Bait Collection Management in the Southern IFCA District Sarah Birchenough Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Officer

Overview 1. Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities 2. IFCA responsibilities 3. European Marine Sites, IFCAs and bait collection 4. Bait collection in the SIFCA District 5. Bait digging management 6. Bait dragging management 7. The way forward

National IFCAs 10 IFCAs around the country Seaward limits 6 nautical miles from territorial baselines Between 6 and 12 nautical miles managed by the Marine Management Organisation Cross-working with EA, Police, MMO, Harbour Authorities

IFCA Vision “IFCAs will lead, champion and manage a sustainable marine environment and inshore fisheries, by successfully securing the right balance between social, environmental and economic benefits to ensure healthy seas, sustainable fisheries and a viable industry”

Southern IFCA Chichester Harbour to Lyme Regis – Counties of Dorset, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Nine Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Officers – Three have Environmental responsibilities – Two research assistants The Authority enforces local, national and EU legislation −Minimum size −Closed areas −Gear −MPAs

IFCA Responsibilities Southern IFCA vested on 1 st April 2011 Seeking to ensure that the exploitation of sea fisheries resources is carried out in a sustainable way IFCA duties outlined in Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 – Widened duties from previous Sea Fisheries Committees – Bait collection included under fisheries legislation Obligations under Habitats Directive and Wild Birds Directive – Management of European Marine Sites

European Marine Sites Aug 2012 – DEFRA announced new approach to management of fisheries within EMS All commercial fishing activity requires an assessment to ensure compatibility with site features – Assigned Red, Amber, Green, Blue according to risk Generic matrix produced – Gear types and effect on relevant features – Indicates priority for management

EMS Risks Southern IFCA District has 2 red risks – Reefs – Seagrass beds Bait collection identified as red in SAC for seagrass Bait collection (digging and dragging) amber for – Estuarine birds – Intertidal mudflats – Intertidal mud and sand – Seagrass in SPAs (high priority amber) Poole Harbour Estuarine Birds Intertidal mud Intertidal mud and sand Seagrass (SPA) Bait dragging Digging with forks Crab tiling Hampshire and IOW SAC Intertidal mud Intertidal mud and sand Seagrass (SAC) Bait dragging Digging with forks Crab tiling

Bait Collection – SIFCA District SIFCA have been investigating bait collection in the District since April 2011 Occurs across the District with a focus in Poole Harbour, Solent Harbours and Southampton Water Both recreational and commercial collection occurs –Large numbers of recreational and commercial anglers on South coast Collection for: –King Ragworm (Alitta virens) –Lugworm (Arenicola marina)

Bait Collection – SIFCA District Occurs in two forms: – Bait digging – Bait dragging Requires separate management – Different impacts on features – Different effort levels – Different overlap with other activities

Bait Digging Management

Management Existing – Codes of conduct Poole Solent Angling Trust – Harbour Byelaws Moving Forward – Bait Working Group Relevant authorities Stakeholders (commercial and recreational) Scientific community

Bait Working Group

SIFCA Management I Developing Memorandum of Agreement: Bait Digging in Poole Harbour Provisions formed through working group Sent to relevant organisations for input – Users in Poole Harbour invited to sign up Starting to manage EMS through voluntary measures – Bird sensitive areas – Seagrass beds – Sensitive times of year

Key Seagrass Beds – prohibited bait digging all year Bird Sensitive Areas – avoid digging 1 st Nov – 30 th March Poole Harbour Bait Collection Sensitive Areas Bait collectors in Poole Harbour are asked to avoid the bird sensitive areas highlighted in blue for the period of 1 st November to 30 th March inclusive. These areas have been agreed in partnership with local bait diggers, anglers, conservation bodies and local authorities through the Southern IFCA Bait Working Group. These areas highlight where digging activity at certain times of the year will affect bird interests more significantly through visual and noise disturbance. Bait collectors are required to stay out of the seagrass areas highlighted in red throughout the year. These areas are contained within the Southern IFCA “Prohibition on gathering (sea fisheries resources) in seagrass beds byelaw”. Seagrass beds are an important habitat supporting a wide range of species such as overwinter, vulnerable and rare birds.

SIFCA Management II SIFCA to introduce a new byelaw: Prohibition on gathering (sea fisheries resources) in seagrass beds Protection of red risk habitat in EMS – Inclusion of seagrass in SPAs as high priority amber

Bait Dragging Management

Bait Dragging Less well known fishery – Lack of data on impacts and effort Commercial fishing – Currently not required to have licenced and registered fishing vessel Unique to Poole Harbour – Overlap with conservation features of EMS – Amber activity for conservation features including intertidal mud and estuarine birds

Bait Dragging Project “Impacts of bait dragging on Poole Harbour and other estuaries in the Southern IFCA District Funded by MMO Fisheries Challenge Fund Effort survey and assessment of activity impacts September 2012 to June 2013 Effort Survey iVMS fitted on vessel Recording number of drags per hour Weight of catch measured Sightings across District Sampling Covering seasonal cycle Five sites in Harbour Sediment grabs: Granulometry Organic matter Heavy metals

Impacts I - Metals Metals are one of the most common environmental pollutants – Particularly in estuaries Preliminary results: – Concentration related to harbour area rather than activity – Connected to grain size, smaller size = higher sorptive capacity – Highest concentrations of Zinc, Manganese and Chromium Effort levels may not be high enough to remobilise metals more than other activities No areas of Poole Harbour can be classed as fully undisturbed

Impacts II – Sediment Type Fishing activity has been shown to alter sediment layering and % of grain size Preliminary results: – Change in proportion of gravel to clay relates to area of harbour rather than activity level – Similar pattern for organic matter – No difference in sorting coefficient Limited area covered by drag – sediment changes within and adjacent to depressions Coarse Gravel Sand Silt Clay Very Course MedFine Very Fine Very Fine Coarse Med Fine Site 3c Site 2c Site 1 Site 3d Site 2d

Effort Data Data converted to number of Kcal of bait taken per drag – Preliminary results = no significant difference between months or tide state – Results can be related to prey availability for estuarine birds Data taken each month for number of drags (up to four vessels) −Neap and spring Preliminary results showed no significant difference in number of drags per hour between months or tide state

iVMS iVMS technology fitted to vessel – Monitored positions on 10 minute and 1 minute intervals in Poole Harbour First time used on small, inshore vessels – Succorfish SC2 unit Mapped data for Sept 12 to Jun 13 Data used to indicate fishing positions Overlaid with bird sensitive areas to asses overlap of activity – Used for EMS management

©British Crown Copyright, All rights reserved. Not to be used for navigation. iVMS Data – October 2012 Recording at 10 minute intervals Key S eagrass Beds Bird Sensitive Areas

iVMS Data – June 2013 Recording at 1 minute intervals ©British Crown Copyright, All rights reserved. Not to be used for navigation. Key S eagrass Beds Bird Sensitive Areas

SIFCA Management SIFCA to introduce a new byelaw: Bottom Towed Fishing Gear Byelaw Protection of red risk habitats in EMS – Inclusion of seagrass in SPAs as high priority amber Includes bait dragging – No overlap between features protected and activity Byelaw made by Authority Committee on 19 th September 2013 – 28 day consultation period

Moving Forward Management of bait collection over amber features by 2016 – Subject to appropriate assessment of proposed effects Formalised effort survey of bait digging activity across the District Implementation of MoA for Poole Harbour for season – Option for revision in spring 2014 Results of bait dragging survey to feed in to management of activity within Poole Harbour EMS