Sand banks and fisheries impact in relation to EU fisheries and environmental policy (39519)

Objective of the project: The project will improve the knowledge base for ongoing and upcoming Natura 2000 and MSFD implementations in the North Sea. For nature-type 'sand banks', in particular Danish sandeel and plaice fishing will be affected.

Activities in the project: The key activities of the project are targeted method developments and knowledge production in relation to EU fisheries and environmental policy:
1) Development of a gear and sediment-specific model for bottom impact from all types of mobile bottom-contacting fishing gears in the North Sea.
2) Field trials to document short-term impact on sandbank fauna from demersal seine fishery.
3) Analyses of data from the seine gear field trials and of existing data for the impact of sandbanks from trawlers, including impact differences between bottom and floating trawl doors.
4) Estimation of sediment impact from natural disturbance on sand banks (e.g. tide and wave impact) as well as scaling of these in relation to physical effects of different types of gear.
5) Integrated analysis of the impact of different fisheries and other pressure factors on sand banks.
6) Dissemination.

Project Expected Effects: The project's results and method developments can be used directly in the management to separate different fisheries with regard to bottom impact; e.g. by nature conservation via area restrictions. Activity 4 and 5 will generate management tools that can quantitatively address descriptor 6 under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive relative to sand banks.

Funding
The project is funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) and the Danish Fisheries Agency.

Research area: Ecosystem based Marine ManagementResearch area: Fisheries Management
Research area: Fisheries Technology