Fisheries Group

North Sea Fisheries Group - Meeting - Lerwick Shetland 28./29: January 2002

The 28. of January

Present:
Lena Søderholm
Åke Lindén
Ingveig Holand Wahl
Karen Greve Somerset
Ann Bell
Drew Ratter
Andrew Blackadder
Dafydd Morris
Jørgen Jørgensen
Shona Croy
Jim Henry
Merete Gammelmark

1. Minutes of previous meeting and matters arising
The minutes were approved

2. NSCFG 2002 Action Plan
The next meeting will be held during the general assembly in Norfolk on 18 June at 14.00 hrs. And the next again in Tjärnö in connection with the conference.

3. Possible Interreg IIIb project - Inveig Holand Wahl
Ingveig and Lena told about a new interreg project about shellfish. The project is in the idea phase, they are looking for partners, who will get the opportunity to design the content. The project follows the NAM project, but would be much bigger than NAM. The new project is called SAMS. The purpose is in one year time to send in an application.

Lena is project leader of SAMS. She mentioned the following possible project idea:

• Mapping of biological potential of shellfish
• Seabed ranching
• 3 dimensional aspects of planning - exploiting of polyculture
• Marine Biotoxins
• North Sea Shellfish Network
• Competence development.

One purpose is also to co-ordinate all initiatives about shellfish - the focus is mainly on farming. Ingveig mentioned besides this, that she is chairman/secretary of an Norwegian working group representing the North Sea fisheries group. This group is called the South Western Norway Assembly.

Decision: Ann Bell and Andrew Blackadder will help with information about a similar project under the Leonardo programme.

4. Review of Predators Conference - Jørgen Jørgensen
Jørgen Jørgensen gave a review of the conference about technical and biological predation. He told the delegates that it had been a balanced conference with representatives from fishermen, scientists and NGO´s. The purpose was 1. to gather information 2. to have an open dialogue.

The main outcome has been the awareness of:

• The need for more research on multispecies models
• The importance of bringing the stakeholders together
• The importance of involving the stakeholders in the decision making process
• The importance of other issues as climatic changes, off-shore industry etc. - a theme for a new conference - next year.

 Decision: The members of the group will get a copy of the draft, when the conference speakers have returned their comments.

5. CPMR Fisheries Intercom Group - Cllr Drew Ratter
Drew Ratter talked mainly about the process of turning the green paper into a white paper, and about the degree of influence the CPMR had have, and have.

6. Substitutes - NSC Fisheries Partnership - CPMR Fisheries Intercom Group

Decision: Åke Lindén will be substitute for Ann Bell in the NSC Fisheries Partnership and Ingveig Holand Wahl in the CPMR Fisheries Intercom Group.

7. NSC update - Karen Somerset, NSC Secretariat
Karen Somerset stated, that the next NSC General Assembly will be held on the 19. to 21. of June 2002 in Norwich, Norfolk, England.

She told, that the Interreg III B programme has been approved on the 13. December 2001. The first call for application will open Monday the 21 January 2002. Read more www.interregnorthsea.org.

She also showed us a book about the projects that had been implemented under Interreg II C.

A common political meeting will be planned with the EU Commission - the topic will be fishing dependent areas.

The North Sea Commission Secretariat have a working group, which will try to formulate a strategy from vision to action. The action plan will be presented at the ministerial meeting in Norway .

The next Newsletter will be sent out in March.

NSC Fisheries Group Meeting – Day Two

29. January 9.00 am

Present:
Lena Søderholm
Åke Lindén
Ingveig Holand Wahl
Karen Greve Somerset
Ann Bell
Andrew Blackadder
Dafydd Morris
Jørgen Jørgensen
Shona Croy
Jim Henry
Tavish Scott
Cllr. Sandy Clunis
John Goodlad
Merete Gammelmark

8. Harry Jensen - NSCFG Chairman
Because of the storm Harry Jensen was delayed. He did not arrive until the meeting had ended. However he had the opportunity to meet with Cllr. Sandy Clunis and also represented the group in a radio interview on Radio BBC, Shetland.

9. Tavish Scott MSP - Politicians view of Fisheries - The way forward
Tavish Scott member of the Scottish Parliament (established the 1st July 1999) told the delegates, that they now have a stronger influence on fisheries politics. The Scottish Minister should lead the UK delegation about fisheries in Brussels. The Relationship with UK gives The Scottish Fishing Industry much more ability to influence the ministers and the agenda.

Nevertheless he sees some problems according to Brussel in specific cases:

• Closed areas in the North Sea
• Prawn quotas
• Decisions are not based on science.

There are local issues - jobs lost on Shetland because of outsourcing. Shetland had financially been able to buy white fish and demersable quotas. He talked about the money from the commission to go back into new tonnage (and to electronic auctions).

Tavish Scott mentioned the following challenges:

• That Edinburgh ensures that fishing should have profile and influence. They should put fishing interest in the forefront of the economic debate. 
• Fisheries have to compete with the knowledge industry.
• The prawn quotas.
• Mussels ?
• And locally at Shetland to develop the salmon industry from deepwater site into inshore industry.

He ended with saying, that it is important to put fishermen into the political decision process.

Afterwards there was a discussion about getting regional authorities to be represented at the ministerial meeting in Bergen.

10. Predators Conference the next step - Jørgen Jørgensen
Jørgen Jørgensen presented a proposal for a new conference. There were some talk about coastal fisheries, bud the group agreed on the following.

The conference will be held in Tjärnö in the beginning of 2003.

The content is:

The North Sea Zone - The regions role:

• What are the expectations
• Stakeholders: Government, NGO´s, Scientists, Local government
• What are the possibilities.
• What decisions can be made at what level
• Development and support

How can the regions help to develop the Fisheries policy - good examples.

11. John Goodlad President European Fish Producers Organisation 

Fisheries Partnerships
John Goodlad said, that the Fisheries Partnership is essential in securing maximum return from fisheries.

It is vital because:

• Fisheries is now international - the North Sea for example is one ecosystem
• There are many stakeholders in the fishing industry: Consumers, NGO, Scientists, Governments, Fishermen and the Fishing Industry.

Three area working group:

1. Partnership between fishermen

2. Fishermen and Scientists

3. Partnership between fishermen and government

1. Partnership between fishermen

• EUROPAS Org
• Advisory Committee - lobby

Problem: The fishermen are not always fully aware of the existence of these organisations, and the possibility to access.

2. Fishermen and Scientists
It gives an opportunity for early reaction from the fishing industry to the researchers - it is possible to influence the thinking of the researchers.

3. Partnership between fishermen and government
John Goodlad did not find partnership at this level satisfactory. He said, that the green paper ignore the argument, that fisheries should be decentralised. John Goodlad talked for more decentralisation/regionalisation of Quota decisions etc. He thought it would speed up the decision process. He also found it important to give the stakeholders a feeling of ownership. Now they only have advisory power.

12. NSC Fisheries Partnership update - Ann Bell
Ann Bell gave an orientation.

13. Steve Taylor - Interreg IIIc - Northern Maritime Corridor and Fast Seafood link
Steve Taylor did not arrive because of the Storm.

14. General Discussion

Reporter: Merete Gammelmark