Northumberland IFCA has a dedicated team which conducts research into fisheries, and their interactions with the marine environment, to provide evidence to the Authority to make management decisions. Evidence is collected by a variety of means including desk-based studies, surveys, fishing catch data analysis, and partnership work. See our Annual Research Plan and Environmental Risk Register for more information. Below are further details and links to work completed by officers.
Crustacea
The primary fishery in the Northumberland district is potting for lobster (Homarus gammarus) and brown crab (Cancer pagurus), which occurs throughout the year. NIFCA continuously collects data on the landings and levels of fishing activity through a monthly catch return system. This provides NIFCA with an accurate understanding of the catch quantity and composition of the potting fishery found in the NIFCA district, which helps to highlight and assist with the monitoring of trends in both activity and landings. Additionally, NIFCA is closely involved with the local fishing industry through offshore monitoring surveys. These surveys can include officers being on board the fishing vessel throughout the day measuring and recording catches of crab and lobster. NIFCA also meet fishers at sea and carry out surveys on a ‘fleet’ of pots they have just fished where we will measure and record all crab and lobster in one fleet., The data collected during these surveys contributes to ongoing stock assessment work to ensure a viable fishery within the NIFCA district. As part of stock monitoring, officers will also measure lobsters and crabs landed on the quayside at wholesalers and merchants. The combination of biometric data collected both off and onshore, as well as the monitoring through monthly shellfish activity returns submitted by permitted vessels within the NIFCA district, informs the management of the fishery.
Mollusc
Periwinkle (Littorina Littorea) Surveys
Periwinkle gathering occurs both recreationally and commercially in the rocky intertidal areas of the NIFCA district. NIFCA monitor intertidal collection activity through routine shore patrols where all activity seen is recorded. From this information, areas of higher periwinkle collection intensity have been identified. These areas of higher collection are surveyed to understand impacts of collection pressure on the abundance and size of periwinkle, periwinkle size at maturity and impacts to the rocky shore communities.
Mussel (Mytilus Edulis) Surveys
NIFCA conduct surveys annually on intertidal mussel beds at Blyth Estuary, Fenham Flats and Holy Island to monitor the health of the mussel bed. Surveys involve walking around the perimeter of the mussel bed with a GPS to estimate the size of the bed. Transect surveys are carried out to caluculate the percentage cover of mussels with samples taken to estimate biomass, density and length frequency of the bed. The surveys have been carried out over a number of years and so trends in the mussel beds can be compared over time.
Angling and Bait Collection
Lugworm
Lugworms are collected for use as bait by anglers on sandy or muddy intertidal areas throughout the NIFCA district. NIFCA must carry out assessments of this activity in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to determine whether there are any impacts of this activity which would make it incompatible with the conservation objectives of the MPA. To inform these assessments, NIFCA carry out lugworm abundance surveys at three areas where bait digging activity is concentrated. These surveys aim to provide a long-term record of lugworm distribution and abundance and will help increase information on the effect of collection pressure on lugworm populations.
Finfish
Biannual fish surveys are conducted to understand the fish communities of the Aln Estuary. This estuary provides important spawning and nursing grounds for many fish. Using seine and fyke nets all fish caught are identified and measured to better understand the importance of this estuary for juvenile fish.
Habitat Surveys
Habitat maps can be useful for fisheries management, particularly marine protected areas where we are required to assess how fishing activity may impact protected features. Fishing vessel activity can be combined with environmental data to assess if an area might need prioritising for management of marine protected areas.
During sea patrols with the NIFCA patrol vessel St Aidan, multibeam data is collected which provides information on the depth and hardness of the seabed. This data is displayed through OLEX software to build a picture of seabed substrate type from which you can estimate habitat and topography. While this information gives a good indication of habitat type, groundtruthing surveys are required to confirm the habitats present.
External Research
NIFCA works together with partner organisations who share similar aims. Partner expertise provides an opportunity to access and collect scientific data important for balanced decision making. The Authority has worked with Newcastle University on several studies and surveys including investigating the health of different habitats in relation to fishing pressure, and assessing the impact of potting pressure on rocky reef habitat.. NIFCA also works in partnership with Natural England to develop research questions, secure project funding, and support researchers in carrying out their projects. We also work with The North East Cetacean Project volunteers who join patrols to record cetacean sightings in the north east.
Recent examples of research projects NIFCA has successfully undertaken through partnership include:
- The impacts of dredging on scallop habitats in the NIFCA district.
- Knowledge of informal rules governing fishers’ behaviour to inform policy making suited to local conditions and supported by resource users.
- Social networks and fishers’ behaviour: exploring the links between information flow and fishing success in the Northumberland lobster fishery.
- Mapping inshore fisheries and comparing observed and perceived distributions of pot fishing activity in Northumberland.
- Experimental potting impacts on common UK reef habitats in areas of high and low fishing pressure.
- Movement, activity patterns and home-ranges of European lobster.
- Exploring a Science – Fishing Industry Partnership for Assessing Marine Biodiversity
- Crab and lobster stock assessment with industry support from local fishery and wholesalers.
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