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by Alan McCulla, Chief Executive, ANIFPO Ltd, Kilkeel
For many hundreds of years European fishermen sailed across the
North Atlantic in search of the riches to be found on the fishing
grounds off the coasts on New Foundland, Nova Scotia and New England.
While the catches were initially brought home to Europe, the settlement
of these new lands was largely founded upon the fishing trade. Indeed,
famous cities like Boston were established on the basis of their
proximity to the fishing grounds and to this day a “Golden
Cod” hangs proudly in the Massachusetts state legislator.
While most European fishing fleets have departed the Grand Banks
and Georges Bank fisheries in their search for cod and other ground
fish, a new generation of European fishermen continue to cross the
Atlantic. This time not in search of the still to be had rich pickings
of the fisheries off the east coast of Canada and the north-east
USA, but rather in search of lessons that can be learned from their
North American colleagues. These lessons centre around one question:
Is there life after cod?
In the year 2000 the Irish Sea was the first European sea area
to be subjected to what became known as “The Cod Recovery
Programme.” Yet the Irish Sea was not the first sea area to
have such a scheme imposed. In 1992/93 the Canadian Government imposed
a series of closures on their cod fisheries and in the process delivered
a hammer blow to hundreds of coastal communities along thousands
of miles of coastline from Labrador to Nova Scotia. Billions of
Canadian dollars were spent in an attempt to protect the communities,
the fishing industry employees and their families. After all, fishing
was the soul of the Atlantic Canada provinces.
It has been to learn from the Canadian and US experiences that
different groups of European fisheries managers and industry representatives
have crossed the Atlantic over the past few years. The latest such
group departed Kilkeel on the 19th October for a 10 day trip aimed
at comparing and contrasting experiences at home with those found
in North America.
This group differed from earlier expeditions in that it comprised
of a mixed group of fisheries managers and industry representatives.
Some 12 fishermen from Kilkeel and Ardglass were accompanied by
3 DARD Sea Fisheries representatives, a colleague from the UK’s
Sea Fish Industry Authority and myself.
Friday, 20th October saw the first of what was a hectic schedule
of meetings. The first full day in St. John’s, New Foundland
was spent with representatives of the Federal and Provincial Governments,
as well as the local fishing industry union. Given that Canada is
some 14 years into their cod recovery programme – twice as
long as the Irish Sea – there was one burning question on
the lips of the Northern Irish delegation. Was the Canadian cod
recovery programme working?
The answer, which was repeated on numerous occasions during the
rest of the tour by Government officials, fisheries scientists and
industry representatives alike was blunt – NO!
On only two occasions did the group hear people say that they thought
cod might return when the conditions were right or that the measures
already applied had not been stringent enough. The majority opinion
was that the measures had failed. The next question was why?
Again the answer to that was straight forward – “don’t
know.”
There are several stocks of cod and other ground fish stocks off
Atlantic Canada and New England. Each of these stocks has been subject
to complete moratoria, partial closures, the application of additional
technical conservation measures and very significant reductions
in fishing effort. Yet 14 years into the plan none of these measures
has resulted in the cod stocks being returned to their former levels.
It is true that in some areas a cod fishery remains a viable option,
and other stocks such as Haddock off the coast of Nova Scotia seem
to be flourishing, but again problems that UK and Irish fishermen
are all too familiar with are prevalent in Canada. For example,
the Haddock fishery is restricted because of fears regarding the
by-catch of cod.
So the third question on are list applies equally to Canada/USA
as it does increasingly in Europe. If cod recovery is not working
then why continue with closures and associated measures? The answer
given in North America is one that an increasing number of European
fisheries scientists would agree with. This is that there are no
longer any sound biological reasons in attempting to recover the
cod stock – the main driver is political pressure. As one
Canadian scientists put it to us, “No politician want to have
it said that he was the one who allowed the last buffalo to be shot.”
Of course those of us employed to represent the fishing industry
in Europe are continually lectured that unless we accept draconian
measures now, then Europe’s cod fishery will end up like that
on the Grand Banks – practically extinct. “We can’t
afford to leave it too late like they did in Canada” we are
told. So did the Canadians leave it too late? Did they allow fishing
effort to continue at too high a level until the cod stock was beyond
recovery?
Again, the answer is uncertain. There is no doubt that fishing
pressure from both the Canadian and foreign fleets did have an impact
on the cod stock, but Canadian fisheries scientists are referring
more and more to evidence that the collapse of the cod fishery coincided
with a series of other factors that together combined to act against
the cod stocks. A sudden influx of cold water from the Labrador
Current across the cod fishing grounds is now known to have had
a massive impact on the survival of new recruits to the fishery.
Amongst other forms of increased natural mortality, increased predation
by seals it sited as another major factor. So overall at the beginning
of the 1990s there was a massive shift in the environment/regime
in which the cod had been living. What brought about this regime
shift (i.e. over fishing or environmental factors) is the subject
of ongoing debate and study. It is tempting to suggest that some
Eurocrats see this as sufficient enough excuse to continue their
failed policies – in other words, if the Canadians don’t
know what caused the collapse of the cod stock then we (the Eurocrats)
are justified to apply the precautionary approach and assume it
must have been over fishing. Hence another reason for the continuation
of the failed cod recovery plan in European waters?(!)
Yet the real picture of the fishery and the industry that has been
restructured over the past 14 years is a far cry from the picture
of decimation some might have us believe and that the failure of
the cod recovery measures might suggest.
Prior to the introduction of the cod and other ground fish closures
the total value of the fishing industry at sea and on shore to New
Foundland and Labrador was C$650 million in 1989. The provisional
figures for 2005 show a value of C$913.5 million – a 41% increase.
Of this total the value of fish landed actually increased by 90%.
In 1989 ground fish such as cod made up nearly 70% of all landings
into the province, while today it accounts for less than 20% of
the tonnage. There has been a significant reduction in the number
of people employed in the industry, most interestingly in the processing
sector.
So where did the changes come? Another answer that will sound familiar
to local fishermen.
With the removal of their ground fish fisheries, fishermen (or
fish harvesters as they are known in Canada), like their Irish Sea
colleagues weren’t just going to surrender their seafaring
traditions. The industry re-equipped to tap into the other resources
that presented themselves on the fishing grounds and today in terms
of value of the catch, snow-crab and shrimp have more than made
up for the loss of the ground fish fisheries. Indeed some Canadian
fishermen have gone so far as to say that they hope the cod never
recover or return as the cod feed on the shrimp. The parallels with
fisheries around the UK and Ireland are striking. Where once cod
was the main fishery, now Nephrops are king. And just as cod feed
on shrimp off the shores of New Foundland and Labrador, they feed
on Nephrops in the Irish Sea.
As you move further south along the Canadian coast into Nova Scotia,
the dominance of the snow-crab and shrimp fisheries yields to lobster
and scallop. Literally thousands of fishing vessels, some nearly
as broad as they are long, are employed in the lobster fishery,
which is founded on a huge resource and controlled on an area based
management system, as well as restrictions on the numbers of pots
that can be used by a fishing vessel. Indeed, as the group drove
along the east and south coasts of Nova Scotia they were struck
by the fact that practically every other home had its stock pile
of lobster pots stacked up at the side of the house, emphasising
the continuing dependence of the communities on the fishing industry.
During one of its days in Nova Scotia the group was hosted by the
Clearwater group, Canada’s largest fishing company. One of
the facilities owned by the company and which the group visited
was a storage unit, where 500 Tonnes of live lobster could be kept
in preparation for export around the world. Scallops are managed
by quotas, with the fishery being prosecuted by both smaller inshore
vessels as well as large off-shore factory trawlers. A visit to
one of Clearwater’s scallop factory ships emphasised to the
group many other aspects of the industry that are gaining in importance
on both sides of the Atlantic, including catch quality issues, sea-bed
mapping and spatial planning.
Fisheries Management
Many fisheries management issues that are very familiar to the
industry in the UK and Ireland are also hot topics in Canada and
the USA. This was emphasised during a sessions with the Provincial
Fisheries Enforcement Director in New Foundland and with the Canadian
Coastguard in Halifax, Nova Scotia. As well as the debates about
closed areas, TACs and technical conservation measures, quota management
and the ownership of quota is an issue that is vexing Canadian fishermen
just as much as UK fishermen. In Nova Scotia much of the resource
is now “owned” by large companies such as Clearwater,
this despite the fact that the issue of quota ownership is about
as clear in Canada as it is in the UK. The evolution of quota ownership
has exposed the same arguments on both sides of the Atlantic, with
many individual Canadian fishermen claiming that they are unable
to compete with the big companies and are now having their fishing
patterns dictated by processing companies that own the quota. There
is certainly a clear distinction between Newfoundland and Nova Scotia
on the issue. While (for good or bad) Nova Scotia has embraced an
ITQ based system, the industry in New Foundland and Labrador is
still very much debating the matter, although the tide does seem
to be running in the direction of owner based quota rights instead
of a communal system.
The licensing system is also just as complicated as in the UK,
with individual entitlements for different fisheries combined with
restrictions on the length of different categories of fishing vessels
and annual licence fees for each licence resulting in what looks
like a very bureaucratic regime – just like we have in the
UK.
Overall, the management regime seems to be gradually pushing the
industry towards becoming a much smaller, more efficient (at least
in the eyes of Provincial and Federal Governments) business. How
long this process will take, especially as the very powerful and
effective fishing union in New Foundland and Labrador continues
to flex its muscles, time will tell.
Seals
One interesting angle to the presentations by the Government officials
in Canada was their defence of their policy towards seals. Indeed,
until Provincial officials in Newfoundland and Labrador were advised
that they were preaching to a converted audience they were preparing
to launch a power point presentation to explain their policy toward
the harvesting of the animal!
And it is a lucrative harvest that provides an important income
to Canadian fishermen with Harp seal pelts reaching up to C$100
each. So with fishing vessels returning from the seal harvesting
grounds with up to 2,000 seal pelts per trip one can easily see
how it has become such a very important fishery. Provincial officials
pointed out that the hunt was not a cull, but was “a sustainable
and humane harvest, which was based upon scientific assessments
of the stock.” Assessments were showing that the removal of
tens of thousands of Harp seals per annum was having little or no
impact on the seal population – in fact there was a suggestion
that the seal population continued to rise. Another important aim
was to achieve full utilisation of the seals that were harvested
and tremendous advances were being made on this front.
In Nova Scotia, Federal Government scientists were able to correlate
a direct relationship between the increased Grey seal population
and the non-recovery of the cod stock. In fact while fishing mortality
on the cod stocks had been dramatically reduced, research was showing
that the number of cod being eaten by seals had increased. At the
same time new DNA research had confirmed that cod formed an important
component of a Grey seals diet.
There are obvious comparisons to be made with the situation around
the British Isles and the increasing calls from the UK’s fishing
industry for more consideration to be given to the impact of increased
seal predation on fish stocks must gain more credibility when one
studies the Canadian situation. This is one of the areas where there
should be increased liaison between Canadian and European fisheries
scientists, particularly as they are all part of the ICES system.
On this, as well as other natural and environmental fishery impact
issues the Canadians do seem to have a more practical knowledge
base.
Seal harvests are a very sensitive and controversial issue and
in light of very effective media campaigns that attempt to highlight
the cruelty of the hunt, it is a venture that many feel would be
impossible in the UK, let alone Europe. However, in the face of
increasing seal populations that are proven to have an impact on
the entire natural environment, let alone on the livelihoods of
humans, the issue of a seal harvests (or any other method of controlling
their growing numbers) in UK and Irish waters must be properly debated.
It cannot be swept away as some sort of sentimental no-go area.
Industry/Science Co-operation
In recent years the Irish Sea and Northern Irish fishermen have
become associated with a non-co-operation policy towards fisheries
scientists. This has resulted from both the fallout from the scientific
advice itself and fishermen regarding a policy of non-co-operation
as the only way they have to protest at Government’s fishing
policy. However, the fact that a Government scientist spent over
a week in the company of 12 local fishermen and survived (!) must
provide evidence of a growing realisation on both sides that the
main chance of solving our problems is through improving the scientific
data that leads to advice on which fisheries management is based.
The group spent a full day with Canadian fisheries scientists at
the Bedford Institute of Oceanography in Nova Scotia and enjoyed
a productive debate with the scientists there. While most of the
issues were similar to the debates that can be held back home, there
was a feeling amongst the fishermen that Canadian scientists were
prepared to admit that they didn’t have answers for everything
and in fact when they did answer one question this led to a plethora
of other questions. It was suggested to the Canadians that a big
difference between their situation and that in Europe was that they
did not have the European Commission dictating their every move.
They retorted that while they might not have the EC they did have
the Canadian Government, which in their opinion was a similar machine
to the EC!
The group was introduced to the “Fishermen and Scientists
Research Society”, a partnership between Nova Scotia fishermen
and fisheries scientists very akin to the UK’s Fisheries Science
Partnership. Various initiatives were the subject of collaboration
between fishermen and scientists and yet again there were many similarities
between the issues faced on both sides of the Atlantic, with many
Canadian fishermen being suspicious as to how their scientists might
use additional information afforded to them by the partnership work.
Yet, just as the Northern Irish fishermen had agreed earlier in
the week, their Canadian colleagues were increasingly of the opinion
that the only way forward was to work more closely with Government
scientists.
Fishermen working from the harbours and coves of New Foundland
and Labrador have to contend with rogue icebergs on a regular, although
increasingly infrequent basis (another sign of global warming?).
Fishermen in Nova Scotia have a tremendous and valuable resource
on their doorstep in the shape of the lobster fishery. But while
there are differences between the fisheries there are, in my opinion,
more similarities.
In Gloucester, Massachusetts, home of the true story behind the
film “The Perfect Storm”, the fishermen’s memorial
stands testament to the loss of nearly 5,500 fishermen from that
one port on their quest to harvest the seas. Recent local history
is testament to that shared grief.
In the Atlantic Provinces of Canada there is a very high dependence
on the fishing industry. While that dependence maybe somewhat less
for Northern Ireland plc, it remains true for the County Down communities
where the fishing industry is centred.
Fishermen in Canada and the USA complain about increasing fuel
and other overhead costs, while the quayside price of their catch
is unstable. Again, similarities with home.
Increasing fishing vessel crew problems in Canada is a relatively
new phenomenon, whereas here there has been a high dependence on
immigrant labour for some time.
In Canada, the challenges created by fishery closures encouraged
greater catching sector recognition of and involvement in marketing
and quality agendas. There are lessons for us to learn here.
In Canada, increased co-operation between industry and Government
scientists is the order of the day. This mirrors the situation in
the UK and Ireland.
In Canada there is apparently a greater appreciation and understanding
of factors other than fishing on fish stocks, as well as the courage
to admit unknowns and uncertainties. In Europe we have some ground
to catch up on this one.
On the other side of the Atlantic there is recognition that cod
recovery measures have failed. Let us hope that our fisheries managers
will catch up with this before it is too late for the industry and
fish stocks.
In Canada, issues and debates regarding quota management and licensing
are very similar to the debates being held in the UK and Ireland.
In Canada, the industry has been much more effective in countering
the “environmentalist” arguments. There are lessons
we can learn from this one.
And finally:
The reader will note that most of this article has concentrated
on the situation in Canada. This reflects the fact that most of
the trip was spent in Canada. In New England and in particular the
area just north of Boston there remains a very lucrative lobster
fishery, the bait for which is supplied by Irish owned pelagic vessels
hunting for herring and mackerel.
There are the remnants of a ground fish fishery. The group spent
a morning with Captain Bill Lee who works out of Rockport, Massachusetts
on board his 12 metre, 20 year old trawler the “Ocean Reporter”.
Bill is Captain, cook, engineer and crew - all himself. His vessel
is fitted with satellite monitoring equipment and electronic logbooks
that allow the US authorities to have real time management over
his business. From 22nd November 2006 Bill will be allowed to spend
11 days at sea during the next 12 months, all in the name of fisheries
conservation. Enough said.
As the Northern Irish fishermen returned home they were each individually
asked where they would rather be fishing? In Canada, the US or in
the Irish Sea with all its well known problems? They each gave the
same answer – at home.
Let’s hope that answer can remain the same and instead of
the industry learning from the mistakes of the North American systems
that our officials in Belfast, London, Dublin and Brussels can learn
from their colleagues in St. Johns, Halifax, Washington and Ottawa.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to all of the groups,
companies and individuals who helped during our visit to Atlantic
Canada and New England, especially the following who helped make
the trip possible and such a success.
- Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sea
Fisheries Division, Belfast (Mark McCaughan and Ronnie
McBride)
- Sea Fish Industry Authority (Philip MacMullen)
- Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Fisheries Branch,
Belfast (Dr. Richard Briggs)
- Fish, Food and Allied Workers, New Foundland
(Keith Sullivan)
- Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, New Foundland
and Labrador (Ian Burford)
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada
(Paul Cahill)
- Clearwater Seafoods Limited (Peter Matthews)
- Inshore Fisheries Ltd, Nova Scotia (Claude
d’Entremont)
- Canadian Coastguard, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
(Mike Cherry)
- Captain Bill Lee, Rockport, Massachusetts
- Killybegs Seafood, Gloucester, Massachusetts
- Alison and Lynda in ANIFPO
- and the 12 fishermen from Ardglass, Annalong and Kilkeel
......
- Group Members:
Sean Allen - Fisherman, Kilkeel
Richard Briggs (Dr) - Fisheries Scientist, AFBINI
Bobbie Campbell - Fisherman, Kilkeel
David Campbell - Fisherman, Kilkeel
Gordon Campbell - Fisherman, Kilkeel
Geoffrey Chambers - Fisherman, Annalong
Thomas Greene - Fisherman, Kilkeel
Mark McCaughan - Chief Fisheries Officer, DARD
Philip MacMullen - Sea Fish Industry Authority
Alan McCulla - ANIFPO Ltd
Bobby McBride - Fisherman, Kilkeel
Ronald McBride - Administration, DARD
Neil McKee - Fisherman, Kilkeel
John More - Fisherman, Kilkeel
Martin Nicholson - Fisherman, Kilkeel
Jason Parker - Fisherman, Ardglass
Conrad Zych - Fisherman, Ardglass
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