a. Extent
of the activity
i. Within the site
These factors have been taken from
the Regulation
33 advice dated 14th March 1999. Potting and
angling have been added to this list.
Table
13. Analysis of Fishing Activities in Cardigan
Bay cSAC
Fishing
Activity |
Intensity |
Is
Activity Regulated |
Possible
effect on feature |
Effects
on dolphins seen here? |
Towed
Gear |
|
|
|
|
Trawling |
Low |
Y |
Depletion
of food.
Disturbance
of sea bed habitat |
N
N |
Dredging |
Low |
Y |
Depletion
of food.
Disturbance
of sea bed habitat |
N
N |
Static
Gear |
|
|
|
|
Gill
Nets
(drift
/ fixed) |
Low |
Y |
Entanglement
Depletion
of food |
?
N |
Pots
(crustacea
/ whelks) |
Moderate
/ High |
Y |
? |
N |
Angling |
Moderate
/ High |
Y |
Depletion
of food |
N |
Seine
Nets* |
Low |
Y |
Depletion
of food |
N |
*Four seine net licences
are available under the current Net Limitation Order,
which are the only licensed nets legally entitled
to catch migratory salmonids within the SAC. They
operate within the Teifi estuary itself. Seine nets
are encircling nets, which are actively fished and
consist of a single sheet of netting measuring not
more than 173m long by 5.5m deep. One end of the
net is held on the bank whilst the bulk of the net
is paid out from the stern of a rowboat in a continuous
movement. The boat moves out to mid-channel and then
back to the shore in a semi-circle where the two
ends of the net are brought together. The net is
then hauled ashore and the live catch dispatched.
Current bylaws limit the times and seasons when the
nets can operate. There is a close time of 06.00
the Saturday to 12.00 noon the following Monday.
The annual close season is 31 August to 1 April.
However, under recent bylaws, all salmon captured
between 1 April and 1 June must be returned alive.
This measure has been introduced as part of a National
package of bylaws designed to conserve large salmon,
as the international stock is below sustainable levels,
whilst still allowing the exploitation of sea trout.
ii. Outside the site
Fishing activity outside the cSAC
has the potential to affect dolphins within the site,
via the mechanisms considered in Table
13. above. It is not known whether such effects
exist.
b. Mechanism
for effect on the feature
Apart from occasional reports of
entangled dolphins, there is little evidence of adverse
effects of fishing activities on the site. However
mechanisms by which fishing activity may affect dolphins
are known from studies elsewhere. These are summarised
below. It should be noted that there is currently
no information to suggest that fishing activities
within Cardigan Bay are likely to significantly affect
the dolphin population.
Further information on the potential
interaction between fisheries and SAC features is
available in the ‘Life’ report, ‘Gubbay,
S. & Knapman, P.A. 1999. A review of the effects
of fishing within UK European marine sites. English
Nature (UK Marine SACs Project). 134 pages’ [138]
.
i. Entanglement
Fishing activity and discarded
or lost nets and lines can result in entrapment or
entanglement of bottlenose dolphins. All available
information indicates that entanglement of dolphins
in this area is a rare event. It is highly unlikely
that dolphins would come into direct contact with
seine nets, which are relatively small and actively
fished. If dolphins did come into contact with these
nets their mode of operation means that dolphins
could easily be released unharmed.
ii. Habitat damage
Mobile fishing gear may alter benthic
habitats and marine life. The extent of such effects
are determined by a variety of factors including
gear type, fishing effort, the nature of the seabed
and its marine life. Deterioration or alteration
of sea bed habitats or marine life might alter prey
abundance and distribution and thus indirectly affect
the bottlenose dolphin population. There is currently
no evidence of such effects on this site. See ‘Prey
Depletion’ and ‘Habitat
Impacts’.
iii. Prey Depletion
Fishing activities remove fish,
cephalopods, crustaceans and molluscs from the sea.
Many of these form the diet of the bottlenose dolphin.
It is possible that this might diminish the amount
of food available for dolphins; equally, the removal
of competitors by fishermen might increase the availability
of prey species for dolphins. The numbers of migratory
salmonids and their significance as part of the dolphin’s
diet is unknown. There is presently no evidence of
either of these indirect effects on this site. See ‘Prey
Depletion’.
c. Management
Response
i. Rationale
Sea fish
Factors relevant to the condition
of the feature, an appraisal of their intensity,
current management, possible effect, and record of
effects being observed on bottlenose dolphins in
Cardigan Bay are summarised in Table
13. above.
The current scale of sea fishing
activity within Cardigan Bay is quite low. The most
intensive activity taking place, potting, is relatively
benign with respect to dolphins. The local Sea Fisheries
Committees have implemented a range of controls to
ensure these fisheries are sustainable, which should
have the effect of protecting dolphin food supplies.
Although certain types of netting have the potential
to entangle dolphins, such entanglements are rare,
and there are no indications that the current level
of netting within the bay is of concern.
Migratory fish
EAW manages migratory salmonid
stocks to ensure that exploitation is sustainable.
EAW also takes into account conservation interests
in the regulation of migratory salmonid fisheries.
Present information would suggest that sufficient
controls exist to protect the dolphin population.
Therefore no further action is required.
Summary
The likelihood of a detrimental
impact of fishing on the bottlenose dolphins might
change in the future. It is thus appropriate to keep
a watching brief to ensure that potential problems
are identified before they threaten the dolphin population
on this site.
ii. Operational limits
and monitoring projects
Sea fisheries are public. Fishing
can only be regulated in certain ways. Generally
it is not possible to set operational limits on fishing
intensity. Fisheries regulation in coastal waters
is generally achieved through operational limits
on fishing techniques. These may be either limits
on production; or ‘technical measures’ that
restrict fishing methods.
i National
Legislation
National legislation sets quotas,
minimum landing sizes, and specifies technical conservation
measures. Many of the national controls transpose
limits set by the EC Common Fisheries Policy. These
controls are administered in Cardigan Bay by MAFF
/ NAW, and implemented in Cardigan Bay by the SFCs
and MAFF working in concert.
ii Sea
Fisheries Committee Byelaws
Two Sea Fisheries Committees are
responsible for fisheries management in the area:
the South Wales Sea Fisheries Committee (SWSFC) and
the North Western & North Wales Sea Fisheries
Committee (NW&NWSFC). Each SFC makes and enforces
its own set of byelaws, tailored suit the fisheries
in the area. The table below summarises some the
main byelaws relevant to Cardigan Bay.
Table
14. Certain Sea Fisheries Committee byelaws
applying to certain fishing activities in Cardigan
Bay cSAC.
(NB this table only lists certain
byelaws. There are other byelaws and regulations
in force which fishermen must comply with that are
not listed here.)
Factor |
Byelaw |
| |
SWSFC |
NW&NWSFC |
Vessel
size |
14m
within 3nm of LWM |
15.24m,
subject to condition in NW&NWSFC byelaw
9 |
Minimum
landing sizes |
|
see
attached leaflet |
Net
mesh sizes |
Other
than trawls: byelaw 32 |
Trawls:
see attached leaflet
Byelaws 4, 6, 7, 8. |
Length
of nets & Restrictions on deployment |
|
Byelaws
10 & 11 |
Fishing
areas (gill nets) |
Restricted
under byelaws 30, 31, 33, 34, 35 (however little
relevance to this area) |
Restricted
under byelaws 24 & 25. |
Fishing
area (general) |
Areas
can be closed for certain fishing activities
for the protection of stocks. |
Areas
can be closed for certain fishing activities
for the protection of stocks. |
Closed
Season (scallops) |
Fishing
prohibited 1st July – 31st October, under
byelaw 45. |
Fishing
prohibited between 1st July and 31st December
under byelaw 20 |
Other notable regulatory activities
include the SFC ‘V’ notching schemes for
lobsters, which are being implemented through close
cooperation with the fishing industry.
Throughout the year SFC officers
enforce and monitor compliance with these measures.
iii. Type of Response
On the basis of the analysis set
out above, and using the classification of management
options described in Table
7. the management options for fishing activities
in the Cardigan Bay cSAC are set out in Table 15.
below.
Table
15. Management Options for fishing activities
in Cardigan Bay cSAC
Fishing
Activity |
Management
Option |
Towed
Gear |
|
Trawling |
F4
(Surveillance;
Consider need for Operational Limits) |
Dredging |
F4 |
Static
Gear |
|
Gill
Nets (drift / fixed) |
F4 |
Pots
(crustacea / whelks) |
F2
(No
action needed) |
Angling |
F4 |
Seine
Nets |
F4 |
iv. Actions, including
links to other policies/plans/measures
The ‘Management Options’ listed
above broadly indicate how future management of the
Cardigan Bay cSAC will be achieved. This section
aims to identify a series of management actions that
describe how the SFCs intend to respond to the management
options for the site.
Necessary Action
The actions listed in the table
below will ensure compliance with the requirements
of the Habitats Directive.
It should be noted that the apparent
lack of action suggested by this table is misleading.
The fisheries management bodies responsible for the
site have a wide range of powers available to them
to regulate fishing activity should there be assigns
of harm to either the dolphins or their habitat.
All fisheries managers are duty bound to apply the ‘Precautionary
Principle’ with respect to the site.
The actions below require fisheries
managers to be vigilant, whilst maintaining a status
quo within the cSAC, reflecting the fact that
most fishing practices in the Bay are well established
and currently do not appear to have had a significant
adverse effect on the dolphins. If fishing practices
change, or evidence emerges that fishing is having
adverse effects, then action can be taken swiftly:
but until such time there appears to be no need to
unnecessarily compromise the livelihoods of fishermen
working in the cSAC.
Table
16. Fisheries Management Actions
Activity |
Mgmt
Option |
Action |
Responsibility |
Time-scale |
Towed
Gear |
Trawling |
F4 |
Maintain
current regulatory regime.
Apply additional management
measures if significant effects are likely & site
integrity at risk. |
NW&NWSFC,
SWSFC |
Ongoing;
Possibly annual liaison? |
Dredging |
F4 |
Maintain
current regulatory regime.
Apply additional management
measures if significant effects are likely & site
integrity at risk. |
NW&NWSFC,
SWSFC |
Ongoing;
Possibly annual liaison? |
Static
Gear |
Gill
Net |
F4 |
Maintain
current regulatory regime.
Apply additional management
measures if significant effects are likely & site
integrity at risk. |
NW&NWSFC,
SWSFC |
Ongoing;
Possibly annual liaison? |
Pots |
F2 |
None
currently required.
Maintain a watching brief
in case of problems. |
NW&NWSFC,
SWSFC |
Ongoing |
Angling |
F4 |
Maintain
current regulatory regime.
Apply additional management
measures if significant effects are likely & site
integrity at risk. |
NW&NWSFC,
SWSFC |
Ongoing;
Possibly annual liaison? |
Seine
Nets |
F4 |
Maintain
current regulatory regime. |
EAW,
NAW |
Ongoing |
Desirable Actions
A number of further actions can
be identified that are desirable but not essential
for the management of the site. These are summarized
below. Execution of these actions might assist site
management, but are not absolutely critical at present.
Some of these lie outwith the remit of the relevant
authorities, and may also require additional funding.
Table
17. Further, Desirable, Fisheries Management
Actions
Action |
Description |
Legislative
Review |
To
extend local management powers.
(NB that this is wider
than fisheries alone) |
It
may be useful to extend local fisheries management
powers to cover the entire site, out to 12nm
from baselines. |
International
Collaboration |
Adverse
effects of activities in other countries.
(Again wider than just
fisheries) |
The
dolphins using Cardigan Bay seem to be part
of a population that may range beyond the territorial
seas of Wales. Harmful human activities outside
the cSAC and Welsh waters could adversely affect
the numbers of dolphins seen in the Bay. Encouraging
other EC member States to adopt practices that
would avoid harm to dolphins from the cSAC
when they are further afield could bring great
benefits. |
Research |
Interactions
between fishing methods and dolphins. |
Literature
study and field work to identify whether fishing
practices in the Bay have an effect on dolphins
and whether this is significant. |
Monitoring |
|
Independent
monitoring to confirm whether current view
of low bycatch is accurate or not. |
|
To
investigate the effects of fishing activities
on bottlenose dolphins and their habitats in
Cardigan Bay. |
[138] This report is available at: http://www.english-nature.org.uk/uk-marine/
