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The methodology report is intended to be a supplementary report to reports on findings from the Seafish bioeconomic model. The main purpose of the methodology report is to provide more detail on the operation of the three modules that together form the Seafish bioeconomic model and to provide more detail on the design and operation of the individual simulations developed for the model.

A bioeconomic model has been developed by Seafish to support high quality analysis of the UK fishing industry. The model provides Seafish with an impact assessment tool to analyse the potential impact of policy measures on the UK fishing fleet, with a particular focus on the potential effect of the landing obligation. The purpose of this report is to present findings from the model developed by Seafish. Several simulations are presented in the report to evaluate the impacts of new policy on UK demersal fleets.

Seafish analysed data on sales of cod and haddock at Peterhead auction between 2006 and 2015 to estimate how much fish size influenced price at auction. Further analysis was done to estimate how a lower average size of landed fish could impact fishing revenues. The study found strong evidence of size-dependent pricing for both species and estimated that if selectivity is not improved, fishermen operating whitefish vessels could earn £21,000 less in gross annual fishing income from cod and haddock landings, compared to pre-landing obligation fishing revenues. The study suggests that if selectivity is improved, fishermen could achieve a higher overall value for their landings than if they land the same proportion of small fish that they were catching before the landing obligation was implemented.

The economic impact assessment has four primary goals: analyse the potential consequences of the landing obligation for the UK fleet – if there is no substantive change in fishing patterns; explore the potential value of different policy levers to the UK fleet; identify potential choke stocks and their associated choke points in different sea areas, and for different fleet segments; and communicate the areas of greatest challenge with regards to mitigating the impact of the landing obligation in the UK.

First Interim Report for Economic Impact Assessment of the Landing Obligation. Choke analysis for key UK fleet segments based on 2013 fishing activity as if rules for the Landing Obligation had been place. See also report Appendix B, available as Excel workbook download.

This report includes comparisons of the relative effects of policy levers on the economic impact of the landing obligation on six UK key fleet segments

Part of the Seafood 2040 aquaculture strategy for England - this full report includes a review of the English aquaculture landscape and current barriers to growth, along with the rationale and methodology behind the strategy.

This report evaluates and recommends different economic analysis methods for comparing the value of industry sectors and informing policy questions about allocation of resources to achieve efficiency or fairness of distribution.

Final notes of the Discard Action Group meeting held at the Wesley Hotel, London on 23 March 2015.

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

The mussel culture industry is one of the largest and most valuable fisheries in the UK representing almost 90% of total shellfish aquaculture production by weight in England and Wales with a value of around £14 million per year. Continuing productivity is significantly dependant on the movement of mussel seed from wild settlement areas to cultivation areas. Unfortunately, these shellfish movements can also spread pests such as the non-native slipper limpet (Crepidula fornicata) which has the potential to have a devastating effect on both fisheries and marine eco-systems as it out-competes other species for food and space as well as depositing pseudo-faeces that builds up to create cohesive ‘muds’. An accidental introduction of slipper limpets into the major UK mussel culture area of the Menai Straits, North Wales has recently occurred following a movement of mussel seed contaminated with slipper limpets from the English Channel. This led to urgent remedial action having to be taken by industry which involved removing the infested mussel seed and then smothering of any remaining slipper limpets with new slipper limpet free seed. There is a need therefore for the industry to self regulate and minimise risks in such transfers. Failure to do so will otherwise result in measures being imposed on industry in this respect. Positive action is now currently being undertaken in some regions as can be seen by the development of a Code of Good Practise by the Bangor Mussel Producers.