Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru Natural Resources Wales LFGs - April/May 2017 - CATCH CONTROLS TO HELP ADDRESS THE DECLINE IN SALMON AND SOME SEA TROUT STOCKS
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Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru
Natural Resources Wales
LFGs – April/May 2017
CATCH CONTROLS TO HELP ADDRESS THE DECLINE
IN SALMON AND SOME SEA TROUT STOCKS
LFG is requested to: 1. Consider the updated information provided on adult and juvenile stocks 2. Note the current draft options for catch controls 3. Note the proposed timescales for public consultation 4. Discuss what additional voluntary measures have been brought in for 2017
Sustainable Inland Fisheries in
Wales
A shared vision:
• Fisheries of Wales are iconic and highly valued
• Fish are valued as an important natural resource for Wales
and are to be managed within sustainable limits
• The status of Welsh fisheries is an indicator of the health and
resilience of the natural resources of Wales
• Fisheries contribute to viable, vibrant communities in Wales
Sustainable Inland Fisheries in
Wales
Our Position
Wales’s new natural resources legislative framework aims to
build resilient ecosystems so that they can provide additional
benefits to people’s well-being.
SoNaRR
“Natural resources are continuously declining or are being used
faster than can be replenished”
• The health and resilience of our fish stocks is being
compromised - this includes targets not being met, or ‘limits’ in
danger of being breached;
Sustainable Inland Fisheries in
Wales
Our Position (continued)
The benefits from ecosystems services are not being
optimised;
• Only where stocks of salmon and sea trout are sustainable,
may exploitation take place
• We would broadly seek to achieve a measure of equity
between rod and net components of the fisheries
• Healthy and resilient salmon and sea trout stocks are for the
wider benefit of the public as well as fishermen and fisheries
interests
Presentation Title
International Advice
NASCO
• Marked reduction in the
abundance of salmon in
recent years, prior to
any fisheries,
particularly for multi-
sea-winter fish in the
southern regions of the
species’ range.
Presentation Title
International Advice NASCO
This decline in
abundance is linked
to increasing
mortality at sea
Source – ICES
WGNAS 2016 -smolt
mortality rates for
southern European
stocks)
International Advice
NASCO
• “Management measures should be aimed
at maintaining all stocks above their
conservation limits by the use of
management targets”.
– “Socio-economic factors could be taken into account in
applying the precautionary approach to fisheries
management issues”.
– “The precautionary approach is an integrated approach that
requires, inter alia, that stock re-building programmes
(including as appropriate, habitat improvements and fishery
management actions) be developed for stocks that are
below conservation limits”.
Salmon stock assessment
• 23 principal salmon rivers (3 x border)
– All but 2 stocks (Severn and Usk) currently assessed as ‘At Risk’ or
‘Probably at Risk’ of failing to achieve the MT
– Salmon are a feature of 6 N2K SAC sites: 4 are classified as
‘unfavourable’ and 2 favourable (though not assessed)
– Salmon stocks considered to be “at lowest level ever” (NASCO & AST)
– No general marked improvement evident in 2016. Rod catches indicate
reasonable runs of early salmon in some rivers, tempered again by an
almost absence of grilse from mid August onwards.
– Dee trap catch in 2016 will turn out to be the lowest to date in 25 years
Voluntary measures
• We‘ve highlighting concerns on
stock levels for a number years
• Appeal for meaningful voluntary
measures
– Feedback – ‘taken as far as
we can – expect NRW to
lead and make a level
playing field in catchments’
– Some great examples – eg
Ogmore club rule all
salmon to be released
• Need to find an equitable
approach, to allocate sea trout
between nets and the rod
fisheriesThe evidence New 2016 - stock assessments
New 2016 salmon stock
assessmentSalmon 2021 stock forecast
Salmon stocks
South West Area
2014 2015 2016
Ogmore At Risk At Risk At Risk
Tawe At Risk At Risk At Risk
Tywi At Risk At Risk Probably at Risk
Taf Probably at Risk Probably at Risk Probably at Risk
E&W Cleddau At Risk At Risk At Risk
Nevern Probably at Risk Probably at Risk Probably at Risk
Teifi Probably at Risk Probably at Risk Probably at RiskSea trout stock assessment
• 33 main sea trout rivers
– 11 (32%) of stocks assessed as ‘At Risk’ or ‘Probably at
Risk’
– Stocks in SW Wales giving most cause for concern
– We propose to use a principle based on the “decision
structure”
– 2016 provisional catches and observations indicate no
substantial improvements
– 2016 Dee trap sea trout catches remain around the long
term averagePseudo SR -method • Developed a new methodology – Stock recruitment curve – Conservation Limit – Management Target – Spawning Deficit
Pseudo SR -method
• Future Lifetime Eggs FLE modelling . (Celtic
sea trout)
– Commissioned work to assess the ‘full lifetime
egg’ production of fish,
– determine the contribution to spawning stocks of
sea trout of different ages and sizes
• The results of this work have, for the first
time allowed us to determine the status and
spawning shortfalls in sea trout stocks.New 2016 - sea trout stock assessment – Pseudo method
New 2016 - sea trout spawning
deficit
River Status Spawner
Deficit
Tywi PAR 2,762
Teifi PNAR 1,582
Taf AR 917
Cleddau AR 1,152
Nevern PNAR +94
Dyfi PNAR +1,244
Dysynni PNAR +354
Mawddach PNAR +1,220
Glaslyn PAR 974
Conwy NAR +611Juvenile abundance We have seen:- • markedly reduced numbers of at least 2 cohorts of juvenile fish We anticipate:- • Noticeably reduced numbers of returning adult salmon in 2018 - 2021, especially in 2019 and 2020 • Reduced abundance of some trout stocks But – fish stocks have in-built resilience
Juvenile salmon stocks Fry Parr
Juvenile trout stocks Fry Parr
Juvenile stocks
• Strategic investigatory response to large
decline and/or absence of salmon and trout
fry across Wales.
– confirm stock levels (repeat 2016 survey)
– Track cohort progress – has poor fry lead
to poor parr this year
• PhD - Diagnosing and mitigating the adverse
effects of extreme winter climate on salmonid
spawningDraft measures • Building on the feed back • We would like to consult on the following measures – to help protect stocks and build resilience in to our fisheries
Salmon measures
Objectives & Reasoning Rods Affected? Nets Affected?
Byelaw Release of all salmon All Rivers in Wales with All Net fisheries: Tywi, Taf,
Catch and Release of the exception of the Cleddau, Nevern, Teifi,
salmon (no kill) Salmon stock levels in Wales are considerably below the level that we consider Severn,Usk, Taff and Dyfi, Mawddach, Dysynni,
to be either sustainable or desirable. Wye Conwy, Lledr trap,
Continuing to kill fish whilst stocks are depleted presents an unacceptable risk.
Byelaw Reduce risk of salmon net mortality, without compromising sea trout net Net fisheries: Cleddau,
Close all net seasons 31st fisheries. Teifi, Dyfi, Mawddach,
July (removing August) Some mortality/reduced fitness of salmon released from nets. Few sea trout are Dysynni, Conwy, Lledr
caught in August. 2016; 29 salmon, 20 sea trout in welsh nets during August trap,
Byelaw Reduce risk of salmon mortality caught on bait. All Rivers in Wales
No Bait Fishing for salmon High mortality of salmon caught on bait >50%
Byelaw Reduce risk of salmon mortality. All Rivers
Barbless or de- barbed Using barbless or de-barbed hooks, markedly reduces handling time during
hooks only unhooking and potential exposure to air during release phase. Promotes C&R
good practice.
Byelaw Reduce risk of salmon mortality following C&R. All Rivers
Restricting the use of (50% mortality of fish caught on flying C type lures)
treble hooks (or consider
size restriction)Sea trout measures
Objectives & reasoning Fishery affected
Byelaw Sea trout stock levels in some Welsh are considerably below Tywi, Taf, Nevern, Teifi, Dyfi
sustainable or desirable limits.
Delay the start of the
net season on net Continuing to kill fish whilst stocks are depleted presents an
fisheries exempt from unacceptable risk.
Spring salmon
Early run large fish amongst most valuable in terms of FLE,
byelaws until 1st May.
conserving early run genetic component of run,
Tywi = 1.58 Million egg gain (242 fish per annum) on 4.11 million
deficit
Teifi = 0.35 Million egg gain (74 fish per annum) on 0.86 million
deficit
Byelaw Commensurate reduction in rod harvest (compared with net fishery) Tywi, Taf, Cleddau, Nevern, Teifi,
Dyfi,
Catch and Release of
sea trout Before 1st Plus At risk rivers: Rhymney, Taf,
May Eastern Cleddau,
‘Probably at Risk’ rivers: Usk,
Tawe, Loughor, Gwendraeth,
Eastern Cleddau, Aeron, Ystwyth,
DysynniSea trout measures
Objectives & reasoning Fishery affected
Byelaw Commensurate reduction in rod harvest (compared with net fishery) All Rivers
(slot length) Fish saved by reducing net exploitation will be vulnerable to rod
60cm maximum size exploitation throughout the season. Introducing a maximum size will
1. Protect fish ‘saved’ from net fishery
2. assist in balancing exploitation controls between the fisheries
Impact
Teifi save 13 fish annually 0.08 million eggs
Tywi save 61 fish annually 0.38 million eggs
Byelaw Reduce risk of sea trout mortality caught on bait. Tywi, Taf, Cleddau,
No Bait Fishing for High mortality of salmon caught on bait >50% Nevern, Teifi, Dyfi,
sea trout before 1st
Plus At risk rivers:
May
Rhymney, Taf, Eastern
Cleddau,
‘Probably at Risk’ rivers:
Usk, Tawe, Loughor,
Gwendraeth, Eastern
Cleddau, Aeron, Ystwyth,
DysynniSea trout measures
Objectives & reasoning Fishery affected
Byelaw Reduce risk of salmon bycatch and associated post C&R mortality All Rivers
Single hook -
restricting
maximum hook size
size 8 , 7mm gape
size worming for
sea trout after 1st
May
Byelaw Reduce risk of salmon mortality. All Rivers
Barbless or de- Using barbless or de-barbed hooks, markedly reduces handling time during
barbed hook unhooking and potential exposure to air during release phase only
Byelaw Reduce risk of sea trout mortality following C&R. All Rivers
Restricting the use (50% mortality of fish caught on flying C type lures)
of treble hooksTime table • Consultation in June (post election) • 12 weeks
Voluntary measures for 2017
• All salmon to be released
• Good practice
– Continue fishing without bait for salmon
after 16th June
– Use de-barb/barbless hooks
– Don’t use trebles
– Keep the fish in the water
• Release all sea trout over 60cm~
24inches ~ 6lbNew C&R videos • The Gift - Part 1 Tackle - Atlantic Salmon Trust, FishPal and Angling Trust https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCwGyJp5Afw • The Gift - Part 2 Planning the River - Atlantic Salmon Trust, FishPal and Angling Trust https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Aqlsx574c • The Gift – Part 3 Catch and Release - Atlantic Salmon Trust, FishPal and Angling Trust https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7uoXk_hFOk
END
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