Jump to content


Marine science meeting brings science and industry together on the Isle of Man


No replies to this topic

#1 Barry McCrindle

Barry McCrindle

    Skipper

  • Administrators
  • 54 posts
  • LocationAyrshire

Posted 07 November 2011 - 04:24 PM

From www.fishnewseu.com

Quote

THE Isle of Man Fisheries Department has organized the first Marine Resource Education Programme workshop on the island.
The three day meeting was attended by a range of stakeholders including the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) Stakeholder Engagement Officer, Sue Ranger.
The aim of this programme, adapted from a tried and tested method that has been running on the east coast of the US for ten years, is to bridge the gap between fisheries scientists and fishermen and improve outcomes for fisheries and the species and habitats they depend on.
The meeting focused on scallop fishing, which is a very important industry on the island, and brought together scallop fishers from around the Irish Sea to exchange knowledge with some of the UK’s leading fisheries scientists. All participants recognized that scallop dredging has a significant impact on the seabed – king scallops in particular live slightly buried and so the metal teeth on the front of a scallop dredge are needed to dislodge them and get them into the net. However, innovations presented by the scientists, in seabed mapping, closed areas and gear technology mean that there is plenty of reason to be optimistic about room for improvements to the fishery which could not only improve the catch but also reduce or mitigate impacts on the environment.
“This is a challenging debate to have and the fact that so many people were able to sit down and openly discuss ideas and opinions in a pragmatic, non-confrontational atmosphere has to be a step in the right direction. What was so encouraging from an MCS point of view was seeing how years of engagement work on the island has resulted in a community of people who are pooling their skills to seek a durable future for the fishery and the wider environment,” said Sue Ranger. “This meeting opened many people’s eyes to the benefits of building better relationships and greater understanding across sectors.”
One of the tools that is being used around the Isle of Man to enhance the fishery is closed areas where scallops are allowed to increase in size and number, reproduce and restock surrounding areas.
“The fishermen at the meeting see these closed areas as a way of preserving their livelihood, but there are biodiversity conservation benefits too – it’s great to see actual examples of the benefits of closed areas to the fishing industry as this is one of the keys to making spatial protection of our seas relevant to fishers,” added Sue.
The plan is to hold another event in the Spring of 2012 to keep the dialogue going and perhaps look at developing opportunities for collaborative work between scallop fishermen and scientists. There may also eventually be other events looking at other sectors of the fishing industry. MCS says it plans to stay engaged with the process and play our role in supporting efforts towards more sustainable fishing.

I always see both sides of the argument, the one that's wrong and mine.....



Reply to this topic