Clyde fishing ban: 'No scientific evidence of creel fishing impact on cod spawning', says professor as fishermen's struggles continue

A Scottish university professor says science around the effect of creel fishing on cod spawning is ‘completely lacking’ as trawlermen continue to be impacted by a ban.

These observations come after a targeted cod ban – prohibiting all fishing activity where cod can spawn in the Firth of Clyde – came into place on February 14.

Creel fishermen in the area told the Scotsman they have been ‘devastated’ by the ban which has left them with no source of income for three months.

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Paul McAllister, a creel boat skipper based at Campbeltown Harbour in Kintyre, said he continues to feel “purposefully ignored” by the Scottish Government and “weighed down” after he closed his business due to the ban.

Paul McAllister and his one-year-old son Felix on board his 10m creel boat Serpico (Photo: Paul McAllister).Paul McAllister and his one-year-old son Felix on board his 10m creel boat Serpico (Photo: Paul McAllister).
Paul McAllister and his one-year-old son Felix on board his 10m creel boat Serpico (Photo: Paul McAllister).

The Scottish Government claims the ban intends to protect spawning cod and the marine ecosystem following over-fishing.

Yet, Professor Michael Heath from the University of Strathclyde told the Rural Affairs committee at parliament on Wednesday there is “no evidence” creel fishing impacts cod spawning.

Professor Heath, who currently specialises in the mathematical and statistical modelling of fish populations and fisheries, said: "I don’t see any evidence that creels, for example, disturb the spawning activity of cod.

"That seems to be something for which there is no evidence at all.”

The professor did say all factors affecting cod spawning are “difficult to tell”, however, numbers of cod in the Clyde continue to decline despite the ban being introduced.

Heath estimates there are currently 100,00 mature spawning cod in the Clyde.

The original rationale for the cod box closure in 2001 was to reduce fishing mortality in cod, according to Marine Scotland.

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Yet, the professor said the Scottish Government and Marine Scotland have “shifted the goal posts” with new measures to focus on the disturbance of cod, despite there being “no scientific evidence” to do so.

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The committee considered the actions needed to recover cod stocks in Scotland.

During the meeting, bodies such as the Clyde Fishermen’s Association(CFA) and Open Seas told MSPs the problems of “poor transparency and evidence base” for fisheries decision- making by the Government.

Elaine Whyte, the CFA’s executive Secretary, said she wants clarity from the Scottish Government that family boats and their crews will be supported through the ban.

She said: “This has to be carefully addressed.”

A stocktake meeting will be held with stakeholders after the closure period to "reflect upon its effectiveness and impacts”, according to the government.

However, fishermen such as Mr McAllister has said this is “too late” and “damage will already be done.”

Mr McAllister said: “I’ve got another 11 weeks of this, according to the ban.

"Fair to say I’ll be in a much worse position by then.

“I’d need to start selling the boat, moving into another industry but I’ve got a lot of money invested in the boat which is a big personal investment.”

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The executive secretary said she was was ‘disappointed’ to see only one scientist attend the committee and only one fisherman invited.

Ms Whyte hopes the government will work with fishermen and scientists to create a neutral framework for coastal science which “allows important baseline science to be developed and inform decisions”.

She said: “We cannot base decisions on "could" or "might", neither should we base decisions on emotive campaigns. We should know and understand facts.”

Beyond the fishing ban, measures to protect cod would be to look at the by-catch of the nephrops trawl fishery and to focus on a more eco-system approach with how fisheries are managed, Heath suggested.

"How we do that without detrimental effects on the very important nephrops trawling industry is another matter,” the professor said, “We have to be really creative on how that should be done.”

Heath estimates over two thirds of cod in the Clyde (two million out of three and a half million) are caught by the nephrops trawl industry via by-catch, based on observer sampling data from Marine Scotland and the Scottish Fishermen's Federation.

Phil Taylor, Head of Policy at Open Seas said: "If we are serious about recovering cod and other fisheries, the Scottish Government needs to urgently address the problem of by-catch and discarding as well as coming up with a spatial plan for what fisheries take place where.

"Government has been addressing fisheries management in a piecemeal way and this has eroded trust and confidence in its decisions.

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"We need to be recovering lost fish stocks and managing fisheries as part of the ecosystem - not working against it.

"The coming Government's Future Catching Policy provides an opportunity for this and to engage communities and environment within their decision making.

The Scottish Government has said more focused and targeted closures have been introduced in the Firth of Clyde recently following discussions with stakeholders and “based on scientific evidence.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The revised closure areas are a pragmatic and evidence-based solution to ensure that primarily, we are still seeking to protect the spawning cod whilst also mitigating potential socio-economic impacts on our vulnerable coastal communities.

“Procedures have been put in place to facilitate the controlled recovery of fishing gear from within the closed areas by a limited number of fishers who have been impacted by the prolonged period of adverse weather.

“Whilst we fully understand that removal of the exemptions may come with short term costs, this seasonal closure covers a short period of 11 weeks, during which vessels may fish in alternative locations, which the vast majority regularly do.”

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