The European Commission has replied to the North Western Waters Advisory Council (NWWAC) requests on hake management. Photo: Tony Fitzsimmons
The Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries has addressed key issues raised by the North Western Waters Advisory Council (NWWAC) regarding the management of the northern hake stock.
In a recent letter from the Director-General Charlina Vitcheva, the Commission responded to concerns about the bycatch of juvenile hake and the application of Technical Measures Regulation (TMR) in ICES area 7 fisheries.
The concerns, initially brought up during the “NWWAC Workshop on the Management of the Hake Northern Stock” on 6 June 2023, focused on the impacts of using different mesh sizes (100 mm vs. 120 mm) in hake-targeted gillnet fisheries and the complexities of implementing the TMR in terms of catch composition.
Mesh Size and Juvenile Hake Bycatch
The NWWAC highlighted that the 120 mm mesh size used in gillnet fisheries tends to capture more juvenile hake compared to the 100 mm mesh size. This observation was corroborated by the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) in their report, which noted that while the 120 mm mesh size reduces overall catch rates across all length classes, it captures a higher proportion of smaller hake.
Commission’s Recommendations and Regionalisation
The NWWAC suggested that the Commission request the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) to analyse the ecological and socio-economic impacts of the current mesh sizes. In response, the Commission recommended leveraging the regionalisation process within the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) to discuss potential amendments to the TMR.
The Commission encourages the NWWAC to engage with the NWW Member States Regional Group. If the regional bodies have sufficient data, they can submit a joint recommendation for an updated evaluation by the STECF. However, any proposal to reduce the mesh size must meet the TMR’s selectivity criteria and be supported by scientific evidence.
UK Waters Consideration
The Commission also clarified that any request for changes would apply only to EU waters. There is no assumption that the UK would agree to a similar reduction in mesh size for hake fisheries within its waters.
Ongoing Collaboration
Director-General Vitcheva assured continued cooperation and participation in technical meetings to facilitate discussions on this issue. The Commission remains committed to working with the NWWAC to ensure sustainable fisheries management.
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. The new FV Quantus designed by Salt Ship Design will be fitted with the Brunvoll Retractable Azimuth Combi Thruster. Illustration by Salt Ship Design
Brunvoll with Yet Another Fishing Vessel Contract
Brunvoll has recently signed contract with Westcon Yards for the delivery of a wide array of products to the new fishing vessel for owner M.V. Quantus Limited and Peter & J. Johnstone Limited, based in Peterhead, UK.
Included is the Retractable Azimuth Combi Thruster, on its way to become an industry standard for fishing vessels. The vessel is designed by Salt Ship Design and will be delivered from the yard by the end of 2025.
The Brunvoll delivery for Quantus will consist of main propulsion and gear, the BruCon Propulsion and Thruster Control (PTC) system, an aft tunnel thruster, and a Retractable Azimuth Combi Thruster in the bow.
The main features of the Combi thruster are to act as tunnel thruster in upper position, and as azimuth manoeuvring and propulsion unit when lowered. The Retractable Azimuth Combi Thruster can provide value in various operations from added manoeuvring capability at port, to providing extra thrust and increased manoeuvrability in fishing operations by keeping the vessel on course in conditions which would else cause drift-off. The Combi thruster will also reduce fuel consumption by avoiding inefficient use of the rudder and main propulsion. The Retractable Azimuth Combi Thruster has reportedly been used to bring the vessel and crew safely to port in cases where other vital systems have been out of operation.
Brunvoll’s Retractable Azimuth Combi Thruster, becoming an industry standard for fishing vessels. Illustration by Brunvoll
Another reason for installing a Retractable Azimuth Combi Thruster is as a propulsion unit further away from the fishing gear during hauling or pumping, helps to avoid damage and disruption. Further, using the Retractable Azimuth Combi during pumping operation at stern can allow for completely stopping the main propeller and avoid trawl rotation in the flow out from the propeller, often called propeller wake.
The customers M.V. Quantus Limited and Peter & J. Johnstone Limited have also earlier installed Brunvoll thrusters for their fishing vessels. This time they are placing their trust in Brunvoll to provide an even broader range of products and systems for their new asset. The Quantus will be a pelagic trawler, built for low emissions, safe workdays, and high fish quality operating out of Peterhead (UK), which is one of Europe’s largest white-fish ports.