Since sending the last newsletter (weeks 1 - 9), the BSRAC celebrated its fifth birthday and started its sixth year on 16th March 2011.
First on its agenda for the new year were two working groups: Demersal and Pelagic, held in Gdynia at the Sea Fisheries Institute (MIR).
Demersal WG 220311: The chance to take stock and report from previous meeting and events, and then prepare the RAC for further work during the year.
There was a presentation from Danish (DTU Aqua) scientist Marie Storr Paulsen - fresh back from the Danish assessment of the cod stocks in the eastern Baltic. Her detailed and informative power point is on the BSRAC website. She was able to report on a positive development of the eastern cod stocks: good recruitment and with a strong 2008 year class. The same could not be said of the western cod stock: no good recruitment or strong year classes to strengthen the stock. The results from the Danish assessment would be feeding into the ICES Baltic Assessment Working Group which takes place at ICES on 12th –19th April 2011.
This will then lead to the advice for the Baltic stocks, which will be available on 27th May 12011.
There was a positive evaluation of the outcome of the BSRAC discards workshop in Simrishamn (from February 2011), and it was agreed that the BSRAC would write a letter to member states to remind them of the outcome of the workshop and to encourage them to support projects that promote a reduction in discards.
Krzysztof Stanuch (BSRAC member and net maker from Poland) gave a presentation of a further development of the T90/Bacoma codend using a so-called envelope style codend. This generated interest and discussion. The WG chair Michael Andersen said that he would like to see this project recommended in some way, and it could be mentioned as an example in the proposed letter to member states. A final version of Krzysztof’s power point will be available asap.
The long-term management plan for Baltic cod was discussed. Work on the evaluation of the LTMP is taking place under the Commission’s scientific Committee STECF. There was an ICES-STECF working group on 28th February - 4th March 2011 to prepare impact assessments for the Baltic cod plan (and to deal with other management plans). The report from this meeting has just been made available, and you can find it on BSRAC website here:
This work will now continue in Hamburg with an STECF meeting in June, and BSRAC members hope to take part. The BSRAC will await the final evaluation from the STECF before formulating input/recommendations.
The minutes and presentations from the Demersal working group are on the BSRAC website here:
Pelagic WG 230311: WG members gave information on the state of the fishery for sprat and herring. There was discussion about the possible link between weather/climate and the occurrence of and distribution of, in particular, sprat.
Sprat give rise to further discussions. It was agreed by the working group to set up a task force, spearheaded by Michael Andersen (Danish Fishermen’s Association) and Jens Henrik Jeppesen (Sweden Pelagic PO) to look more closely into the data aspect surrounding the sprat fishery. Fisheries representatives were asked to send to them by Easter new or additional data on e.g. landings, days at sea, catch per hour. This would be followed up at a later date (probably June) by a workshop, so there can be a more hands-on discussion between the BSRAC and scientists from national institutes and ICES on how to solve the problem of improving the data.
There was a discussion about the state of play of a long-term management plan for pelagic stocks. Working group members again regretted the lack of progress on developing a plan. It was hoped that once a DG Mare
had written an impact assessment, the RAC would be consulted within a matter of weeks after that. It was taken note that despite the delay due to legal considerations from the treaty of Lisbon, it was important not to stop the process of trying to develop the plan.
Those who read Danish can check out this week’s (week 14) edition of “Fiskeritidende” which gives nice coverage of these two meetings (thanks, Lone).
The next item on the BSRAC work agenda is the Annual General Assembly on 6th May, preceded by an ExCom on 5th May. They will take place at the Ministry of Agriculture in Riga, and thanks go to the Latvian administration for providing a meeting room. These meetings will give BSRAC members the chance to review the year that is gone and to comment on and shape the year just started.
The ExCom looks forward to welcoming Flemming Nygaard Christensen from the Danish Fishermen's Occupational Health Services who will inform about Safety and Sea and Risk Assessment. ExCom members can listen to the Danish experience and then discuss and decide whether to pursue this subject during the year, and in what way. Robert Aps from University of Tartu, Estonia will come and talk about the project GAP2 (see later on in news).
The Latvian minister of Agriculture Jânis Dûklavs has been invited to address the General Assembly, and fingers are crossed that he will be able to accept. Fingers are also crossed that there will be the pleasure of welcoming a senior Commission official. CFP reform is uppermost in most minds, and the chance to discuss this further is seen as important.
BSRAC members especially are encouraged to sign up as soon as possible - remember that Easter comes in the way, so book your tickets in good time…………………………………
Commission and EP news and meetings
Maria Damanaki has been sending us e mails See here the one from 150311:
“Dear Friend,
I am aware of your interest for the subjects I daily work on and I thought you might appreciate getting some news about what is going on here, "in Brussels", in the field of fisheries and maritime affairs and about my activities.
My staff will be pleased to send you a weekly update, presenting the issues at stake and news at a glance.
If want to know more, you can visit my website and, if on the contrary you prefer to monitor your own sources yourself, you can unsubscribe, writing us an email. I hope you will find this information useful!
With best regards,
Maria Damanaki
EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries
You can get them too if you go here and sign up for the weekly update:
The Commission will organize a technical meeting on 19th April 2011 to discuss the pending institutional issues relating to multi-annual management plans. The hope is to jointly clarify the role of the Parliament, the Council and the Commission in the decision-making process. Without prejudging the result of these discussions and the forthcoming negotiations on the CFP reform, Ms. Damanaki says that she intends to present proposals for multi-annual management plans which were built with input of scientist and stakeholders and which have already been properly assessed.
FARNET: Conference on the future of local development in fisheries areas, Brussels 12-13 April 2011.
The Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE) of the European Commission is organising this conference, the aims of which are:
1. To provide participants with early information about:
the specific proposals for supporting local development in fisheries areas through the EFF.
the proposals for supporting local development through other EU funds and how this might affect fisheries areas.
the Commission’s general approach for improving the coordination of local development in the 2014-20 period
2. To stimulate a constructive discussion amongst a small group of informed stakeholders in order to test out the robustness of the proposals and identify ideas for practical implementation improvements on the ground.
The BSRAC has been invited to take part. BSRAC ExCom member Roar Schou of the European Association of Fishing Ports and Auctions will represent the RAC (thank you, Roar).
EU-Russia will be on the agenda at a joint committee 14th –15th April 2011,in Kaliningrad
At recent Council Working Group meetings, member states were informed of this planned meeting. There will be a technical meeting with member states at the beginning of April.Member states have said they are positive about cooperation with Russia (for example on control and inspection and IUU fishing) and about there being an agreement with the EU. Several Baltic member states made the point that it is important to establish allocation keys for all fish stocks, and that they should be based on those set by the International Baltic Sea Fishery Commission. There are going to be key issues on the agenda for the meeting with Russia: scientific advice, allocation keys, long-term management plans, cooperation on control and inspection, IUU fishing and reciprocal access.
A stakeholder conference on discards on 3rd May 2011 in Brussels
The issue of ending discards remains high on Commissioner Damanaki's agenda. On March 1st, the subject was debated with Member States and Members of the European Parliament and the Court of Auditors. Now the Commissioner would like to hear the opinions of stakeholders on this. An exchange of views will be held in Brussels in the afternoon of May 3rd 2011. The programme is not yet very detailed, but will include presentations of concrete projects involving discards, as well as the chance for discussion. You can now register on line here:
We are informed that the event can host about 200 people from the stakeholders. Interpretation will be provided from/into a few EU languages; other languages in passive mode (just listening).
European Parliament has had a debate on 2012 priorities with Fisheries Commissioner Damanaki
An extraordinary Fisheries (PECH) Committee meeting on 4th April in Strasbourg was dedicated to the so-called "structured dialogue" with the Commission on the political and legislative priorities for 2012. The Members' debate with Commissioner Maria Damanaki focused on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) reform package - 2 communications and 3 legislative proposals - of which several elements are expected to be adopted by the Commission before the summer break. From Ms Damanaki’s website was the following extract from this meeting, about CFP reform:
Reform of the European Common Fisheries Policy – Discussion in College on 13 July 2011 “The main priority for the Commission in 2012 will be delivering the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. I am devoting my efforts to devising an ambitious, yet realistic and feasible project for European fisheries. I will make sure the Commission's proposals pivot around sustainability, conservation, decentralised decision making and industry empowerment. We have all recognised - and I have had your support in building this foundation - that we have no choice but to radically change our production and consumption patterns if we want to keep our seas in good shape for future generations. This is a radical shift and one with which I am happy to be associated, as I hope are you. I know that you are anxiously awaiting the Commission's proposals to reform the CFP and I am happy to inform you that we are planning the adoption of the first package for 13 July 2011. This first package will have an overarching Communication, a new basic regulation, a new Common Market regulation, a Communication on the external dimension of our policy and a report on access to waters.
The future financial regulation will then follow towards the end of 2011. Looking at the calendar, it is fair to say that 2012 will be the year of delivery. The time when we go from meaning what we say to doing what we say.”
There was also a vote of an opinion by the Committee of Fisheries on the Integrated Maritime Policy:
This was based on an opinion by MEP Mrs Patrão Neves on the EU programme to support the further development of an integrated maritime policy, for which the PECH Committee is associated with the TRAN Committee (transport). It had been discussed at the previous Fisheries Committee on 15th March 2011.
The next meeting of the Fisheries Committee will be: 12th and 13th April 2011
European Parliament Public hearing 3rd May, Brussels
HOW MUCH FISH CAN BE SAFELY CAUGHT?
Sent to us from Swedish MEP Isabella Lövin, with an invite to a public hearing on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. The Greens in the Parliament believe that there should be a precautionary approach as the basis for the CFP. Decisions on fisheries management should not lead to further depletion of fish stocks but allow them to recover to abundant levels so as to support sustainable exploitation in the long-term. Sign up for this Hearing by sending an e mail to: isabella.loevin@europarl.europa.eu
Other news and meetings
“SCIENCE”
ICES met with the RACs back in January this year. The ICES report is now available here:
We recently got a hard copy of the 2010 report. In it, General Secretary Dr Gerd Hubolt, writes a few words of welcome and points out significant ICES activities in the Baltic which are now under the SCICOM (Science committee) Regional Sea Programme and which have led to a revitalisation of the relationship with HELCOM and an active cooperation with the Baltic BONUS network. This will, he says, sharpen the focus on Baltic Science at the ICES Annual Science Conference in 2011 in Gdansk (19th -23rd September). You can read the Annual report here:
Building science-stakeholder partnerships through participatory modelling
JAKFISH was a project funded by the European Union’s 7th framework programme. Jakfish: Judgement and Knowledge in Fisheries involving Stakeholders (2008-2011)
Its aims weretodevelop institutions, practices and tools for dealing with scientific support to policy under high uncertainty. It focused on European marine governance, particularly on fish harvesting. Early March JAKFISH held its closing conference in Brussels and various presentations were made summing up on the experiences gained. The presentations that were given are available as pdf documents via the JAKFISH website (https://www.surfgroepen.nl/sites/jakfish/default.aspx).
The direct link where the pdfs can be downloaded is:
And now GAP2: more engaging stakeholders in fisheries and marine research
By: bridging the gap between science, stakeholders and policy makers
After the first GAP project, there is now going to be a phase 2 - Integration of evidence-based knowledge and its application to science and management of fisheries and the marine environment
This is a four year project, financed by the Framework 7 programme and coordinated by the scientific instate in the UK CEFAS. It started on 1st April. Several RACs are involved, and the BSRAC will be involved in two projects:
No. 4. Management plans for herring in ICES lIla and adjacent areas; perceptions of
stocks and fisheries. (DTU-Aqua (Lotte Wors¸e Clausen), in association with Jakfish)
No. 11. Mapping Baltic Fisheries in support of Marine Spatial Planning (Robert Aps, University of Tartu with Estonian Fishermen Association). This will be on the agenda of the BSRAC ExCom on 5th May 2011.
BONUS: Science for a better Baltic Sea region
The BONUS latest newsletter came on 18th March 2011. See here:
On their website they announce a conference on adapting to climate change on 31st May 2011, Hamburg The key objective of the conference is to give practitioners and decision makers at the regional political level in the Baltic Sea Region a platform to present and discuss concrete examples of regional or local adaptation to climate change. The conference shall also summarize up-to-date findings on regional climate research and research actions targeted at supporting decision making in the context of regional adaptation to climate change in the Baltic Sea Region. Read more about the conference on the BALTEX website: www.baltex-research.eu/bsssc
FACTS stakeholder workshop, Paris, Wednesday 9th February 2011
The FACTS project is about the removal of forage fish and the consequences it has for both predators and the prey of forage fish. We heard a report from this meeting at the BSRAC pelagic working group, having nominated one of the BSRAC members from the Pelagic WG to take part and follow the process. This he did willingly. Read a full report from the Paris meeting here:
Marine Policy article: Incentives, social-ecological feedbacks and European fisheries
They have sent us an article “Incentives, social-ecological feedbacks and European fisheries” by Österblom et al. that was recently published online in “Marine Policy.” It constitutes a scientific outcome of the so-called Best Practice Project (remember: Baltic 2020). We’ve put it here, so you can get hold of it:
The B7 is a co-operation of the 7 largest islands in the Baltic Sea from 5 different countries that began in 1989. Bornholm (Denmark), Gotland (Sweden), Hiiumaa (Estonia), Rügen (Germany), Saaremaa (Estonia), Åland (autonomous region of Finland), Öland (Sweden).
The long-term vision for the islands can be explained quite simply as: · The islands find themselves with a richer, smarter and happier population. · The islands are also more in control of their own destiny than in 1990.
Was on 22nd March 2011 at the Sea Fisheries Institute (MIR), Gdynia. Harm Koster, Director of the Community Fisheries Control Agency in Vigo was invited to give a presentation on control issues in the Baltic and then join in a discussion with those present.
The Polish Fisheries Round Table annual report from 2009- 2010 was made available in paper copy. It gives a thorough and detailed account of the meetings held during the year gone by. It should be available here:
wwf.pl/roundtablereport
But if you try and don’t succeed, contact Ewa Milewska at: emilewska@wwf.pl
Coalition Clean Baltic Annual Conference/Extraordinary General Meeting Jurmala, Latvia, 6-8 May 2011
This year the CCB Baltic Conference is organised together with Keep Latvia Tidy and Latvian Green Movement, in Jurmala, Latvia. The programme starts on Friday evening with registration and social event from 18.00 onwards and ends on Sunday afternoon with an excursion. An Extraordinary General Meeting will be held on Sunday morning.
A reminder about the International Day of the Baltic Harbour Porpoise on 15th May 2011 on our website, we need a short notice on planned activities by 15 April.
A newsletter from the Baltic Development Forum
In their latest newsletter, they point out that it’s hard work to get the private sector involved in Baltic development initiatives.
There was a BDF seminar in Stockholm in week 10 – there were calls for a “Delors method” setting aims and deadlines to removing hindrances to businesses.
A business contribution to the Baltic Sea strategy will be presented at the BDF Summit/Annual Forum on 24th-26th October 2011 in Gdansk.
To see more on the BDF and sign up for newsletter, go to:
And, say FISHSEC, 13th will be a magic date (hopefully also a lucky number)
Published on their website: 05/04/2011
EU Fisheries Commissioner Maria Damanaki plans to present her CFP reform proposal to the Commission for its confirmation on 13 July, she has told MEPs.
The reform package will go to inter-service consultation within the Commission in mid-April, with the goal of having it ready for decision when the commissioners meet on 13 July, Damanaki told the European Parliament’s Fisheries Committee. The proposal will then be processed by the Council and the Parliament, the latter with co-decision rights since the Lisbon Treaty went into force in 2010. The new Common Fisheries Policy is scheduled to be decided in 2012, to be applied on 1 January 2013.
From Denmark
From the Danish Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries
MadX: a Danish initiative to promote innovation of the food sector.
MadX is going to be placed in the cathedral city of Roskilde but will also have a department in Hirtshals, northern Jutland (to focus, naturally on fish). It’s now got a director: her name is Judith Kyst, who has been working as Secretary General of Fairtrade.
It will receive a couple of million Euros every year from the Danish government under the so-called “green Growth initiative”. Read the press release (sorry, Danish only) here:
And MadX now has an Executive committee: 12 people strong with members from different backgrounds. MadX will be for consumers, retailers, companies, master chefs and many other things……
Three Danish fishing ports are to be modernised: Hvide Sande, Hanstholm Havn and Vester¸ on L¿s¸ will get 18 million DKK (about 2.4 million Euros) for three major and very different projects. One project will be a sorting installation for the port of Hanstholm, which is one of Denmark’s biggest fishing ports: it will be able to sort saithe and at the same time label the fish so the consumer will be able to make sure that the fish has been caught according to the guidelines for sustainable fishery.Hanstholm receives about 80% of all the saithe landed in Denmark. L¿s¸ will get a new quay and fish market area, and in Hvide Sande the piers will be developed, so as to deepen the harbour and thereby attract bigger foreign vessels. The money will come from the so-called fisheries development programme from the European Fisheries Fund.
Remember:
Workshop on Status and prospects for Catch Quota management in Copenhagen on 17th - 18th May 2011
FCI would like to announce the publication of the Public Certification Report for the above named fishery, following its successful assessment against the Marine Stewardship Council’s standard for Sustainable Fisheries. Certification has gone to trawlers and long lines, but not to gill meters because of uncertainty about bycatches of harbour porpoise. The Danish Producers’ Organisation and Espersen have been responsible for achieving the certification.
Where it says, amongst other things “Stocks are up, first Baltic cod fishery achieves MSC certification
This week, Danish vessels will start landing MSC certified Baltic cod in Danish ports. The DFPO Denmark Eastern Baltic cod fishery was today certified as a sustainable and well-managed fishery against the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) environmental standard.”
From Sweden
Dioxin is on the agenda in Sweden
On the front page of the website of the Swedish Fishermen’s Federation, they have a headline: “Passion for food, fish and the food country Sweden”: at a recent food fair in Götheborg in February, the Swedish minister Eskil Erlandsson launched a vision for Sweden to be the new food country. It adds that a real challenge for the minister is the exemption on dioxin granted to Sweden in regulation 1881 from 2006, which set limits for certain contaminants in foodstuffs – including dioxin in fish.
Then “Should we continue to sell Baltic fish in Sweden?”: that’s one of the headlines from 7th April on the website of the Swedish Fishermen’s Federation. Henrik Svenberg, chairman of the Federation, said that the benefits of eating fish still outweigh the risks of any possible dioxin levels in fish. It’s about the maximum levels of dioxin that there can be in fish, and not all fish contain toxins. Mikael Karlsson from the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation says that dioxin is one of the worst environmental toxins around. You can hear a discussion between them on the Swedish exemption on dioxin by following this link:
By Friday (8th April) at the latest, the Swedish government has to submit a possible application to extend the Swedish exemption from the EU limits of dioxin in fish.
