Draft Fisheries Assessment – Central Fladen NCMPA: Fisheries management measures within Scottish Offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Executive Summary

The scope of this fisheries assessment is the Central Fladen Nature Conservation Marine Protected Area (NCMPA), which lies within the Fladen Grounds, a large area of mud in the northern North Sea. The protected features of the site are the burrowed mud habitat feature and the sub-glacial tunnel valley geodiversity feature representative of the Fladen Deeps key geodiversity area.

The conservation objective for the NCMPA is to, subject to natural change, recover the burrowed mud feature to favourable condition (JNCC Conservation Advice for Central Fladen NCMPA and Conservation Advice Statements)

In Part A, fishing activities currently occurring within the site (data from 2015 – 2019) were screened and grouped into aggregated gear types. Throughout this draft fisheries assessment the data from 2015-2019 is referred to as the current levels of activity. The gear types considered relevant to the protected features were demersal trawls and demersal seines. Based on the pressures associated with these fishing activities and the sensitivity of burrowed mud, the pressures considered capable of affecting (other than insignificantly) were abrasion/disturbance of the substrate on the surface of the seabed, penetration and/or disturbance of the substrate below the surface of the seabed, including abrasion, removal of non-target species, and removal of target species. These four pressures were exerted by both aggregated gear types and were taken through to Part B of the assessment.

The tunnel valley geodiversity feature is considered to have a low sensitivity to the pressures associated with marine activities, including fishing activities taking place within the NCMPA (Brooks, 2013). As such, fishing activities were not deemed capable of affecting this geological feature and so this feature has not been considered further in the draft Fisheries Assessment.

In Part B, the assessment of fishing activities capable of affecting the protected features within the site determined that at current fishing levels, demersal seines alone would not hinder the achievement of the conservation objectives for Central Fladen NCMPA. However, the achievement of the conservation objectives might be hindered where demersal trawls activities occurred. Scottish Ministers concluded that management measures were required to restrict demersal trawls within Central Fladen NCMPA.

In Part C, the in-combination assessment considered the residual potential impacts of demersal seines alongside other relevant offshore region activities happening in and near the site. Although oil and gas pipelines and telecommunications cables were present, there was not deemed to be an in-combination effect. Therefore, the Scottish Ministers concluded that the remaining fishing activities (demersal seines), in-combination with other known activities would not hinder the achievement of the conservation objectives for Central Fladen NCMPA.

Considering the need for management measures for demersal trawls, as identified in the assessment, two management options have been identified and are under consideration by the Scottish Ministers:

• Zoned management would reduce/limit pressures within the site, such as through a partial closure to demersal mobile gears (including demersal trawls). Under this option, 35% of the site would be closed to demersal mobile gears. The seasonal fisheries closure between January to April for all gears (excluding pelagic) coinciding with the areas of greatest demersal trawl fishing intensity, further reduces risk to the burrowed mud feature. The area of the site coincides with the area where the tall seapen (Funiculina quadrandularis) are found - a key component of the burrowed mud feature of the site which is particularly sensitive. Although the lower impact demersal seines were not deemed to hinder the achievement of the conservation objectives at current levels of activity, this option as proposed would also prohibit demersal seines within the area of moderate demersal seine activity. Scottish Ministers do not consider that the introduction of zonal measures would hinder the achievement of the conservation objectives for the burrowed mud featured within Central Fladen NCMPA; rather it would further the achievement of said objectives.
• Full site exclusion of mobile demersal fishing activity would exclude mobile demersal gear from the whole site. Scottish Ministers consider that this management option would not hinder the conservation objectives for the burrowed mud feature of Central Fladen NCMPA; rather it would further the achievement of them.

The decision as to which management option is to be taken forward will be made following a statutory public consultation exercise and will be taken in the light of all relevant obligations incumbent upon the Scottish Ministers in relation to the exercise of their functions