Fisheries Group

Fisheries Group, Ringkjøbing, Denmark, 5-6 October 2000

Present:
Ann Bell
Karsten Bækgaard
Åke Linden Ingveig
Holand Wahl
Karen Somerset
Harry Jensen

1. Apologies:
Harry Jensen (for parts of the meeting)
Shona Croy
Vigdis Bjørgo
Jim Henry

2. On behalf of Harry Jensen, Karsten Bækgaard welcomed everyone to Ringkjøbing.

3. The minute of the last meeting was approved after some changes.

4. NSC Fisheries Partnership Group
Ann Bell gave an update of the work of the NSC Fisheries Partnership Group. The group has now had two meetings. At the last one the scientists presented the next years assessment, which showed that the situation is bad, especially for cod. The fishermen recognised the picture and agreed on the conclusions. The situation is serious and we need a recovery-plan.
The group still has full membership. The next meeting is in Haag in January. For this meeting the fishermen are going to make their assessment.

5. The purpose of the group, our work and methods for communicating
Because of the relatively few number of persons present at the meeting, we discussed the purpose of the group, our work and methods for communicating. How can we get more people to attend?

Key Words about the purpose of the North Sea Commision:

• Strategic/ political
• Establishing networks and contacts
• To speak with one voice towards the Commision and the National Governments
• CPMR - lobbying

Key words about the purpose of the Fishery-group:

• Regional Development in fishery-dependent areas. Working for Survival of Coastal Communities
• Initiate projects. Look on common problems and solutions
• Business Development
• Environment
• Spreading awareness and sharing experience

The Group had a general discussion about diversification.

Within the marine businesses:

• Aquaculture
• Non-pressure stocks (ex. Dogfish)
• New Product Development
• Guardships
• Retraining
• Marketing (gives added value)
• Added value. Manufacturing on and off shore
• Using vessels in tourism
• Increasing Quality and Traceability
• Logistics

Outside the marine businesses:

• Traditional SME - initiatives
• Community Development (ex. Local Action Groups/ Community Councils). Exchange of experience. Collate and disseminate information)
• ICT
• Tourism

We also looked at how we worked within the group. It was decided that we are going to share the minute-taking. After each meeting there will be a new person who has this responsibility. The aim is to get more people directly involved in the work of the group. The minute will be sent out just after the meeting has been held, and not together with the next meetings agenda. (Ingveig Holand Wahls appologies for being so slow this time!) The minute-taker shall send the minute to Karen Somerset. She will then get it out at the net.

Many of the members of the group have an e-mail address. These should be collected and sent to each member and also be possible to get through the net.

The group decided to make a discussion-forum for the members at the net. Karen Somerset has now fixed this and it is possible to log into this forum at the net. To get a password, please contact Karen Somerset.

6. Guiding Action Plan for 2001

• Up-date the Fisheries Profile
• Make a discussion-forum for the group
• Make an economic Impact-Study for the North Sea, which will look upon the economic implications of changes within the fishing industry
• Increase involvement of membership in the group
• Conferences or seminars in each Country about Community Development, problems and solutions
• Project Cooperation
• Study-trip to Japan

Karsten Bækgaard will do a draft on his suggestion about the conferences or seminars. To make a Fisheries Profile we need help from all members.

7. North Sea Commision paper on CFP Review The paper was ammened and presented at the CPMR General Assembly in Florence.

……………………

8. Interreg III project update

Christian Byrith from the Interreg IIC Secretariat gave us an update on the preparations for a new Interreg-program (Interreg III B). The Interreg II C has now made a structure for the work to come. The situation now is that people should use the spring of 2001 to prepare applications. The approval of the first programs is planned next autumn. Interreg III B will emphasise on projects which look upon practical action.

Ingveig Holand Wahl gave an update on the Interreg II C project North Atlantic Shellfish Management (NAM). The project has shown good results and a new project, based on NAM, will possibly be applied for in Interreg III B.

At the last meeting in Orkney, Solveig Godø told the group about the project-idea "Utilisation of Fish Waste, Discards and By-catch". Godø is no longer in her previous job, but she is still working on this idea.

9. Herring Week
The Herring promotion was very successful, escpecially in the UK, 300,00 leaflets were printed and distributed, herring cookery demonstration took place and herring was on the menues of resurants, hotels, schools and hospitals. We have been asked if we will be repeating it next year.

10. Theme for afternoon meeting - Predators in the North Sea
External experts lectured on the theme: Predators in the North Sea. Poul Hald Mortensen told us about the results from his research on Cormorants and Svend Tougaard about his research on seals. The group saw these lectures as interesting and meant that it would be useful to collate data which would highlight the amount and value of the fish that the predators (excluding humans) are eating/using in the North Sea. In this time of conservation need, it is important that we as a fisheries group look at all the predators, including the fishermen. Members of the group will attend the NSC Environment Group meeting in January to seek their opinion on the Predator situation.

11. Date and venue of next meeting
Date and venue of next meeting will be in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire Scotland during March 2001.