The impact of electronic monitoring on fleet wide discarding of small cod in Scottish demersal fisheries

Helen Holah; C. Tara Marshall; Coby Needle; Rob Fryer

doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsac105

The impact of electronic monitoring on fleet wide discarding of small cod in Scottish demersal fisheries

Helen Holah^*, C. Tara Marshall, Coby Needle, Rob Fryer

^*Corresponding author for this work

Marine Scotland Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

In Europe, uptake of electronic monitoring (EM) has been hindered by a lack of potential cost savings, given low existing observer coverage, and resistance from industry to greater enforcement of the landing obligation. To assess why certain vessels volunteer for EM and what their subsequent changes in behaviour tell us about those of the wider fleet over time, this study investigates effects of EM on discarding of North Sea cod by Scottish demersal trawlers. As discard data were limited, weight of small cod (grade 5) landed per trip was selected as an indicator of discarding and modelled to describe discard patterns from 2006 to 2016 encompassing the EM-verified cod quota management scheme (2010-2016). Findings show that EM leads to reduced instances of discarding of small cod by participants. However, evidence suggests non-participant vessels were driven to greater levels of discarding due to quota acquisition by participants. Vessels volunteering for EM trials were not predisposed towards greater compliance. Landings data do not support the trial objective of incentivising avoidance of small cod being met. The influence of participants on non-participants has implications for how vessels are selected, and management of behavioural adaptions required to ensure participants remain representative of the wider fleet.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1753-1764
Number of pages	12
Journal	ICES Journal of Marine Science
Volume	79
Issue number	6
Early online date	29 Jun 2022
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsac105
Publication status	Published - Aug 2022

Bibliographical note

Acknowledgments
The authors of this paper would like to acknowledge the
fishers, fisheries inspectors, and video reviewers who participated in or supported the Scottish cod catch quota management scheme. Additionally, we thank two anonymous reviewers for their encouraging and insightful comments and
suggestions.

Data Availability Statement

The data underlying this article cannot be shared publically due to commercial sensitivities and data protection laws.

Keywords

catch data
discard ban
discarding
electronic monitoring
fully documented fisheries
Gadus morhua
L
CATCH QUOTA MANAGEMENT
BIAS
SEA

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Cite this

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title = "The impact of electronic monitoring on fleet wide discarding of small cod in Scottish demersal fisheries",

abstract = "In Europe, uptake of electronic monitoring (EM) has been hindered by a lack of potential cost savings, given low existing observer coverage, and resistance from industry to greater enforcement of the landing obligation. To assess why certain vessels volunteer for EM and what their subsequent changes in behaviour tell us about those of the wider fleet over time, this study investigates effects of EM on discarding of North Sea cod by Scottish demersal trawlers. As discard data were limited, weight of small cod (grade 5) landed per trip was selected as an indicator of discarding and modelled to describe discard patterns from 2006 to 2016 encompassing the EM-verified cod quota management scheme (2010-2016). Findings show that EM leads to reduced instances of discarding of small cod by participants. However, evidence suggests non-participant vessels were driven to greater levels of discarding due to quota acquisition by participants. Vessels volunteering for EM trials were not predisposed towards greater compliance. Landings data do not support the trial objective of incentivising avoidance of small cod being met. The influence of participants on non-participants has implications for how vessels are selected, and management of behavioural adaptions required to ensure participants remain representative of the wider fleet.",

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author = "Helen Holah and Marshall, {C. Tara} and Coby Needle and Rob Fryer",

note = "Acknowledgments The authors of this paper would like to acknowledge the fishers, fisheries inspectors, and video reviewers who participated in or supported the Scottish cod catch quota management scheme. Additionally, we thank two anonymous reviewers for their encouraging and insightful comments and suggestions.",

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N2 - In Europe, uptake of electronic monitoring (EM) has been hindered by a lack of potential cost savings, given low existing observer coverage, and resistance from industry to greater enforcement of the landing obligation. To assess why certain vessels volunteer for EM and what their subsequent changes in behaviour tell us about those of the wider fleet over time, this study investigates effects of EM on discarding of North Sea cod by Scottish demersal trawlers. As discard data were limited, weight of small cod (grade 5) landed per trip was selected as an indicator of discarding and modelled to describe discard patterns from 2006 to 2016 encompassing the EM-verified cod quota management scheme (2010-2016). Findings show that EM leads to reduced instances of discarding of small cod by participants. However, evidence suggests non-participant vessels were driven to greater levels of discarding due to quota acquisition by participants. Vessels volunteering for EM trials were not predisposed towards greater compliance. Landings data do not support the trial objective of incentivising avoidance of small cod being met. The influence of participants on non-participants has implications for how vessels are selected, and management of behavioural adaptions required to ensure participants remain representative of the wider fleet.

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The impact of electronic monitoring on fleet wide discarding of small cod in Scottish demersal fisheries

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Data Availability Statement

Keywords

UN SDGs

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