Crab and lobster fisheries within the Cornwall IFCA district: update on call for evidence
In autumn 2021, Cornwall Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority Cornwall (IFCA) sent a questionnaire to all 270 of its Lobster, Crawfish & Crab Permit byelaw permit holders, seeking their views on what they felt was the state of the crustacean fisheries in the Cornwall IFCA district.
The most common theme in the questionnaire responses was that fishing effort was too high and needed to be addressed to ensure the long-term viability of inshore fishing for crustaceans and by association, the coastal communities that rely on these, mostly single handed, inshore commercial vessels.
Building on the results of that questionnaire, Cornwall IFCA carried out a further call for evidence of, not only its permit holders, but other businesses and individuals directly involved in the crustacean fishery. The aim of this call for evidence was to gather views on a range of management measures that could be considered to address the concerns, previously stated by stakeholders, about the impacts of high levels of fishing effort.
The call for evidence ran between 17 May – 14 June 2023 and an encouraging number of responses were submitted. Although the majority of responses were from active fishers, responses were also received from fishing representatives, processers, wholesalers and restaurateurs.
The two key fishing effort management measures which respondents felt were the most important to ensure the future of the inshore fishery, were a limit to the number of pots able to be used in the fishery and a reduction in the maximum vessel size permitted to fish for crabs and lobsters in the Cornwall IFCA district.
74% of respondents wanted Cornwall IFCA to reduce the maximum vessel size to remove what they consider to be unsustainable crab and lobster fishing practices from the inshore zone. 69% of the respondents wanted Cornwall IFCA to reduce the number of pots in use in the fishery by setting a maximum number that each vessel can use to fish for crabs and lobsters.
Many of the responses to the consultation expressed concerns about the impact that large vessels, that can stay at sea for several days and in poor weather, are having on the livelihoods of more traditional, small-scale fishing operators, with some stating that they had been effectively forced to give up fishing.
Other fishing effort control mechanisms which Cornwall IFCA also sought views on included closed periods and a days at sea limit.
Following discussion of the report at the Cornwall IFCA Authority meeting on 15 December, officers will begin the process of developing the measures called for by stakeholders to ensure the sustainability and long-term future for inshore crab and lobster fishing and the numerous coastal communities that rely on these important stocks.
Click here to read the full report.