Photo: Jetze van Zwol | 11-01-2023 | This project is funded by
How much red mullet, gurnard, and squid are swimming around? Although these are target species for flyshoot fishing, this question cannot be answered yet. Within the project ‘Knowledge Project VISwijzer and Flyshootvis,’ a unique collaboration between Good Fish, Wageningen Marine Research, and the flyshoot fishermen of Cornelis Vrolijk/Jaczon is researching flyshoot fishing and its target species. One of the goals within this project is to pave the way for improved management and sustainability assessments of these three fish species through enhanced data collection.
To maintain fish stocks at a healthy level, it is important to manage them properly. Effective management relies on the availability of data on both the quantity of fish in the sea and the fishing activities. This information is available to varying degrees for many commercial fish species but is lacking in some cases. These are known as ‘data-poor’ fish species. One of the goals within the ‘Knowledge Project VISwijzer and Flyshootvis’ is to increase data availability for data-poor fish species like red mullet, gurnard, and squid. In this blog, you can read about how this data collection takes place and what we do with it.
Data Collection
In this project, data is collected on both the data-poor target species of flyshoot fishing and the composition of catches. This means that all catches, including target species and discards, are included in the analysis. During so-called observer trips, these data are collected on board by flyshoot fishermen from Cornelis Vrolijk/Jaczon and fisheries researchers from Wageningen Marine Research. During these trips, species are identified, counted, measured, and weighed. You can view underwater images taken during fishing on this page! These data are collected in such a way that they can contribute to stock assessments conducted by ICES. ICES is an international organization that focuses on research and advice related to the exploitation and protection of the sea.
Analysis and Use
Based on the collected data, various analyses are conducted. For example, the composition of catches, including both species brought ashore and discards, is calculated, as well as the length distributions of the caught species. The results of these analyses will provide more clarity on how fish stocks of red mullet, gurnard, and squid have developed in the North Sea and the Channel. In this podcast by De Visdetective, you can learn more about how to determine the health of a fish stock.
The results are used to make more informed sustainability assessments for the VISwijzer. The VISwijzer takes into account not only fish stock status but also the percentage of young fish and vulnerable species caught. Additionally, it considers the percentage of the catch that is well managed. This is crucial for evaluating fisheries with multiple target species, such as flyshoot fishing.
Current Management of Dutch Flyshoot Fishing
Dutch flyshoot fishing is currently regulated by several management measures, including a maximum rope length and thickness allowed for fishing and a maximum number of flyshoot permits issued. In addition to these regulations, a minimum mesh size has been established. A minimum mesh size is used to prevent excessive bycatch of small, or young, fish.
Good Management for Unmanaged Species
The establishment of further management measures for flyshoot fishing is not a project goal. Building knowledge about flyshoot fishing and its target species is the first step toward sustainable fishing. Not familiar with flyshoot fishing? Check it out here! More information about this project can be found on our Flyshoot project page.
In our next blog, you’ll learn more about how a fishery can become more sustainable through a ‘Fishery Improvement Project,’ or FIP.
This project is funded by
