Приложение 3. Joint russian-norwegian Working Group on Technical Regulations final Report

Joint russian-norwegian Working Group on Technical Regulations final Report

1. Introductory part

1.1. At the 37(th) session of the Joint Norwegian-Russian Fishery Commission, a separate Working Group on Technical Regulations was established (see point 5.2.1 in the Protocol from The Commission). The Working Group has had 4 meetings (3 in Murmansk and 1 in Bergen), and the following can be considered the Final Report from the Working Group.

1.2. The main goal of the Group has been to develop proposals on the establishment of optimal unified technical regulation measures for fishery of cod and haddock in the Barents and Norwegian Seas for JNRFC. The WG mandate envisages both optimization and harmonization of technical regulation measures.

1.3. During its work in 2008/2009 the Working Group has focused its work on harmonization of technical regulation measures. The Working Group has had the following meetings.

1.4. First meeting (Murmansk, 16-18 December 2008):

1. Review of existing technical regulations of the fishery for Northeast Arctic cod and haddock.

2. Review of biological substantiation for technical regulations of the fishery for Northeast Arctic cod and haddock.

3. Catch statistics and stock size by periods of applying different technical regulations.

4. Preliminary discussion of methods to analyze biological and economic consequences of changes in technical regulations.

5. Review of international experience of taking technical measures to regulate the cod and haddock fisheries.

6. Effect of technical regulations on the fisheries economics.

1.5. Science Sub-Groun (Bergen, 3-5 March 2009):

1. Review the results from national and joint investigations of biology, geographical distribution of stock and fishery for cod and haddock, including assessment survey data, satellite monitoring results and scientific observers' data, logbooks and sales slip data.

2. Analysed the available materials on trawl selectivity in cod and haddock fishery.

3. Review trawl fishery statistics (catch by season and area, length composition of catches).

4. Review the results of investigations into the survival offish escaping the trawl.

5. Review the specific features of longline and gill net fishery, including fish survival.

6. Discussed the opening/closure of fishing areas due to large by-catches of undersized fish in trawl fishery for cod, haddock and shrimp.

7. Discussed the identification of geographical areas of the Barents Sea to be used as the main areas in simulations. It was preliminarily agreed that, on the basis of fish biology and fisheries distribution, four main geographical areas can be identified.

8. Considered different simulation alternatives.

1.6. Second meeting (Murmansk, 12-14 May 2009):

1. Review of preliminary data provided by the WG scientific subgroup of experts (Bergen, 3-4 March 2009).

2. Identification of geographical areas in the Barents Sea which can be regarded as main areas in simulations.

3. Current state of simulation activity.

4. Discussion, from practical considerations, of possible ways to adjust areas used in the simulation to the most important catch areas.

5. Discussion of the effects of changing minimum landing size for cod and haddock.

6. Identification or work to be done before next meeting.

1.7. Third meeting (Bergen, 26-28 August 2009):

1. Review of work done since the last meeting of the Working Group (Murmansk, 12-14 May 2009).

2. Suggestions related to harmonizing technical regulations in the fishery on cod and haddock.

3. Identification of work to be done to analyze the consequences of harmonizing minimum catch size and other technical regulations.

2. Preliminary Conclusions

The Parties noted the following.

2.1. Technical regulations like selection devices and minimum catch size determine, in combination with the overall fishing mortality, the long term yield from the stock of cod and haddock. Specification of technical regulations should thus be included in the current Harvest Control Rules (HCR) for the two fish stocks.

2.2. The single most important element to obtain high long-term yield in the fishery on Northeast Arctic Cod is by controlling aggregate fishing mortality - or F. An average fishing mortality around 0.4 provides high long-term yield from the fish stock. Target F in the existing HCR for North East Arctic Cod is 0.4.

2.3. The long-term yield is less sensitive to different selection pattern when average fishing mortality is around 0.4 than when the fishing mortality is higher than this. This implies that, to the extent the real selectivity of the fishing gear is unknown or differs in time and space, an implemented fishing mortality of around 0.4 acts as a safeguard for obtaining high long term yield.

2.4. The sorting grid, with minimum bar distance of 55 mm, is a regulatory measure that provides higher long-term catch than mesh sizes alone, irrespective if they are 125 mm or 135 mm. This shows the relevance and importance of mandatory use of sorting grid in the fishery.

2.5. When combined with sorting grid, the simulated consequences in terms of long term yield for cod by applying 125 or 135 mm mesh size do not differ much since they do not change overall selectivity much. But the direction is clear: A small shift towards larger fish will increase the yield.

2.6. Under the condition that the total annual catch is guided by the existing Harvest Control Rules for the stocks of cod and haddock and the agreement to apply sorting grid in the fishery (as described in Appendix 7 in the Protocol from The Commission) is prolonged, the Parties agreed that the mesh size in me trawl bag could be harmonized to 130 mm as from 1 January 2011.

2.7. The Norwegian party noted that the use of sorting grid can be subject to exemptions. The Norwegian party further underlined that, in such situations, introduction of a harmonized diamond mesh size of 130 mm could only be accepted under the condition that the gear specialists from the two countries agree upon relevant criteria to ensure intended fish size selection. Norway suggested that gear specialist should work according to the following:

In order to ensure a proper exploitation pattern there is a need to identify and evaluate the design features upon fish size selection.

To identify and evaluate such design features gear specialist from Norway and Russia should meet during the first quarter of 2010. The group shall, based on this, recommend design criteria to obtain intended fish size selection for cod and haddock The group shall deliver its recommendation to the Chairmen of the Permanent Committee no later than 1 September 2010.

The Parties shall exchange names of experts in such working group at the 38(th) Sessions of the Commission. A working plan which identifies meeting place and dates shall be presented by the end of November 2009.

2.8. The Russian Party, based on opinion of scientists, underlined that such fishery regulation measures as TAC, minimum landing size, closing areas, using sorting grids and minimum mesh size 130 mm allow to protect stock to obtain high long-term yield. According to these the Russian Party thinks there's no need to connect minimum mesh size with trawl rigging.

2.9. The Parties have discussed the possibilities of harmonizing minimum size on cod and haddock. The Russian delegation suggests that the minimum size applicable in Russian waters (42 cm for cod and 39 cm for haddock) shall be introduced as minimum catch size in the entire area of distribution for cod and haddock. The Norwegian delegation stressed that it is a common objective to achieve high long-term yield from the joint stocks of cod and haddock and that changes in the minimum size, which is the most important criteria for the closing of areas, should only be done if this had a non-negative effect on the long-term yield from the stocks.

2.10. The Parties agreed on the need to work further to be able to harmonize and optimize the regulations of minimum catch size in the fishery on cod and haddock. The use of rriinimum catch size influences exploitation pattern and this work should be seen in conjunction with the project "Optimal harvesting of commercial species in the Barents Sea ecosystem" (See Appendix 10, point 6 in the Protocol of the 37th sessions of the Joint Norwegian-Russian Commission).

2.11. Norway suggested the following additions to the above mentioned project:

1. To develop recommendations regarding the optimum exploitation pattern of cod and haddock and how to achieve this by using technical measures as selectivity of fishing gear and the use of closed areas with the appropriate choice of minimum catch size used in a closing criteria.

2. If the optimum size of exploitation for cod and haddock are very different, additional technical measures should he considered. One example can be the use of temporarily opening of areas for the use of fishing gear with different selective properties.

3. To comment on the validity of the simulations if there has been considerable discarding, sampling bias or other data quality issues historically, thus influencing the historic perception of the stock,

4. Expand the evaluation criteria to include the use of economic indicators.

5. Since future management may represent an extrapolation of historic exploitation and management, the project should comment on the need for future evaluations and when such should take place (5 years, 10 years?).

2.12. To attain broader attention in the scientific community the working group on technical regulations would like to suggest a theme for the Joint Russian-Norwegian symposium:

"Management Strategy Evaluations" with contributions focusing on, but not limited to:

Simulation techniques, evaluation criteria including the handling of multiple evaluation criteria, multispecies effects, mixed fisheries issues, ecosystem effects of fishing, limitations in available empirical information versus model complexity, the challenge of communicating results including uncertainty to managers and stakeholders.

3. Conclusions regarding work in 2010

With reference to the long-term goal to establish optimal joint technical regulations in the entire area of distribution for cod and haddock (as noted in point 5.2.1 in the Protocol from the Commission), the Parties agreed to recommend a prolongation of work in the following direction: a) by gear specialists and b) scientists. The work should cover the following:

- Analyze design criteria that can be used to ensure intended fish size selection.

- Further work to harmonize minimum catch size, and optimization of technical regulations.

The following scientific reports are given in Appendix 3:

1. Russian-Norwegian group on technical regulations in the Barents Sea. Norwegian report of the scientific sub-group. September 2009.

2. Russian-Norwegian group on technical regulations in the Barents Sea. Russian report of the scientific sub-group. September 2009.

Murmansk, 19 September 2009.

Valentin Balashov

Lisbeth Plassa

Appendix 1

List of participants

The fourth meeting of the russian-norwegian working group on technical regulations for joint fish stocks in tHE Barents and Norwegian seas
18-19 September 2009, Murmansk

From Russia:
Valentin Balashov	-	Director, Barents and White Sea Territorial Department of the Federal Agency for Fisheries, Murmansk
Vitaly Kocharygin	-	Deputy Director, Barents and White Sea Territorial Department of the Federal Agency for Fisheries, Murmansk
Aleksander Zelentsov	-	Representative of the Federal Agency for Fisheries in Norway
Evgeny Shamray	-	Head of Laboratory, PINRO, Murmansk
Svetlana Kornilova	-	Interpreter, PINRO, Murmansk
From Norway:
Lisbeth Plassa	-	Director of Department, Directorate of Fisheries, Bergen
Per Sandberg	-	Director of Department, Directorate of Fisheries, Bergen
Robert Misund	-	Senior adviser, Directorate of Fisheries, Bergen
Arili Engaas	-	Head of Research Group "Fish capture", Institute of Marine Research, Bergen
Knut Korsbrekke	-	Scientist, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen
Morten Sand Andersen	-	Interpreter, Oslo

Appendix 2

Agenda

The fourth meeting of the russian-norwegian working group on technical regulations for joint fish stocks in the Barents and
Norwegian seas
18-19 September 2009, Murmansk

1. Preparation of final report from the Working Group.

2. Any other business.