Workplan
For 2021 the workplan will address the three Principles:
1. Principle 1 Stock Management
2. Principle 2 Minimising Environmental Impact
3. Principle 3 Management System
Further details under each of the principles are given below:
1. P1 Stock Management:
In the pre-assessment[1] carried out on the fishery Indicator 1.1.5 was scored as less than 60 due to the fact that no harvest control rules are in place.
Following progress made last year the FIP group continues to focus on working towards developing a practical Harvest Control Rules which will contribute positively towards the status of the Irish Brown Crab stock. A good relationship has been developed with Marine Institute scientists which will help in the development of improved data collection and the specifying of a HCR.
Objective:
To reduce fishing mortality on the Brown Crab stock and to improve the knowledge base on the basic catch and effort data in the Brown Crab fishery.
Tasks:
- Develop an alternative bait in the whelk fishery (which uses brown crab as bait) in order to reduce pressure on the crab stock.
- To implement a CPUE data collection programme, in collaboration with the Marine Institute, on which a Harvest Control Rule for the fishery will be based.
2. P2 Environment:
During the initial phases of the FIP an ETP record system was developed and implemented in the fishery. The data collected highlights that there are no issues with ETP species interactions with the fishery. In this years workplan the aim is to reduce the environmental footprint of the vessels by encouraging their participation in an environmental programme called the Clean Oceans Initiative.
Objective:
To reduce the environmental footprint of the Brown Crab FIP vessels.
Tasks:
- Inform FIP members of the Clean Oceans Initiative and support and encourage their participation in it.
- Monitor the numbers of Brown Crab FIP members registering in the Clean Oceans initiative.
3. P3 Governance and Policy:
Meetings with Marine Institute scientists have identified that under 10m vessels, which are not required to use an EU logbook, represent a significant gap in the data.
Objective:
To improve traceability of Irish Brown Crab FIP landings by working with processors and thereby to address the data gap for under 10m vessels.
Task:
- Implement a pilot traceability scheme with processors which will include collection of data on under 10m vessels.
- Evaluate the usefulness of this traceability data from a scientific perspective.
The Rubicon Centre,
CIT Campus,
Bishopstown,
Cork,
Ireland
Office: +353 21 492 8934
Phone: +353 87 2591376
Email: info@irishbrowncrabfip.ie
Next Meeting of Crab FIP
The next meeting of the Irish Brown Crab Fishery Improvement Project will take place in the Citywest Hotel, Dublin from 10 to 12 on Wednesday the 26th June 2019. All members of the FIP are welcome to attend.
