Crab and Lobster Advisory Group meeting: 29 October 2024

Bethan Jones, Fisheries Division, Welsh Government (BJ) – Chair
Lisa Roberts-Clarke, Fisheries Division, Welsh Government (LRC)
Huw Baker, Commercial Fisher (HB)
Sion Williams, Commercial Fisher (SW)
Stephen Thompson, Marine consultant, Environmental Resources Management (ST)
Helen Duggan, Head of Industry Engagement, Seafish (HD)
Martin Robinson, Recreational Fisher (MR)
Greta Hughes, Commercial Fisher (GH)
Jim Evans, Welsh Fisherman’s Association (JE)
David Harries, Recreational Fisher (DH)
Steven Giles, Recreational Fisher (SG)
Lewis Tattersall, Head of Fisheries Management, Seafish (LT)
Kenneth Bodles, Marine Conservation Society (KB)
Lissa Clayton, Exporter (LC)
Holly Kaiser, Fisheries Analyst, Seafish (HK)
Colin Charman, Marine, Fisheries and aquaculture policy, Natural Resources Wales (CC)
Brett Garner, Commercial Fisher (BG)
Carl Davies, Commercial Fisherman (CD)
Barrie John, Control & Enforcement, Fisheries Division, Welsh Government (BJ)
Keith Neal, Recreational Fisher (KN)

Chair welcomed all to the meeting and introductions made for the first meeting of the crab and lobster advisory group. The background for the management proposals were outlined and included in the Joint Fisheries Statement. BJ confirmed the Fishery Management Plan would address the economic and environmental sustainability of the fishery would be published in 2026. 

Glyn Phillips had difficulties joining on Teams. Apologies received from Natalie Hold, Bangor University; The Lobster Pot; and Gareth Cunningham, Marine Conservation Society. The meeting agenda was amended to reflect this. 

BJ set out the group’s purpose to seek members advice for the development of the Crab and Lobster Fishery Management Plan (FMP). 

Following publication of the FMP, the membership of the group would be reviewed. The minutes of each meeting would record mainly the actions agreed and key points.

The group discussed the acronym of Crab and Lobster Advisory Group (CLAG). Suggestions were discussed.

ACTION: BJ to consider a name change, which was considered more positive. Discuss at next meeting. 

CC queried wording in the ToR that “the group would be the principal forum”. 

ACTION: BJ to revise the wording to “The group will lead on stakeholder engagement going forward”.

BJ explained the membership, ways of working and the secretariat for this group. All communications should be sent to the central mailbox Fisheries.Management@gov.wales 

BJ presented the data for the volume and value of landings from 2008 to 2022. These were landings into Wales by any UK vessel. The source of the data was from Seafish’s economic analysis of the fleet. The value was as at first sale and the purpose was to consider the trends for species of brown crab, European lobster, spider crab, velvet crab, crawfish and common prawn.

JE believed the need for better explanation of the landings into Wales and confirmed the trend showed a decline for crab. Also, the WFA hosted economic data on their online dashboard which was sourced from Seafish.

HB asked if it was possible to track the weather each year to see the effects. It would also affect the amount of days at sea each year.

SW highlighted the benefit of including effort for fishing with pots. LT recognised the Catch App for Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) did not work properly and Bangor University were aware of the situation. GH was disappointed the App did not include ratio and size.

KN suggested a weekly limit rather than a daily catch limit could be more appropriate. Discussion included the need to cover larger sized lobsters.

BJ was aware the economic data did not cover landings from recreational potting. In addition, MMO’s landing data had seen a problem with missing data and was yet to be resolved. 

ACTION: BJ confirmed the importance of reviewing all the data available and to investigate more sources for CPUE data.

LT summarised the engagement with stakeholders for commercial and recreational fishers from January to September and was positive to see stakeholders were included as part of the advisory group. 

Recommendations – Commercial fishers – to see phased changes; consider the landing of berried lobsters; consider prohibiting the use of crab for whelk bait; consider pot limits as part of a longer-term management strategy; and use of biodegradable components in pots. To review appropriateness of management measures for spider crab and to explore the maximum landing size for lobster both saw a difference in opinion.

Recommendations – Recreational fishers – to improve enforcement of management measures and reduce non compliance; to consider restrictions on landing berried lobster and v-notching schemes; consider financial implications and concerns of adding a cost; and seasonal closures to protect stocks.

The group discussed the concerns about lobster being carried out of their original location. However, that was an issue to report to Control and Enforcement to be addressed. Also observed, when fishing with pots with escape hatches were a decrease in the amount of undersized lobsters. Work with Bangor University was looking at the growth of lobster and their movements.   

CD confirmed Bangor were trying to ascertain the quality of eggs across the range of sizes of lobster. KN referred to data collection and use of volunteers to gather measurements. 

ACTION: BJ to discuss recreational volunteers gathering data with Bangor University.

BJ concluded Bangor University would look at the preliminary results from the stock survey. 

Regarding charging for permits in the future, the position was yet decided. The intention would not be to charge any unfair permit fees but to have fair and proportional system.

Socio-economic benefits would be considered, and a specification written to investigate at impacts of a number of fisheries and their supply chains on the local economy and communities.

None.

Early 2025.