Overview
During the first 18 months of our case study, the Spanish Marine Science Institute (ICM-CSIC) and the Federacio Territorial de Confrariesde Pescadores de Girona (Girona’s Fishermen’s Association, FTCPG) have been working together to jointly identify the recruitment areas and juvenile capture season for the red shrimp . The long term aim of the case study is to eventually produce a sustainable fisheries policy for an extremely valuable resource – Aristeus antennatus.
During this period, we have been collecting data at sea, and held a series of meetings with fishermen and stakeholders to review our progress so far, and explore how we plan to move forward.
In total, we have:
- Conducted13 field biological surveys at sea. These have been ongoing, at the rate of twice a month, since September 2013.
- Conducted over 15 meetings with the Fishery Association, Autonomous Government and Scientific partners.
Moreover, throughout the second year of our case study, permanent ongoing negotiations have been in progress with the Catalan Fishery Administration (Generalitat de Catalunya) and Fishery Association of Girona, to officially establish a Fishery Management Plan for the deep-sea red shrimp.
Alongside these negotiations, we are submitting a proposal to the Catalan Fishery Administration to conduct a selectivity trial, where two net sizes and an experimental grid will be tested in two different fishery vessels.
Timeline of Progress
1.- October, 1st, 2011. Two observers began conducting field work onboard one fishery vessel from the Fishery Association of Palamós, Nova Gacela. The observers are collecting data twice a month, as required to assess the red shrimp fishery resource.
2.- November 1st, 2011. Logbooks were given to all fishery boats of the Fishery Association of Palamós. The information obtained from these logbooks will provide a record of which fishing grounds have been visited by the entire fleet over a two year period (the sampling timeframe). Ongoing conversations are conducted every two weeks with the fleet’s skipper, in order to ensure that data is being correctly collected and recorded.
3.- October, 10th, 2011. Meeting at the Palamós Fishery Association. Three institutions were present at the meeting: the Fishery Association of Girona, GAP2 scientists and the Regional Fishery Administration. The President, Vice President and two speakers of the fishery association, GAP2 scientists Dr Joan B. Company and Prof. Sardà and the Vice Director and Service Chief of the Regional Fishery Administration were all present at the meeting. Our objectives were to discuss the first draft of a future management plan for the red shrimp fishery. During our discussion we agreed to close the two main fishery grounds of this species (named Rostoll and Sant Sebastià) for three months starting in January 2012, and increase the mesh size to 40 mm square mesh for the rest of the sampling period (two years).
4.- January 1st to March 31th, 2012. The two main fishery grounds for red shrimp were not visited by the entire fleet during this period. This agreement was raised in the framework of the GAP2 discussions. With special permission from the Catalan Autonomous Government, we continued our field work on the two closed fishery grounds.
5.- January 26th, 2012. Meeting at the Palamós Fishery Association. Three institutions were present at the meeting: Fishery Association of Girona, GAP2 scientists and the Regional Fishery Administration. People present at the meeting: President and Vice President of the fishery association, plus two speakers of the fishery association, GAP2 scientists Dr Joan B. Company and Prof. Sardà, and the Vice Director and Service Chief of the Regional Fishery Administration. Our objective was to consolidate our agreement made in October the 10th.
6.- February 14th, 2012: Meeting at the headquarters of the Regional Fishery Administration of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia (Generalitat de Catalunya). Two institutions were present at the meeting: the Scientific administration and the Regional Fishery Administration. People present at the meeting: General Director of the Catalan Government, Service Chief of the Regional Fishery Administration and GAP2 scientists Dr Joan B. Company and Prof. Sardà. Our objective was to discuss the working document of a management plan for the red shrimp fishery. We agreed to send this first draft to the Spanish Government in order to know their opinion about the viability of this fishery strategy .
7.- March 27th, 2012, Rome. Presentation of Case Study “New fishery management strategies for the Mediterranean Red Shrimp” to the Executive Meeting of the RAC MED in Rome, Italy. The other two case Mediterranean Case Studies of GAP2 were presented on that same meeting. The Coordinator of GAP2, Steve Mackinson, was also present of this meeting.
8.- May 16th, 2012. Meeting at the Palamós Fishery Association. Ongoing discussion on the working document of the Management Plan.
9.- June 27th, 2012. Meeting at the Palamós Fishery Association. Ongoing discussion on the working document of the Management Plan.
10.- July 17th, 2012. Meeting at the Palamós Fishery Association. Ongoing discussion on the working document of the Management Plan.
11.- August 23th, 2012. Meeting at the Palamós Fishery Association. Discussion on the draft of the Management Plan sent by the Spanish Ministry of Fisheries.
