAERA to ask for regulation to assist in the protection of these new areas through a ban on mobile fishing gear.

Due to the recent tightening of regulations surrounding the disposal of seafood processing waste to landfill, fish and shellfish processors are now facing a rise in the cost and difficulty of waste disposal. This is of particular concern in remote areas where alternative uses (e.g. fishmeal) are neither accessible nor economically viable and therefore, cost effective and environmentally-sound solutions to the disposal of this waste need to be found. This report examines the potential for disposal at sea, together with the likely impacts and advice on the selection of appropriate sites for disposal.