The UK's marine reserves are nothing but paper parks

Response to Sustainable Access to Inshore Fisheries (SAIF); Sent to DEFRA on 24th February 2010

As a general principle, Goodfish supports the idea of a wholly differentiate inshore fisheries from those off-shore, seasonally closed areas and maximum fish landing sizes. The 0 to 12 nautical mile area could be zoned to provide broad areas of the sea graduating from less to more industrial scale fishing. Currently the ideas that might work are as follows;

• 0 to 0.2 mile – No fishing during an agreed season (to protect bass and breeding fish)
• 0.2 to 1 mile – No trawling / towed gear of any kind allowed
• 1 to 3 miles – No bottom trawling of any kind
• 3 to 6 miles – No beam trawling of any kind
• 6 to 12 miles - No pair trawling
• Known spawning areas should be closed during the relevant season (eg Dover Sole off Brighton, Bream off Littlehampton etc)
• Agree a maximum size fish list (for anglers and commercial fishermen), to allow these now much less common fish to continue their disproportionately large spawning capacity and so helping better juvenile recruitment

This arrangement could produce the following benefits;

• Reduce the conflicts between fixed net fishers and beam trawlers
• Significantly enhance the successful breeding of many fish and shellfish
• Reduce bycatch / damage to crabs and lobsters, rays and catsharks and rarer fish such as Allis Shad
• Increase the seabed natural habitat with less disturbance, providing better conditions for supporting more fish and shellfish
• Enhance the recreational fishery and so encourage more angling and the related spend
• Enhance inshore fish catches in relation to the fishing effort, so increasing sustainability
• A clear environmental / sustainable brand and added value could be developed for the whole inshore fishery in the local area (possibly MSC), much easier to manage than selected fishers or fish species.

If these fishing rules (or something similar) are combined with a series of carefully selected Marine Conservation Zones that cover a representative sample of seabed habitats on a reasonable ecosystem type scale, then the marine environment and inshore fisheries could benefit greatly.

Find out more about SAIF

TAKE ACTION FOR FISH SAKE

Buy local inshore
day caught fish

Avoid otter, beam and pair trawlers

Avoid fish breeding seasons

Try some alternative fish to help create new demand

Ask for MSC labelled fish

Look for Fish4Ever tinned fish

Buy cat food made from sustainable fish

Ask fish & chip shops to join the mackerel mission

Download the Fish Fight app

If your business uses locally caught fish, from small boats that do not beam, pair or otter trawl, then the 'Coast Friendly' Initiative may be for you! Click here to find out about the trial that you could be part of.

Support Goodfish

If you buy anything via this web site from Amazon or the fishing companies shown, a small commission will be earned by Goodfish. This will help to maintain this site and it will not cost you anything. Thanks for any support you can give.