Tag: Ocean Conservation

A group of artisanal fishermen and women from La Polcura, in the Valparaíso region of Chile, have embarked on a unique adventure on the coasts of Caleta Chañaral de Aceituno, in the Atacama Region thanks to support from the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust’s Ocean Conservation Programme.

The objective? To explore new forms of productive development through tourism, linked to the incredible initiative they are carrying out with the creation of their own Marine Refuge together with the Capital Azul Foundation.

The experience began with a visit to the Roberto Álvarez museum exhibition hall, where they immersed themselves in the rich local culture of the Chango people and learned about the fascinating history of the construction of rafts from wolf skin. It was fascinating to imagine the skill and ingenuity needed to build a boat from these materials. 

Then, together with local fishermen, they embarked on a circumnavigation of the “Isla Chañaral” Marine Reserve. And what a spectacle awaited them! Whales, sea lions, Humboldt penguins and various birds, a whole symphony of wildlife that left the group amazed.

This trip not only allowed them to discover the natural beauty of the area, but also to learn from the experience of the community of Caleta Chañaral de Aceituno, who have managed to develop a model of sustainable tourism that coexists in harmony with environmental conservation, elements that are often in tension.

The visit to Caleta Chañaral de Aceituno, will undoubtedly be an important milestone on the path of the La Polcura Trade Union towards productive diversification and sustainable development.

Why is it important to diversify production through tourism?

Artisanal fishing is a fundamental activity for the economy and culture of many coastal communities in Chile. This is the case of the La Polcura Union. However, the overexploitation of marine resources and climate change are threats that put their future at risk. In this context, and considering that this group has already created its own conservation space with the Marine Refuge, tourism is presented as a viable alternative to diversify production and generate new sources of income for the local community. 

The La Polcura Marine Refuge: an example of sustainable development

The La Polcura Union, with the support of the Fundación Capital Azul, already has a Marine Refuge in its Management Area (an exclusive area of ​​the union for extraction of benthic resources). By combining conservation zones within its extraction area, the aim is to protect marine biodiversity and promote sustainable artisanal fishing.

Thus, the Marine Refuge is not only a conservation space, but can also be a tourist and educational attraction that will allow visitors to discover the natural wealth of the area and learn about the importance of the efforts of the artisanal fishing sector.

A hopeful future for artisanal fishing

The experience of the fishermen and women of La Polcura in Caleta Chañaral de Aceituno is an inspiring example of how productive diversification through tourism could be a key tool, among others, to strengthen artisanal fishing and build a sustainable future for the local community.

Support from the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust’s Ocean Programme has supported dive scholarships for young people in St Helena, providing essential skills to support careers in marine conservation.

Scholars aged 15-17 embarked on an extensive diving course designed to enable them to dive at sea, an essential skill for those wishing to engage in marine conservation, particularly in the unique ocean habitats of the South Atlantic.

Two of the scholars who received funding from the FCFCT have now completed their training with each of them demonstrating skills such as mask removal, regulator removal, low air and various hand signals for underwater communication.

Course organisers said that both Blane and Stefan “showed great enthusiasm and dedication to the course, and both passed with flying colours” and we hope that both will use these skills to great effect in protecting the marine environment of St Helena in years to come.

Funding from the Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust has enabled a delegation from the Scottish Fishermen’s Organisation (SFO) to visit the Pacific North-West area of the United States to learn how fisheries managers there have improved sustainability by reducing unwanted catches, visiting Washington and Alaska in August.

The visit was planned to coincide with the Alaska pollock “B” season, which takes place from early June to the end of October, depending on quota availability. The fishery is widely regarded as one of the best managed in the world and uses a range of innovative management tools to limit by-catch of species such as salmon and halibut.

Real-time reporting tools used in North-West Pacific fisheries inspired the development of BATmap (Bycatch Avoidance Tool with mapping), a bespoke mobile phone app that enables participating skippers to share information on the location of unwanted catches in real time. The system has been in operation on the west coast of Scotland since 2022 and has been used to report unwanted catches of cod (currently on a bycatch quota) and spurdog (prohibited until recently). 

Scotland is currently undertaking a co-management approach to developing its future catch policy and to assist in this process the SFO is keen to draw on experiences of management in fisheries that have developed innovative approaches to sustainability. The aim of the trip was to witness first-hand the co-management approach that has been adopted in recent years in several important fisheries in the North-West Pacific, particularly in relation to unwanted catch reduction.

The delegation spent two days in Seattle and met various industry and management organisations associated with US North-West Pacific fisheries. A number of representatives from The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a United States federal agency within the US Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also participated in the discussions.

The delegation also met Sea State Inc in Seattle to learn how real-time by-catch avoidance works in North-West Pacific fisheries, particularly the Alaska pollock fishery.

The second half of the exchange comprised a visit to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, to experience the Alaska pollock fishery in operation and to meet boat captains, processors and managers to discuss the practical implementation of real-time reporting. The delegation visited two pollock processing plants in Dutch Harbor: Alyeska Seafoods Inc and Westwards Seafoods. Members learned about the various products including frozen fillet and surimi blocks that are processed from catches landed directly into the plants. The delegation also learned how by-catch was accounted for and dealt with in the processing plants.

The delegation met three captains during the exchange: Tony Norg of the 34m Bering Rose, Calyton Smith of the 40m Progress and Tim Thomas of the 102m catcher-processor Northern Jaeger.

Each captain spoke of the move in recent years to sharing data and the importance data plays in the management of the fishery. While data sharing may have been a challenging concept when first introduced, the majority of operators now see the value of using data in near real-time to help reduce unwanted catches. This sentiment was echoed in meetings with Tim Cusick (fleet manager for Westward Fishing Company) and Colleen Anderson (coop manager for Unalaska Fleet Cooperative) who further noted that full transparency of by-catch levels across the fleet provides an added incentive to keep within the predefined limits.

The trip was deemed an overwhelming success and the SFO intends to use the knowledge gained to inform discussions with stakeholders and the Scottish Government as it looks to develop an effective catch policy for Scotland in the coming months. It will also help inform the further development of BATmap (https://info.batmap.co.uk/).

John Anderson, Chief Executive of the SFO, said: “We are extremely grateful to our hosts in Seattle and Dutch harbour for what was an illuminating and highly valuable learning journey. It is clear that the American North-West Pacific fisheries are light years ahead of us both in terms of their co-management approach and in the use of technology and real-time data to manage their fishing operations in mixed fisheries. Their overall management approach is something we can aspire to and gives us much food for thought as we contemplate the Future of Fisheries Management in Scotland and embark on the development of Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs).”

The Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust and Fisheries Innovation & Sustainability have joined forces to launch an international exchange programme to advance global sharing of knowledge around the management of fisheries and the ocean.

Exchanges can be from and to anywhere in the world and can take the form of one-off visits, bilateral exchanges, international workshops, or studentships. Projects will be prioritised if they advance or share knowledge on:

• fishing gear innovation which provides environmental benefits,
• fishing vessel decarbonisation
• technology developments which enhance supply chain management, transparency and/or traceability
• understanding of applied fisheries research and co-management systems
• marine habitat enhancement initiatives

Fisheries Programme Manager, Alison Freeman, launched the Fishmongers’ Company’s global exchange programme in 2022 and has since supported over 15 exchanges. The exchanges funded to date have been extremely varied, from co-funding a PhD studentship in Tristan Da Cunha, to industry-led exchanges to learn about species specific management, technology, and gear innovation, to funding civil-servants to learn about co-management systems. Through these exchanges we have realised how powerful it can be to bring likeminded individuals together to share their knowledge and experiences. These engagements have helped to nurture strategic partnerships and fuel new projects which will go on to further our understanding of how to better manage our fisheries and marine ecosystem to accommodate marine life and people.

Fisheries Innovation & Sustainability (FIS) is the coalition of experts driving innovation for a prosperous and sustainable UK seafood industry.  Since 2016, FIS has championed current and future seafood industry leaders through travel bursaries to support knowledge exchange and professional development. Most recently, last year FIS and the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust supported skipper James Duthie Jr to visit Norway to see for himself the ship building innovations reducing fishing vessel CO2 emissions.

We would like to welcome applications from individuals and organisations that work in or support the fishing and seafood industry. Funds will be awarded up to £8k per project. It is not a requirement to offer matched-funding support, but it would be looked upon favourably. Interested applicants will need to complete a short application form describing their project and their organisation. Please request a form from Fisheries Programme Manager, Alison Freeman at Alison.Freeman@fishmongers.org.uk. 

The welfare of fishing crews is a global concern, requiring continuous monitoring, improvement and adaptation to changing working and fishing conditions. The Fisheries Charitable Trust recently supported a Human Rights at Sea  (HRAS) exchange visit to the Falkland Islands to speak with, and listen to, fisheries stakeholders. This exchange was driven by international reports of poor crew working and living conditions of foreign crews.

Without effective enforcement at sea, impunity and associated unlawful activities in the waters around the Falkland Islands threaten not just wider ocean conservation but the responsible management and value of the natural resources.

The 12 day visit was successful in gaining initial access to, and direct engagement with, state and non-state actors for fisheries development, policy, enforcement, safety and Government oversight. HRAS were able to assess the ongoing efforts being made to assure both environmental sustainability and improvement predominantly of onboard conditions for foreign-flagged fishing crews.

As part of the Falkland Islands Government’s strategy to develop its monitoring, interdiction, boarding and ocean governance role, the introduction of new capabilities and onboard technologies raises the stakes for all vessels conducting improper or illegal operations in the coastal state’s waters. As part of this strategy, the Falkland Islands fisheries protection vessel aims to increasingly target Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and associated criminal activities in the island’s coastal waters and Economic Exclusion Zone (EEZ).

The developments at state level for improving fishing crew welfare standards and protections in the Falkland Islands are a positive news story, and worthy of HRAS support to profile in the UN system.

HRAS praised the Fishmongers’ grant as it provided the charity with the opportunity to influence in its advocacy work at the international level. It is anticipated that the outputs from the grant will help to initiate a wider ripple effect across maritime / fisheries stakeholders and associated media platforms. 

Civil servants and industry members who recently participated in an exchange trip to the Gulf of Maine, funded through the Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust, have reconvened to discuss their learnings on the industry-focused podcast, Fathom. The episode picked up on the development of the new Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs), with the guests reflecting on what they learnt about the U.S. co-management systems.

The podcast was hosted by the Cornish Fish Producers’ Organisations (CFPO), CEO Chris Ranford and guest co-host David Stevens, skipper of the Crystal Sea and Chairperson of Fishing into the Future. They were joined by Hannah Fennell, Head of the Orkney Fisheries Association; Fiona Taylor, Head of Sea Fisheries, Policy and Grants at DAERA; and Robbie Fisher, Head of Domestic Fisheries Sustainability and Devolution. The podcast can be listened to here.

The United States has a well-established co-management model, whereby industry, government and scientists collaboratively develop fisheries management and research. Last year, the Fisheries Charitable Trust funded the exchange trip, so that fishers and managers from across the U.K could learn more about how the industry, managers, and scientists work together to collect data and make collaborative management decisions. This exchange was timely, as following the UK’s departure from EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, the UK have decided to change what’s seen by some as a top-down system in the E.U., in favour of a more collaborative approach. As part of this new approach, Defra, in partnership with industry members and scientists are developing 43 FMPs for our most important non-quota commercial fish and shellfish stocks.

In the episode, the group discussed the largest overhaul of fisheries management in the UK in decades, and explored the values and principles that underpin the U.S. system and the investment and education that goes into making co-management work. They considered how possible it would be to translate this approach to the U.K.’s new framework, taking into account the differences between the U.K’s four nations. Robbie and Fiona also give us an update on the development of FMPs, with Hannah and David providing an industry perspective on what they would like to see from the co-management approach included. 

The episode was a really useful insight into how the future of fisheries management may look, with the exchange trip and the innovative, cutting-edge ideas that came out of it likely to play an influence in establishing the U.K’s new framework.

Understanding and quantifying the value of marine and coastal ecosystems can work to strengthen the case of sustainable management of our coasts and seas and support fishery management and conservation efforts that will ensure a sustainable future for sealife and coastal communities.

In 2022, FCFCT’s international Oceans Programme funded the continuation of an Ecosystem Accounting Network, which trains stakeholders from environment and statistics departments to understand and quantify the economic value of local marine and coastal environments. The Network was led by Economics for the Environment Consultancy Ltd (eftec), a UK environmental economic consultancy firm, and covered five Caribbean UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs): Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands. 

The Network supports members to develop Natural Capital Accounting tools and practices for that are aligned with the United Nations System for Environmental – Economic Accounting (UN SEEA).  

The natural capital accounts provide a framework for the collection and presentation of environmental and economic data, so that the value nature provides can be verified. They also translate ecological and scientific data into economic terms, so that they are comparable with other economic data (such as GDP). This provides an evidence base to support environmentally and economically sustainable decision making, for example: 

• Effective decision-making on issues that are both dependent and impact on nature
• Investment in nature to enhance and sustain the value they provide
• Action on climate change, including mitigation, adaptation, and resilience to impact
• Delivery of international initiatives, such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals
• A green post-COVID economic recovery, focusing on a sustainable tourism sector

The activities developed through ecosystem accounting help to streamline annual data collection efforts and build capacity for the production and use of ecosystem accounts by governments and the private sector across the Caribbean to build resilient and prosperous societies. 

The FCFCT grant funding enabled Defra’s Darwin-funded UKOT Ecosystem Accounting Network to continue for a further eight months, allowing continued mutual support between the UKOT members and eftec. It gave the network a focus on marine and fisheries issues and resulted in a broadened and deeper understanding of Marine Ecosystem Accounting. UKOT members were also exposed to more targeted discussions on marine and fisheries management, data collection and generally made more aware of current state of Marine evidence within their UKOTs. To ensure the project has a lasting legacy, eftec undertook capacity building activities and set up professional networks in the five countries. 

In 2023, eftec will embark on a new project developing storm surge models. They will also convene meetings between lead statisticians and other Caribbean regional statisticians (e.g., from the UN, World Bank and Caribbean Development Bank) to further understanding on the value of natural capital accounting and will seek additional Darwin funds to provide more real-world examples of how the ecosystem accounts (and the evidence they contain) can be used to support decision-making. 

Further information on the findings of the project can be read here.