How much red mullet, squid, and gurnard are there in the North Sea? Actually, no one really knows! Because flyshoot fish is not commonly consumed in the Netherlands, the priority is on counting plaice, sole, and cod.
However, information about these fish species is of crucial importance. They are, in fact, exported extensively to countries like Italy. Due to a lack of data, there is no species-specific management for these species, and we cannot determine the fishing pressure. To prevent a future where there are no more red mullet, squid, or gurnard in the North Sea, we have initiated this project.
The project
Together with the research institute Wageningen Marine Research (WMR) and the fishermen from Cornelis Vrolijk/Jaczon, we are gathering more knowledge within the Knowledge Project VISwijzer and Flyshoot Fish about red mullet, gurnard, and squid. These are so-called ‘data-poor’ fish species that have seen limited research. New knowledge about these species will enable us to create better-informed sustainability assessments for the VISwijzer. This project marks the first time these parties have collaborated on research, making it unique. This project has been made possible through subsidies from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF).
There are three objectives within this project, namely:
- Developing a protocol suitable for data collection on flyshoot vessels.
- Enhancing available scientific knowledge about key target species for flyshoot fishing.
- Increasing general awareness of flyshoot fishing in the market among chefs and fish retailers.
Click here to see the progress and results of this project.
This research is funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.
