According to Oceana, the European Commission has proposed to reopen the Northeast Atlantic (NEAT) deep-sea gillnet fishery, which takes place in depths between 200 and 1200 metres in waters north and west of Great Britain and Ireland. Oceana claims this fishery was temporarily closed by the European Union Fisheries Ministers in December 2005, due to its “incredible waste” and the damage that it may be causing to deepwater sharks and other species. Now, on 19-21 December, the Council will make a decision on reopening the fishery, and on implementing interim management regulations.

According to Oceana, the NEAT deep-sea gillnet fishery, comprised of four distinct sub-fisheries with minor modifications in the gear used and species targeted, has intrinsic problems that must be resolved before being reopened. As such, Oceana has published a report pointing out the enduring obstacles in this fishery and outlining recommendations for effective and permanent management measures.

“Prior to the closure, fishing with deep-sea gillnets in the Northeast Atlantic was incredibly wasteful, largely unregulated and undocumented, and nearly impossible to control,” a statement issued to the press said. “Legislation for the fishery was not well defined and often conflictive, leading to numerous legal loopholes. In addition, the poor selectivity of the nets and long soak times, combined with surpassed or nonexistent quotas, has led to the unsustainable exploitation of stocks in this region, including anglerfish (Lophius spp.), hake (Merluccius merluccius), deepwater sharks (Centrophorous squamosus and Centroscymnus coelolepis), and king crab (Chaceon affinis). Some studies estimate that up to 71% of the total anglerfish catch was regularly discarded.”

The use of fixed gillnets in waters deeper than 200 metres is already prohibited in various areas around the world, including the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary islands. In addition, waters deeper than 600m are common habitats for numerous vulnerable species, including sharks, and cover migration routes for many other deep-sea species. For these reasons, and to reduce the capture of vulnerable species and ensure this is a sustainable fishery, Oceana recommends that the deepsea gillnet fishery be limited to 200m. The deep-sea gillnet fleet may operate at a maximum depth of 600m, but only if complying with the obligatory requirement of having an observer onboard to collect scientific information that can be used to improve management in this fishery.

“With regard to the deep-sea gillnet fishery, ICES evaluations have been nearly completely ignored by the European Union,” states Ricardo Aguilar, Director of Investigation for Oceana in Europe. He adds: “The deep-sea gillnet fishery in the Northeast Atlantic reveals many errors made in EU fisheries policy. These problems need not only to be solved for NEAT waters - they must be solved before the fishery expands into other areas.”

www.fishupdate.com is published by Special Publications. Special Publications also publish FISHupdate magazine, Fish Farmer, the Fish Industry Yearbook, the Scottish Seafood Processors Federation Diary, the Fish Farmer Handbook and a range of wallplanners.

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