Sustainable Seas

The Biosphere Strategy makes the link between sustainable resources and economic development, but finding the right balance isn't easy. There is a lot of activity going on in our oceans and apparently simple decisions are often more complicated than they may seem. Adapting to rising sea levels. Taw Torridge Estuary Management Plan. Marine wind farms and fishing. Buying sustainably sourced fish.

Marine Conservation Zones

In 2009 Parliament enacted the Marine Bill, intended to bring to the marine environment the same degree of planning and protection as the land. Marine Conservation Zones are being created as a result of the Bill.

Finding Sanctuary' is the exercise to identify potential Marine Conservation Zones. Since the 1990's and with North Devon Fishermen's Association support, waters around Lundy have been the site of a voluntary marine nature reserve and since 2003, a 'no take zone' for fishing. This was a trail blazing initiative that has shown that conservation and fishing can go together.

The Biosphere Reserve Marine Working Group was set up in 2010 to bring together leaisure, fishing and conservation interests to develop and propose a concensus view of Marine Conservation Zones within the Biosphere Reserve.

Biosphere Marine Conservation Zone Proposals

Full impact on fishing industry is yet to be revealed. North Devon Journal Article 15 Sep 2011

Taw Torridge Estuary Management Plan, 2011

• Glossary and Appendix
• Overview
• Review of 1999 Plan
• Stakeholder issues
• Action Plan

Wind farms and fishing

To most people, offshore renewable energy is a 'good thing' and a sustainable fishing industry is too but experience from North Devon's Biosphere Reserve shows that having both can be more complex than the sound bites suggest.

John Butterwith, Chair of the North Devon Fishermen's Association (NDFA) explains,

"Just like on the land, there are a variety of pressures affecting the seas too. The MCZ has to be set in the context of other potential developments, not least the proposals for the Atlantic Array, the UK's largest offshore windfarm and existing aggregate extraction".

"There are opportunities for some fishermen to diversify into supplying support vessels for the windfarm, but some will continue. The forthcoming MCZ, the Atlantic Array and the dredging, each with their associated fishing restrictions, may well mean there are more fish, but the fishermen won't be allowed into the right areas to catch them. That is hardly 'sustainable' fishing"

The Atlantic Array Up to 350 wind turbines generating about 1500 mgawatts of power. The development is predicted to bring jobs to North Devon but could have a huge effect on one of the area's most profitable fishing ground. RWE will begin their formal public consultation in September 2011 which will last for 42 days.

The Biosphere Reserve - helping deliver good quality fish from healthy stocks.

One very positive development might help redress the balance - Marine Stewardship Council certified fish. This labelling system identifies good quality fish from healthy stocks and both Sea Bass and Ray, besides shellfish the main commercial species for north Devon fishermen, are in the process of gaining their accreditation.

Sea fish certification The Biosphere Reserve helped pay the pre-assessment costs for the Sea Bass fishery and the Co-op Group in Manchester are paying £15,000 to take Bristol Channel caught Sea Bass through the MSC certification process. The NDFA expect to have the fish on the market in 2011 and MSC certified ray later that year

MSC certification isn't a complete answer as John explains

"MSC certification doesn't guarantee premium prices for the fish but it pretty much guarantees that it will be sold on the wholesale market. That is good for the fishermen and MSC accreditation is good for consumers too, though you still need to consider where your fish has come from"

Don't Just accept it - ask about it

So the message is look out for MSC certification when you shop. Easy? Well yes and no. Some MSC certified fish may well have come from across the world, arriving on the fish counter iced and boxed but with what carbon footprint? Look out for the MSC label but also think local - where has your fish come from? How has it contributed to the sustainable economy of North Devon's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve?

The North Devon Fisheries Association: Includes 26 vessels; 14 over 10 metres and 12 less than 10 metres (2009) Represents a £2.7m industry Net to Plate - members include fishermen, processors and retailers The NDFA helped secure a £3.7 million pound investment in a processing plant at Appledore that opened in 2009