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Bottom Lines: ENGOs and Groundfish Trawlers Develop Innovative Conservation Measures

In May 2013, at a deep-sea workshop in Edinburgh, Scott Wallace of the David Suzuki Foundation presented essential conservation measures aimed at reducing the environmental impact of groundfish trawling in Canadian Pacific waters. Given the unique challenges posed by vulnerable marine ecosystems and long-lived species like Rougheye and Yelloweye rockfish, the collaboration between Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (ENGOs) and industry stakeholders has led to effective strategies, including habitat bycatch limits and ecosystem-based trawl boundaries, focusing on the long-term sustainability of these crucial fisheries.

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Bottom Lines: ENGOs and Groundfish Trawlers Develop Innovative Conservation Measures

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  1. Bottom Lines: ENGOs and Groundfish Trawlers Develop Innovative Conservation Measures Scott Wallace Senior Research Scientist David Suzuki Foundation Deepsea Workshop, Edinburgh May 16, 2013

  2. Canadian Pacific EEZ

  3. Deepsea Conservation Concerns Rougheye rockfish: 205 years (max age) Yelloweye rockfish: 117 years (max age), Pacific rockfishes: 39 species, late maturing, long lived Longspinethornyhead (800+ meters)

  4. British Columbia has several glass sponge reefs, seapen fields, and other Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) Photo credit: Living Oceans Society

  5. Conservation Milestones in Canada’s Pacific Groundfish Fishery .

  6. Pre-Collaboration Conditions • ITQ since 1997 • 100% observer coverage • No subsidies • 57 species/area quotas • 100% dockside monitoring • Excellent catch data • Research surveys Photo credit: Brian Mose No regulation of habitat impacts

  7. Bottom area trawled between 1997-2011 40,683 km2 ~70 vessels 50,000 t/yr

  8. Trend in annual area trawled Cumulative area=40,683 km2

  9. Purpose of reports was to influence government.

  10. ENGO-Industry Collaboration

  11. Goal of the Collaboration Reduce impact to sensitive habitats/species using Seafood Watch habitat criteria as the guidepost.

  12. HABITAT SCORE STARTING POSITION: GEAR TYPE X HABITAT SENSITIVITY Mitigation Measures British Columbia bottom trawl

  13. April 2, 2012, four major measures were introduced to the Integrated Fisheries Management Plan • Ecosystem based trawl boundaries • Habitat Bycatch Limits • Encounter Protocol • Habitat Review Committee

  14. Measure 1: Boundaries • Freeze footprint • Remove known coral and sponge areas • Habitat representivity • 9,000 km2 removed

  15. Measure 1: Boundaries 50% of representative habitats outside footprint -complexity -modeled habitat types

  16. Measure 1: Boundaries Problem: Known high coral/sponge zones still in allowable footprint

  17. Measure 2:Habitat Bycatch Limits Corals Sponges = Annual fleet limit 4,500 kg + 50,000,000 kg of groundfish

  18. Measure 2:Habitat Bycatch Limits Annual fleet limit 4,500 kg Management objective: <900 kg • 70 vessels (ITQ between 6kg-141kg) • 100% observer coverage since 1996 • ~15,000-20,000 tows per year • 2011 1,100 kg of sponge in a single tow • Individual Accountability • First fishery to use habitat bycatch limits

  19. Measure 2:Habitat Bycatch Limits Daily Updates

  20. Measure 3:Encounter Protocol ≥ 20kg in a single tow + Corals Sponges

  21. Location of encounters greater than 20 kg since April 2012

  22. Measure 4:Habitat Review Committee • compliance • area fished • transfers • hot spot areas • reporting

  23. Experience from Year 1 -Habitat Bycatch Limit –only 10% used. -4 encounters over 20 kg -compliance to boundary (4 infractions, 6622 tows) -fishermen fishing cautiously -Appears to be having the anticipated outcome

  24. Experience from Year 1: Case Study: directed rock sole bottom trawl fishery P=0.01

  25. Conclusions and Lessons Learned • robust catch monitoring data is essential • data must be available to all user groups • strong incentive required for change (fishery closed) • working together can be efficient and creative • solutions can be developed outside of government • need government leadership and support

  26. Acknowledgments • Department of Fisheries and Oceans • Marisla Foundation • The David and Lucile Packard Foundation • Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund • Carrie Robb, Living Oceans Society

  27. Rock sole case study 20% decrease in area trawled after first year Green:788 tows Pink: 3250 tows 2012: 1356 km2 2008-11: 1701 km2/year

  28. John Driscoll, former Sustainable Fisheries Campaign Manager, Living Oceans Society Bruce Turris, Canadian Groundfish Research and Conservation Society Brian Mose, 5th Generation Fisherman, Deep Sea Trawlers Association

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