Abstract
Approximately 70 % of the Scottish fishing fleet target shellfish using
baited creels. Bait is an essential component of catch success, but the
economic and environmental implications of bait use are unknown. In this
preliminary study, a short survey was circulated to members of the
Scottish inshore creeling fleet and analysed alongside spatial data from
8 creel fishing vessels. Bait biomass, input into coastal waters
through creeling activity, was calculated along with bait types,
motivations surrounding the discarding of used bait and the annual
estimated spatial concentration. Findings indicate that preferred bait
types differ with geographic location and cost the creeling sector
approximately £9.8 million annually at the time of the survey, equating
to 16.3 % of the nominal 2018 shellfish landing value. Data from this
research suggests that approximately 13,492 metric tonnes of bait
biomass enters coastal Scottish waters through creeling activities
annually. Vessel tracks showed fishers returning to certain fishing
grounds repeatedly, indicating that bait biomass input is highly
localised. Hotspots of fishing activity were calculated to receive up to
75 kg ha−1 and 47 kg ha−1 of bait biomass per fisher annually when fishing Nephrops
and crab/ lobster, respectively. Bait discarding occurs most frequently
at the fishing grounds with convenience being the main motivation. This
study provides a baseline for future studies and prompts the
consideration of bait use in the management of creel fisheries.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 105974 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Fisheries Research |
Volume | 240 |
Early online date | 19 Apr 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Aug 2021 |
Keywords
- Coastal fisheries
- Bait biomass
- Creel fishing
- Fisher knowledge
- Fisheries management