Please find my brief observations and summary re Cawley Report.
Full report can be found at
http://www.dcmnr.gov.ie/NR/rdonlyres/5573CE12-362F-4CE7-B8EC-830B50AFE378/0/SteeringaNewCourse.pdf
CAWLEY REPORT
Steering a new course is a strategy for a re structured sustainable profitable Irish seafood industry from 2007 – 2013.
STEERING A NEW COURSE
There is a viable market place for seafood within Europe and beyond and Ireland has been a key contributor to this market place for many years. Seafood sourced in Ireland today is mostly exported. Sea food is a scarce resource and fish are not as plenty full today as they were in historic times. Many European and Global nations want to catch their own fish and have built up their own industries and fleets to do so. The Cawley report defines a vision for a way forward.
Overexploitation
Whilst over exploitation continues to be a problem it is essential that measures are established to ensure that this great renewable resource survives and prospers.
Can resources be increased?
It is reported that as the demersal fisheries and pelagic are declining in their ability to support economic realities the shellfish sector has increased in value. A 48 % increase in demersal and pelagic stocks quotas would be required to substitute for the growth in shellfish.
Sustainability
However it is worrying that current analysis indicates that this trend for increased shellfish catches is not in itself sustainable and effort reductions on all the major shellfish stocks are urgently required if yields are to be maintained close to maximum levels.
Quotes and comments for report
Our stocks or shared stocks
“Over fishing is a major cause in every case. Not just for the shared stocks but equally for those where Ireland is allocated the largest quota. For example Whitefish in the Irish Sea, Herring in the Celtic Sea and off the North West coast.
DATA
Mis reporting of data is an issue! The data used in Cawley is based on 2004 catches.
For details of data reporting see Marine Institute stock Book
Other snippets
Blue whiting worth 8M euros in 2004 14% of pelagic
Horse mackerel worth 6.3 M euros in 2004 11% of Pelagic
75% of fish stocks in waters around Ireland are below safe biological limits.
Principle of Relative Stability: Poor prospect for increased quota
“It is unlikely that the resource can be increased by changes to quota allocation rules, and Ireland’s quota share of all the key commercial stocks will in all likelihood remain fixed under the principle of relative stability”.
Decommissioning
“Reducing fleet capacity, effort and fishing mortality on fish stocks and developing long term management plans will drive thinking on fisheries management for many years to come. Increasing resources by expanding to other areas or oceans may remain a possibility.”
User friendly logbook
Recent positive developments in Ireland to conserve stocks include the Introduction of a user friendly logbook. The market analysis used in the Cawley report uses data form 2004 and it would be helpful if more accurate up to date information was available. Good up to data is needed to fully address the problem of declining fish stocks.
Market Demand
The market demand for fish remains strong and the health benefits of fish are increasingly recognised. Since it was realised that fish contain omega 3 oils the health benefits have rocketed. Now we know one reason why fish is good for us.
According to the Cawley Report the Key Challenges for the fishing industry in Ireland include
- Innovation, Innovative market focused strategy to achieve maximum return and value added
- Profitability– fragmentation and uncertainty of supply
- Balance: need to address the imbalance between catching and available resource
- Socio economic value: Stakeholder supported commercially aware fisheries management, including stock compliance with quotas (assumption that Europe knows best? CFP etc
- Development Plan: Comprehensive industry development plan supported by regulatory framework. Expand aquaculture.
- Proactivity: Obstacles preventing the sustainable exploitation of inshore fisheries
- Conservation: Inadequate fish conservation and fishing practices , misreporting , discarding
- Fairness: Level playing field.
- Communications and Relationships between industry, state policy makers
- Unity: to address fragmented representation
Taken directly from Cawley Report below
At the heart of it all Profitability, Competitiveness and Sustainability
More notes form Cawley
There will be 55million euros invested over 7 years a contribution form the National Development Plan(NDP) for Ireland
Progress on Market Intelligence
Targeted Marketing Campaigns
Economies of scale (Socio economic implications)
Restructuring Plan
Decommissioning Plan
Re allocation of quota eg Mackerel 1500 tonnes evenly distributed among boat9 65 footers)
Fleet management practices
These will include the establishment of a new inshore fleet segment and the designation of specific coastal areas with exclusive priorities for inshore vessels.
Sustainable fishing or other opportunities must be found for registered fishing displaced form the salmon net ban.
Aqua culture will have its own ICZM integrated Coastal Zone Management.
There will be emphasis on quality through out the supply chain.
There will be resources for professional and succession training
There will be a policy to reduce Discards
Fuel efficiency
EU compliance will all be given priority.
In 2005 Ireland exported 354 million euros of fish.
The value of fish landed in 2004 was 285937 tonnes at a value of 164Meuroes
Apparently the latest figures are 2004
85 % of Irish Seafood is exported
Tonnes Million euros
|
Pelagic |
226 783 |
56.3 |
|
Shellfish |
31 306 |
55.3 |
|
Whitefish |
27 551 |
51.9 |
There was a reported drastic fall in 2005 although this isn’t quantified.
Investments in safety
A key priority is to market fish well to maximise value
Need to demonstrate value on quota. (Is there anything that the fishing Industry can do about quota?) Need to demonstrate that Ireland can utilize the available quota more effectively than the next nation to be listened to. Value and sustainability need to be factored into negotiations.)
Current Irish Fleet 1844
Pelagic 22
1% of fleet has 40 % catching capacity
Polyvalent 1573 vessels
85% of fleet has 48% catching capacity
Other 1360
1844 vessels in 4 segments
My comments
There is a need for decommissioning to ensure profitability and efficiency. Quota
Fishermen need to be encouraged to take ownership (of their industry / markets)
With ownership comes responsibility and a recognition that other nations wish to catch fish. Therefore the EU or an other body needs to oversee allocation of resource. It could be argued that it would be better for Ireland to do this on its own. Crucially however that will not negate responsibility for ensuring that fish stocks are sustainable. The future of fish as an abundant renewable resource and the economic and socio economic consequences depend on developing only in a way that is sustainable in the long run.
Far off opportunities
There may be a possibility to increase fishing opportunities for Ireland by looking for overseas quota in the wider Global Market place. For example of the west coast of Africa.
“However such opportunities are generally only important for the individual companies involved and from a national perspective do not deliver significant benefits regarding the imbalance between the fleet size and the available fishing opportunities.”
The European Fisheries Fund is to provide decommissioning money.
The White report suggested that a 30 % greater quota yield was needed for profitability. This goes up to 45 % for the white sector.
What can be done to secure sustainability? If a solution is not found the future would indeed be bleak for those who want to fish for a living. The impacts on many others with wider economic interests would also be dire as there would be no fish at all for the wider marine community to avail off. Habitats and ecosystems and the human activity they support would be all the worse of.
Resource Management.
“ The problems that beset the whitefish sector indicate that the current European and National resource management system has not delivered on its principal objectives of biologically sustainable fisheries and economically viable vessels.
“Johannesburg Agreement
Requires that fish stocks be maintained or restored where possible to levels that achieve maximum sustainable yield ( MSY).”
“Natura 2000 seeks to create an extensive and coherent network of protected areas that will form the cornerstone of EU Biodiversity Policy (Strategy)”
“EUs recent green paper on Maritime policy proposes to develop with the participation of stakeholders a set of common principles governing maritime activities and co coordinating policies that have been fragmented up until now”
33000 tonnes of fleet to be decommissioned
(How many boats?)
About 120 beneficiaries
110 restaurants accredited via “Seafood Circle”
What are the dominate concerns
1. Declining fish stocks, which in turn leads to falling quotas.
Perceived lack of over handed conservation and enforcement which results in a low share of the EU stock. There are consequences thus for the processing sector.
A report suggested that 75% of global stocks are harvested beyond safe limits.
Committee leaders
Noel Cawley
Joey Murrin
Ruan o Bric
In 2005 the revenue generated from fishing in Ireland amounted to 702 Million Euro with 11615 people employees.
The National spatial Strategy
Ireland is the most productive state in the EU
Half of fish stocks are fully exploited
One quarter are over exploited/ depleted
In 2004 700 000 tonne valued at 500euros
Greatest proportion taken by non Irish
There is a large demand for seafood. Omega 3 has a part to play.
“A sustainable profitable competitive and market focused industry making maximum long term economic and social contribution to coastal communities in Ireland as a whole. Concerted and co operative.
Need for market research
Intelligence
Supply chain
Seafood island identity
Fleet restructuring
The future profitable and sustainable development of the whitefish sector can only be achieved when the significant imbalance between available resource and catching capacity has been eliminated.
( What’s new, jobs for the best / most efficient)
Need to decommission up to half of fleet.
Register of commercial fishermen
Legality of Quota
6.1 Communications programme
Review of licensing
Aqua development programme
(Opportunity for those forced to give up fishing to look to angling as a means to pursue the hunter gatherer instincts of fishing)
Technology has a key role to play, (re meeting in Dublin, Technical conservation measures.)
Succession planning eg Young skippers investing in boats and a hopeful future.
Tax incentives for sustainable fishing
Tax for qualifying vessels
The long term future of the seafood industry (as opposed to fishing) depends upon a sensible and responsible approach to conservation and to the industry’s environmental performance. Positive action form all member states is required to ensure interdependent sustainability)
8.1 Increase awareness and response to environmental policies
Opportunity
Promote coastal zone management
Develop an environmental management system
Opportunity
Regional advisory role re conservation
Opportunity
8.5 Discards Technology promotion opportunity
8.6 Environmentally friendly and fuel efficient gears
Opportunity
9. Education and raining
Opportunity
10.1 Single organisation representation.
Natural Living Assets 