The focus for the project was an exploration of the social impacts arising from the Cod Recovery Plan. The work provided input to the evaluation of multi-annual plans for Cod in the Irish Sea, Kattegat, North Sea, Eastern Channel, and West of Scotland being undertaken by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF).

1. North Sea Cod Recovery Plan
– Survey of Fishing Vessels
John Powell
Countryside and Community Research Institute

2. Aims of the survey
• Describe effects of the Cod
Recovery Plan on different
fleet sectors
• Identify specific measures of
the plan that concern the vessel
• Consequences for the vessel
and business decisions taken by
vessel operator
• What is expected to happen if
the plan does not change

3. Sample characteristics
• 19 useable responses
• 27 vessels
• Main target species: Cod,
Haddock, Whiting, Saithe
• Respondents located in
Scotland, England, France,
Netherlands
• Range of fishing areas
• Mostly demersal trawlers
• Crew size 3 – 14
• Most selling at harbourside
auction

4. Changes in activity as a result
of the Cod Recovery Plan
Changes in activity Number of Vessels
Switch gear 4
Switch target species 10
Invest in new gear 2
Spend more time in port 11
Other changes 7
(e.g. More selective in where and when fishing takes place, new nets,
changing zones/changing nets, changing fishing areas to avoid Cod)

5. Cod avoidance measures
Measure Effectiveness
Square mesh panels – no difference
New nets – possibly having impact
- but also avoiding Cod areas
Not targeting cod – you still catch some even if trying to avoid
Change zones/areas – Increase expenditure,
- more travel time
- more time for finding other species
- everyone now goes to same zones
Cameras – we stay away from areas with lot of cod

6. Avoidance activities
“I have left areas
where we were “I avoid areas
dumping by-catch where we find cod
including cod because I cannot
because it is
immoral...”
afford to buy more
quota”
“Don’t target cod any more –
target whiting – switched
gear” “We have relocated where we
fish... stocks increasing..at
“I have left productive
times we have up to 30% by-
prawn areas to avoid catch so dumping has
cod” increased”

7. Impacts of the plan
Impact of decrease in Impact of effort restrictions
TAC •We have had to buy in days
•We must discard •We land somewhere
•We cannot keep different
marketable by-catch •Reduced days – no money to
•Loss of revenue as we are be made
discarding •Harder to keep a crew as
•We have to fish harder as they need to be paid
we are high grading •Must optimise time at sea –
•Have to leave productive take more risks
areas because we were •Need to maximise catch each
dumping cod trip
•Fearful of seeing cod in our
nets

8. Impacts of the plan
Purchase quota from inactive
boats (‘slipper skippers’)
Diversify to utilise more species TAC
Reduced Set too low -
crew size
Causes discards
“We can’t land everything
More selective on we catch. We are catching
Buy days at sea
which days we go to more whiting but also
from other boats
sea and how far we go dumping more.”
More time in port
Effort limits Put in more time because more discarding
Changed fishing pattern
Harder to keep crew don’t go as far/avoid Cod areas

9. Financial impacts of the Plan
Impacts on business Number
decisions of Vessels
Recruit crew 7
New equipment 7
Buy supplies 3
Sell your catch 4
Think about the future 8
Planning fishing activity 3

10. Perceptions of the impact of
the plan on Cod Stocks
Item Yes No
Are there parts of the CRP that have HELPED
Rebuild Cod stocks? 7 3
Are there parts of the CRP that have
DAMAGED Cod stocks? 10 1
Effect on other species 8 2
Have the measures under the CRP
led you to discard Cod? 14 2
Do the measures in the plan cause you to
discard other fish? 9 4

11. Views of fishers
We need TAC but
should increase quotas
Cod stocks are increasing
and reduce fleet size
Stocks are underestimated
We need
rules/restrictions Landings/discards You will catch cod
data is accurate whether you want
You can reduce
to or not
discards by increasing
quota to ‘realistic’ Discarding because high grading –
levels quotas so low we are only keeping the
best fish
Fleet is being destroyed
by cod recovery plan People don’t want to go into the industry
because no long-term plan

12. Perceived effects if plan
remains unchanged
• Leave the industry
• Employ foreign crew
• Less profit
• It will destroy us
• Struggle then give up
• Go into prawns or
under-10s
• Harder to find/keep a
crew
• Increased stress
• Major business threat

13. Improving the plan
• Make the system less complex
• Enable sufficient effort related to season and
target species
• Need to link to markets – increase value
• Think in terms of productivity of each fishing trip
• A de-commissioning scheme to help fishermen
leave
• Pay to stay ashore rather than discards (e.g. like
set-aside)
• Issue each vessel with a realistic quota

14. Reducing discards
• Increase quota but control days at sea
• Realist, workable quota
• Small quotas cause high grading
• Install CCTV systems
• Vessel specific TAC – let vessel decide
when to fish
• Land what you catch
• Land what will make boat pay for itself

15. Overall impacts
• Higher costs
• Decreasing profit
(??)
• More days in port
• More part-time
work
• Reluctance to invest – no long term
guarantees
• Increasing discards
• If plan continues unchanged – more
business failures