330
J. Robertson et al.
equally adverse effects throughout the region. The UK has the largest number of
fishermen of the four countries, more than half the estimated 30,000 fishermen in the
UK, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. However, as a proportion of national
employment fishing in Denmark is four times that in the Netherlands or the UK.
In terms of vessels, the UK fleet is the largest of the four followed by the
Danish. In terms of capacity (gross registered tonnage), the UK fleet is also the largest
followed by Denmark and the Netherlands, although actual registered tonnage by
British vessels is somewhat distorted by vessels that have reflagged in the UK. The
average capacity per vessel (kW) is much larger in the Netherlands (800kW/vessel)
than the other countries. However around 70% of the UK fleet still consists of small
vessels (10m) and that these generate much part-time employment.
The Danish fleet is the largest in terms of catch of the four countries
represented in the northern seaboard area, followed by the UK, the Netherlands and
Germany. Approximately 70% of the Danish catch by volume (25% by value) is for
reduction purposes - the production of fish meal and oil. The other countries are more
oriented to fish for human consumption. National preferences and the composition of
the fleets cause catch composition to vary; for example in the UK mackerel, herring,
cod and haddock are important; whereas in Germany it is cod and in Denmark it is cod
and herring. It is thus a general feature of these countries, with the exception of the
Netherlands, that their fisheries depend heavily on the state of the cod and other
roundfish stocks.
While the bulk of fish landings are destined for consumption within Europe,
usually in added-valued processed products, there is an increasing level of imports
from outside the community. This is particularly the case in Denmark and reflects in
part its need to maintain a very extensive processing industry. Denmark's fish and fish
products account for over 5% of total Danish exports by value; Dutch exports are about
60% of those in Denmark. The UK and Germany are net importers of fish and fish
products.
Extensive surveys of the fishing industry in various member states, have
shown however that declining catches have led to economic and social problems not
only for the fishing communities but also for processors. The measures for
conservation and control, introduced under the CFP, have tended to exacerbate these
problems through the creation of others, including illegal fishing; increased efficiency
of vessels encouraged indirectly by the quota system; high levels of discards; and flags
of convenience. The processing industry also suffers from a shortfall of local raw
materials and is increasingly dependent on imports. As both species and quality of
imports continue to diverge from those afforded through local supplies, the industry
will need to develop new products or processing techniques.
To gain a clearer idea of the impacts of illegal fishing and bycatches on the
North Sea ecosystem, a series of confidential interviews with the industry were
undertaken. The results, summarised below in Table 6, starkly underline the extent of
blackfish (over quota illegally landed fish) in the market place and the levels of
bycatch on UK vessels. This is in sharp contrast with the bycatch levels on Spanish
vessels for
J. Robertson et al.
equally adverse effects throughout the region. The UK has the largest number of
fishermen of the four countries, more than half the estimated 30,000 fishermen in the
UK, Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. However, as a proportion of national
employment fishing in Denmark is four times that in the Netherlands or the UK.
In terms of vessels, the UK fleet is the largest of the four followed by the
Danish. In terms of capacity (gross registered tonnage), the UK fleet is also the largest
followed by Denmark and the Netherlands, although actual registered tonnage by
British vessels is somewhat distorted by vessels that have reflagged in the UK. The
average capacity per vessel (kW) is much larger in the Netherlands (800kW/vessel)
than the other countries. However around 70% of the UK fleet still consists of small
vessels (10m) and that these generate much part-time employment.
The Danish fleet is the largest in terms of catch of the four countries
represented in the northern seaboard area, followed by the UK, the Netherlands and
Germany. Approximately 70% of the Danish catch by volume (25% by value) is for
reduction purposes - the production of fish meal and oil. The other countries are more
oriented to fish for human consumption. National preferences and the composition of
the fleets cause catch composition to vary; for example in the UK mackerel, herring,
cod and haddock are important; whereas in Germany it is cod and in Denmark it is cod
and herring. It is thus a general feature of these countries, with the exception of the
Netherlands, that their fisheries depend heavily on the state of the cod and other
roundfish stocks.
While the bulk of fish landings are destined for consumption within Europe,
usually in added-valued processed products, there is an increasing level of imports
from outside the community. This is particularly the case in Denmark and reflects in
part its need to maintain a very extensive processing industry. Denmark's fish and fish
products account for over 5% of total Danish exports by value; Dutch exports are about
60% of those in Denmark. The UK and Germany are net importers of fish and fish
products.
Extensive surveys of the fishing industry in various member states, have
shown however that declining catches have led to economic and social problems not
only for the fishing communities but also for processors. The measures for
conservation and control, introduced under the CFP, have tended to exacerbate these
problems through the creation of others, including illegal fishing; increased efficiency
of vessels encouraged indirectly by the quota system; high levels of discards; and flags
of convenience. The processing industry also suffers from a shortfall of local raw
materials and is increasingly dependent on imports. As both species and quality of
imports continue to diverge from those afforded through local supplies, the industry
will need to develop new products or processing techniques.
To gain a clearer idea of the impacts of illegal fishing and bycatches on the
North Sea ecosystem, a series of confidential interviews with the industry were
undertaken. The results, summarised below in Table 6, starkly underline the extent of
blackfish (over quota illegally landed fish) in the market place and the levels of
bycatch on UK vessels. This is in sharp contrast with the bycatch levels on Spanish
vessels for