REBYC
Reduction of Environmental Impact from Tropical Shrimp Trawling, through the introduction of By-catch
Reduction Technologies and Change of Management
http://www.fao.org/fi /gefshrimp.htm
Report of the 3rd Meeting of International Project Steering Committee
(IPSC)
Homa Hotel, Bandar Abbas, Iran, 25-27 April 2006
I.
Introduction
1.
The third meeting of the IPSC was hosted by Iran Fisheries
Organization from 25-27 April, 2006, at the Homa Hotel, Bandar Abbas, Iran.
2.
The meeting was attended by the following appointed members of the
IPSC: the Philippines, Mexico, Nigeria, Iran, FAO and SEAFDEC. The
representative from Venezuela could not attend due to a medical emergency,
but the presentation is available in Appendix C. The project Implementing
Agency, UNEP, had been invited, but could not attend.
The list of participants appears in Appendix A.
3.
The main objectives of the meeting were to review progress and
constraints encountered by the project, the workplan for the remaining
duration of the project, and to discuss regional activities.
II.
Welcoming by General Director of Iran Fisheries in Hormozgan
Province
4.
The meeting was inaugurated by Mr. Badiee, the Director General of
the Iran Fisheries Organization (Shilat) in Hormozgan Province. He warmly
welcomed all the participants, and mentioned the different aspects of fishing
and aquaculture activities in the province. He emphasized the importance of
bycatch reduction methods, especially in shrimp trawling in the coastal waters
of Iran. He hoped that the fishermen in the Persian Gulf and the Oman Sea
will use the achievements of the project to conserve and secure economic
marine resources, and better performance in their fishing activities.
III.
Election of Chairperson
5.
Dr. Wilfried Thiele, FAO Project Coordinator, called for the election of a
chairperson. Mr. A. Mojahedi, the National Project Coordinator of Iran, was
elected for the chairperson of the meeting.
IV.
Opening of the meeting
6.
Dr. Wilfried Thiele, on behalf of FAO, welcomed the participants to the
meeting. He expressed his appreciation and thanks to Shilat for the
contribution and effort in supporting the implementation of the project,
especially for hosting the IPSC meeting. He stressed that the meeting should
discuss how to further improve the interaction between the participating
partners. He further emphasized that in the four years the project has been
operating, the participating countries have carried out research projects which
showed that negative impacts of shrimp trawling can be reduced. These
efforts have supported the execution of the project, but also exposed the
complexity of the bycatch problem. The nature of it varies considerably from
country to country, and there are a wide range of aspects closely associated
with it, like biology, ecology, fishing technology, fish utilization and marketing,
sociology, economy, management, regulations, legislation, as well as conflicts
between shrimp trawlers and artisanal fishermen.
V.
Adoption of the meeting agenda
7.
The agenda of the workshop, which appears in Appendix B, was
adopted, and the Chairperson outlined the agenda and timetable for the
meeting.
VI.
Opening statements of the participating countries
8.
The FAO representative, Dr. Wilfried Thiele, gave a presentation on the
project execution, and explained the progress of the project in the four years it
has been operating, and described each country's activities and progress. He
provided information on the introduction of the devices in the different member
countries, and the workshops held on bycatch reduction technologies. He
further discussed the current data available in SOFIA on discard for different
fishing activities, and bycatch reduction statistics published recently by FAO.
He asked member countries to decide on how to continue their activities
according to the current workplans, and reminded the meeting that the current
closure date of the project is May 2007.
9.
The representative from the Philippines, Mr. Jonathan Dickson, gave
an account of the training and demonstration activities undertaken to
introduce BRDs constructed by SEAFDEC. He strongly recommended the
partners to actively engage mass media to raise the awareness of the project
and its achievements, not only among fishermen, but equally important to
government officials as well as the public in general. He stressed the
productive regional col aboration between Indonesia, the Philippines and
SEAFDEC.
10. The representative from Nigeria, Mr. James Ogbonna, presented a
comprehensive report of history of Nigeria's fishing and shrimp industry plus
work plan for 2006/2007 of the project in his country.
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11. The representative from Mexico, Ignacio Mendez Gomez-Humaran,
presented the past and on-going activities, which will be processed with the
aims of using RS-INP-MEX prototypes for three fishing zones of the Mexican
Pacific which has already been accomplished, either by government
investment or stakeholders' initiative. He stressed the importance of
determine the correct technology device in each type of fisheries to achieve a
successful outcome.
12.
SEAFDEC, through Dr. Bundit Chokesanguan, presented the previous
activities regarding demonstration, experiments and the promotion on the use
of JTEDs and other by-catch reduction devices (BRDs) in Southeast Asia
being implemented by SEAFDEC. He explained the next plan to continue
promotion the use of JTEDs, under the cooperation the project, and especially
in the Philippines and Indonesia. He also proposed two additional activities to
be carried out under the umbrella of the project to be executed in Indonesia
and the Philippines.
13.
The representative from Iran, Mr. A. Mojahedi presented the fisheries
situation and achievements of his country, such as the damage of shrimp in
the cod-end and the high amount of discard from shrimp fisheries. In addition,
he mentioned that there have been good achievements regarding grids for
reduction of By-catch of shrimp in Iranian trawlers which can be a good
example for other countries in the region (the Persian Gulf and the Oman
Sea).
VII.
Financial and budgetary matters
14.
The Chairperson requested the Project Operations Coordinator, Mr. J.
Fogelgren, to brief the meeting on the project financial and budgetary matters.
Mr. Fogelgren explained the preliminary financial status, and the expenditures
for each project country. He advised that the Project Implementing Agency,
UNEP, has requested information on national project expenditures every 6
months. The current completion date of the project, is May 2007, but an
justified extension of the duration within the current budget was likely to be
approved, should the meeting decide that the project should be extended,
given the unavoidable delays at the start-up phase.
He reminded the meeting that all project countries have committed
themselves to provide co-financing to the project at a level equal to the cash
funding by GEF. Hence, he advised the importance of keeping updated
records al in kind contributions received by the project, both from the
governments and the private sector.
UNEP has requested that all equipment exceeding US$500 should be listed in
the 6 monthly Project Progress report, also indicating the Serial numbers.
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Each country should provide information on their national project activities,
technical reports, progress reports, useful links etc for posting on the project
web site.
VIII. Future
work
program
15.
The Chairperson, Mr. A. Mojahedi, requested the Project Coordinator,
Mr. W. Thiele to advice on the policy of the implementation of the future work
program, and requested the participants to briefly introduce the workplans of
activities they will implement in 2006-2007.
16. FAO: Mr. W. Thiele informed the meeting that the implementation of
the future work program should be considered, and even more focus should
be on the benefits of region level cooperation.
17. Mexico: Mr. Ignacio Mendez G. mentioned that, for the remaining
period of the project, the Mexican project activities will focus on continuation
of the main activities in the Gulf of Mexico. He indicated that contacts with
other countries of the region to exchange information and experiences, will
continue. He reiterated that, on behalf of Latin American countries, there is a
necessity of extending the project until the end of 2008.
18. Iran:
Mr. A. Mojahedi mentioned the necessity for continuation of the
project till December 2008 and requested revision of unspent balance of
budget in this project. The activities wil be continued in Iran by mandatory use
of By-catch Reduction Devices in Traditional and Industrial Trawlers working
on shrimp fishing in Iranian Waters.
19. Nigeria: Mr. James Ogbonna reiterated the need for continuation of the
project, at least till December 2008 and invited the next meeting of the
International Project Steering Committee to be held in Nigeria. Given the very
limited budget allocation for Cameroon, he agreed on financial coordination
with Cameroon for funding of needed activities with possible contribution from
the Nigerian allocation of the project budget.
20. The
Philippines: Mr. Jonathan Dickson informed the meeting that the
project in the Philippines needs to be continued until December 2008. It will
continue its activities on testing and selection of the suitable and appropriate
devices to be introduced to the fishermen, in col aboration with government
officials and other stakeholders. He reiterated on continued cooperation
between BFARs and the local governments, and they wil support the
utilization of BRDs in the selected areas. The project will also produce VCDs
(assisted by SEAFDEC), brochures, scientific documents, proceeding of
seminars and workshops, and these promotion materials will be distributed to
the people in the industry, and outside countries.
21.
SEAFDEC: Dr. Bundit Chokesanguan informed the meeting that
SEAFDEC supports the proposal of participating countries in this committee
for continuation of the project until December 2008 and will continue to give
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technical support on implementation and demonstration of devices in the
Philippines and Indonesia as well as other countries. SEAFDEC will continue
to produce informative materials like instruction VCDs on the use of BRDs to
serve as a manual for preparation, installation and construction of devices,
including the operation, which will be distributed widely. He appreciated
Nigeria's kind offer to host the next International Project's Steering Committee
Meeting in Nigeria, but also proposed that a Global National Coordinators
Review Meeting should be organised with the main objectives to present and
evaluate the results of activities so far undertaken by the participating
countries, and to share experiences on project implementation to determine
problems, constraints and possible solutions.
22. A Global NC Meeting was seconded by the Philippines, who also
offered to host it. Timing should be October 2006. This was approved by the
meeting, which thanked the Philippines.
23. After discussions on extending the duration of the project, the
participants approved that a request to extend the project should be prepared
and submitted to UNEP.
24.
Mr. Vahid Tofighi of Iran Fisheries Organization, proposed at the end of
the meeting, the need for building Farsi pages beside current web-pages of
the project in FAO website and in this regard, expressed readiness of Website
of Iranfisheries.net to help.
IX.
Date and venue for the next IPSC meeting
25.
In considering the date and venue of the 4th meeting of the IPSC, the
representative from Nigeria confirmed its intention to host the next meeting,
which was highly appreciated by the meeting. Date and venue wil be
informed at a later stage.
X. Closure
of
meeting
26.
Dr. Wilfried Thiele expressed his sincere thanks to the Iran Fisheries
Organization for being the host of this meeting, and he thanked all participants
for attending.
The chairperson declared the meeting closed.
XI. Additional
information
27.
On the final day of meeting, a field trip was organised to observe a
BRD designed for traditional trawlers, and which was tested in a sea-trial.
It should be noted that Iran has 8,000 metric tonnes of shrimp catch in marine
environment and naturally the ratio of shrimp to other marine aquatics in the
catch is 1 to 7, which means that more than 50 thousand tonnes of other
aquatics mainly juvenile and small fishes are excluded from the life cycle.
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Dr. Wilfried Thiele and the FAO Representative who were on board the two
traditional fishing vessels that carried out the test, said to Iranian Radio and
Television (IRIB) Reporters: "Of course using BRDs can help decrease the
pollution of the sea, and Iran, Australia, Mexico and Nigeria have good
experiences in this regard that can by used on regional and international
levels by concerned countries."
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Appendix A
List of Participants of the 3rd PISC Meeting
25-27 April 2006, Bandar Abbas, I.R. of Iran
Iran
Mr. Aliasghar Mojahedi
Director of Fishing Affairs
Iran Fisheries Department
No 250 Fatemi Ave., Teheran, Iran
Tel: (98-21) 6694 3965
E-mail: a_mojahedi@hotmail.com or mojahedi@iranfisheries.net
Mr. M. N. Shirazi
Deputy General Director
International Affairs & Public Relations
Iran Fisheries Department
No 250 Fatemi Ave., Teheran, Iran
Tel: (98-21) 6694 1674
E-mail: mn_shirazi@hotmail.com or mnshirazi@gmail.com
Mr. Vahid Tofighi
Webadmin of Iranfisheries.net/English
Iran Fisheries Department
No 250 Fatemi Ave., Teheran, Iran
Tel: (98-21) 6694 3873
E-mail: vtofighi@gmail.com or tofighi@iranfisheries.net
Mr. H. Ostad Mohammadi
Head of Fishing Technology office
Iran Fisheries Department
No 250 Fatemi Ave., Teheran, Iran
Tel: (98-21) 6694 2576
E-mail: h_ostad@hotmail.com
Mexico
Mr. Ignacio Mendez Gomez-Humaran
Director-General de Investigacion Pesquera En El Pacifico Sur National
Fisheries Research Institute Prolongacion
Playa Abierta s/n Col. Miramar CP 70680, Salina Cruz, Oaxaca, Mexico
Tel. No: +52 (971) 714-5003
Fax. No:+52 (971) 714-0386
E-mail: dgips_inp@prodigy.net.mx or imgh2000@yahoo.com
Nigeria
Mr. J. Ogbonna
Assistant Director of Fisheries
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Department of Fisheries
Area 11 Secretariat
P.M. B 135, Garki, Buja, Nigeria
E-mail: jamescogbonna@yahoo.com
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The Philippines
Mr. Jonathan Dickson
Chief, Capture Fisheries Division
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
860 Quezon Avenue, Quezon City, Philippines
Tel: (632)-3725051
Fax: (632)-3711173
E-mail: jod_bfar@yahoo.com
SEAFDEC
Mr. Bundit Chokesanguan
Head of Information and Extension Division
Training Department (TD)
P.O. Box 97, Phrasamutchedi
Samut Prakan 10290, Thailand
Tel: 66-2425-6100 Fax: 66-2425-6110
E-mail: bundit@seafdec.org
FAO
Dr. Wilfried Thiele
Senior Fishery Industry Officer
Food and Agriculture Organization
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Tel: +39 06 57055836
Fax: +39 06 57055188
E-mail: wilfried.thiele@fao.org
Mr. Janne Fogelgren
Project Operations Coordinator
Fishing Technology Service
Fishery Industries Division
Fisheries Department
Food and Agriculture Organization
Viale delle Terme di Caracalla
00100 Rome, Italy
Tel: (39) 06 57052377
Fax: (39) 06 57055188
E-mail: janne.fogelgren@fao.org
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Appendix B
List of Participants of the 3rd PISC Meeting
25-27 April 2006, Bandar Abbas, I.R. of Iran
Tuesday, 25 April
10:00 hrs
1. Opening of the meeting
- Election of Chairperson
- Opening address
(FAO, Project Coordinator)
- Welcome address
(Hosting country; Chair)
- Introduction of members
2. Adoption of the meeting agenda
LUNCH
3. Opening statements of the participating countries
4. Report of the project coordinator on technical activities following the second
meeting of the IPSC
5. Reports from regional representatives
6. Financial and budgetary matters
7. Cooperation between participating countries
- Financial support
- In kind assistance
Wednesday, 26 April
09:30 hrs
8. Technical and administrative status of the project, needs to achieve project goals
9. Work programme for the remaining project duration
- Use of project website
- Dissemination of results
LUNCH
10. "Post" project activities; second phase project
11. Date and place for the next PISC meeting
12. Any Other Business
13. Closure of meeting
Friday, 27 April
09:00 hrs
Field trip to fishing port, including demonstration cruise at sea
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Appendix C
The representative from Venezuela, Mr. Jose J. Alio, was unable to
attend the PISC meeting held in Iran, April 2006, for health reasons, but
sends a report reflecting the situation of the shrimp fisheries and the project in
the southern Caribbean Sea region, in particular in Colombia, Venezuela and
Trinidad-Tobago.
The participation of artisanal fishers in the shrimp landings in South
and Central America is very important, and sometimes, like in Venezuela,
artisanal landings overpass those from the industrial sector by a factor of two.
The by-catch issue on shrimp fisheries has worsen progressively in the
region, as more non selective trawl nets are used not only in the industrial
sector, but with an increasing trend among artisanal fishers as well. The
bycatch accounts for a variable amount, from 20 to 80%, of the total captures,
depending on the fishery. After evaluating the different gear used by fishers in
the three participating countries, the project has focus on three strategies:
1. Modifying the gear amenable to be structurally altered to increased
selectivity while maintaining its efficiency of fishing from shrimp (and fish);
2. When modifications of the current gear used in artisanal fisheries does not
seem possible, replacing it for other more environmentally friendly one used in
other regions of the world;
3. Evaluating current management strategies of the Fisheries Administration
Offices in each country and suggesting changes that would decrease
environmental impacts on the shrimp and marine bottom fisheries.
Pertaining to modification of industrial gear, the fish eye has been
tested in the coasts of Colombia and Venezuela. In Colombia reductions of
general bycatch reached 26-35%, and 30% those of non-commercial bycatch.
In Venezuela reductions of bycatch reached 63% of both general and non-
commercial bycatch. Since fish landings represent an important income for
shrimp trawl fleets in the region, and losses of fish with commercial size are
significant with the fish eye, skippers may feel that the use of this BRD is
unsatisfactory. Tests of the square mesh are programmed for 2006 in
the Venezuelan trawl fleet. In 1990 tests of the square mesh lead to
reductions of 40% of non-commercial bycatch in Venezuelan trawlers, with a
20% increase of commercial fish catch. The Mexican prototype trawl (with
steeper design and knotless net) was tested in Colombia, where reductions of
16% in general bycatch, and 29% of the non-commercial bycatch component
were observed. Furthermore, a 29% reduction in fuel consumption was
observed.
This gear has not been tested in Venezuela due to the high cost of the
nets, and to the fact that reduction in fuel consumption does not represent a
major incentive for fleets because of the low cost of gasoil in this country. Two
workshops were organized in each coast of Colombia, Pacific and Atlantic, to
transfer the results of the use of BRD technology to skippers, fishers and
fishery administrators. There are confronted issues among skippers, since
some consider important the reduction of fuel consumption and other the
losses of commercial catch when using BRDs. Economic analyses
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of these issues are currently being evaluated in Colombia. Finally, the use
of the double chain in the industrial trawl has proved to be a simple and
efficient way to reduce by-catch in Mexico and Cuba, and it is programmed to
be tested in Venezuela and eventually in Colombia and Trinidad-Tobago.
With respect to the use of BRDs in artisanal gear, the fish eye was
tested in the Orinoco delta with a reduction of 54% of bycatch in experimental
trawls, and the validation of this BRD in the artisanal trawl fleet is being
done in 2006. This BRD is also being tested in other areas of Venezuela.
Other BRD, like the Nřrdmore grid, tested unsuccessful in the Orinoco delta
trawl fleet due to the amount of debris in the water that clogged the grid.
The most commonly used gear among artisanal shrimp fishers is the beach
seine. Chances to optimize its use by promoting its selectivity are low, so
artisanal gear from other fisheries in the world are to be tested in 2006
with the aid of Mexican consultants. Among the possibilities are the use of
the Suripera net and the bottom tangling net.
With respect to changes in management, discussions are under way
with the Fisheries Administrations in the three countries to evaluate maximum
effort levels that should be permitted in the different shrimp fisheries, as wel
as seasons and closure of areas to fishing.
Résumé of project activities proposed for 2006-2007 in the southern
Caribbean Region:
* Tests of the square mesh in the Venezuelan in industrial trawl fleet.
* Test of the double chain in the industrial trawl, with the aid of Mexican
consultants.
* Test of the Fish eye in artisanal shrimp fisheries in the southern
Caribbean Sea coast of Venezuela
* Validation of the fish eye in the artisanal trawl fleet in the Orinoco
river delta .
* Tests of Suripera net and bottom tangling net, as viable alternatives in
artisanal fisheries currently using beach seines in Venezuela (and
eventually in Trinidad-Tobago), with the aid of Mexican consultants.
* Workshops with artisanal fishers in western and eastern Venezuela to
promote the use of alternative gear to the beach seines.
* Workshops with skippers and net tailors to discuss improvements to the use
of the TED (in Venezuela, Colombia and T-T), as a result of the TED
Workshop at Hirtshals, Feb 2006.
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