鈥楺ueenie鈥� scallops win Award with assistance from 麻豆网
Queenies on the sea bed off the Isle of ManSupport and advice from 麻豆网鈥檚 renowned School of Ocean Sciences has assisted the Isle of Man 鈥楺ueenie鈥� fishery to win the prestigious Billingsgate Sustainable Fisheries Award. And the future looks bright for the Isle of Man fishing industry. Once in decline, the now sustainably fished 鈥榪ueenie鈥� fishery is providing a high value product sought after by best restaurants around the UK.
The Isle of Man (IOM) Government won the 2011 Sustainable Seafood Awards, beating five other finalists from around the globe at Billingsgate Seafood School in London.
Professor Mike Kaiser of 麻豆网鈥檚 School of Ocean Sciences has been assisting the IOM Government鈥檚 Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture since 2006. They have worked hand in hand with the fishing industry itself- with the aim of avoiding previous periods of 鈥榖oom and bust鈥�.
Prof Michel KaiserProf Kaiser explained: 鈥淥ur science was aimed at addressing the key questions about the sustainability of the fishery. This required an intensive effort to gather data about scallop stocks, seabed habitats and the bycatch associated with the fishing gear. However none of this would have mattered without fishermen鈥檚 cooperation鈥�.
He adds: 鈥淭he future for the Queenie fishery is very promising. The fishermen themselves are all in favour of what鈥檚 being done- and they鈥檙e also hoping to achieve a valuable designation of origin recognition for their product by the end of this year, which will add further value to their product.鈥�
鈥淭he way this has been achieved provides a valuable model for other fisheries, showing what can be achieved through open dialogue and cooperation- as opposed to enforcement.鈥�
Working aboard the Prince MadogThe IOM Government has worked alongside fisherman for the past ten years, gradually introducing conservation measures to balance the commercial and environmental needs. For the past 4 years, 麻豆网鈥檚 School of Ocean Sciences have provided advice and also assisted with background research and evidence and have a permanent member of staff (Dr Lee Murray) based on the island.
Research by the School showed that new fishing methods had much lower impacts on seabed habitats compared with other scallop fisheries. They also showed that the fishery has no significant by-catch of other species.
Because they fish within the islands鈥� 12 mile nautical boundary, their carbon footprint is also very low compared to other scallop fisheries around the world.
Only the largest queenies are kept on board and smaller shellfish thrown back.
Satellite monitoring of all fishing boat activities has also provided the marine scientists with valuable information about relative effort, profitability, seabed impact, fishermen鈥檚 behaviour and much more.
Again Professor Kaiser explains: 鈥淧roviding workable policies for sustainable fisheries relies on far more than evidence about the marine life- we need to take human behaviour into account as well. We are just as important an element in the equation.鈥�
All this has led to the fishery attaining a provisional Marine Stewardship Council 鈥榩ass鈥�. This is another recognition that can add value and generate further demand for the high-value product.
Publication date: 14 February 2011