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Danish researcher have secured funding to study the impact of bottom-trawling gear on the marine environment in Jammerbugt. Photo: Willem den Heijer
DTU Aqua and Aalborg University receive project funds of a total of DKK 15.5 million (€2m/£1.8m) to investigate the impact of bottom-trawling gear on the marine environment in Jammerbugt.
In the autumn of 2022, a political agreement was reached on the distribution of free funds under the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFAF). It was, among other things, decided to set aside 16 million DKK for projects that will investigate how bottom trawling in general, and boom trawls in particular, affect the marine environment in Jammerbugt.
The Danish Fisheries Agency has now given its commitment to the two applications from DTU Aqua and Aalborg University, respectively, for a total of approx. 15.5 million DKK to carry out projects to investigate the marine environment in Jammerbugt.
The projects include a mapping of beam trawlers and other bottom trawling gear fishing in Jammerbugt. The impact of fisheries and gear on the ecosystem, marine environment and climate will be assessed based on a number of indicators for good environmental condition and sustainability. The projects also include collaboration with fishermen who have local knowledge of Jammerbugt.
In addition to mapping the impact of bottom trawling gear on the marine environment in Jammerbugt, knowledge will also be collected about the socio-economic effects of fishing to provide an assessment of the overall value chain – from gear type, seabed habitat and fishing resource in relation to the fish targeted by the fisheries and the income generated by the fishery in question.
The purpose of the projects is to collect knowledge that can contribute to the assessment of Jammerbugt and, on that basis, to contribute to the design of management plans for the area.
The projects must be completed by the end of 2023. The results of the projects will, among other things, become available on the Danish Fisheries Agency’s project bank, which contains an overview of completed development and innovation projects that have received support from the EMFAF.
Jammerbugt is located in North Jutland to the south of the Skagerrak and north Limfjord.
Source: Press Release
