Quantifying benefits and impacts of fishing exclusion zones around Marine Renewable Energy Installations
Lead Research Organisation:
Heriot-Watt University
Department Name: Institute Of Petroleum Engineering
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Jonathan Side (Principal Investigator) | |
| Michael Bell (Researcher) |
| Description | This was a very small part of the much larger QBEX research project where many further details will be found. The limited time on this aspect of the work focussed on modelling of thornback ray movements in relation to areas around marine renewable energy developments that might be closed to fisheries. This shows that the consequences of the closure for both stock and fishery depend heavily on the locations to which fishing is displaced. Closure of offshore areas that are less important to rays may result in increased overlap of fishing effort with inshore grounds used by the rays, resulting in increased catches and hence mortality of rays. Conversely, closures within inshore grounds may have benefits for ray stocks through reductions in fishing mortality. |
| Exploitation Route | Approaches to spatial fisheries modelling could be taken forward by others to examine effects of spatial fishery management in a wider context |
| Sectors | Energy,Environment |
| Description | Findings have been used to contribute to overall QBEX outcomes and in discussions with other scientists about approaches to spatial fishery modelling and modelling of fish movement patterns. Further research effort will be required before this science translates into advice for policy makers and regulators in relation to marine spatial planning. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2014 |
| Sector | Energy,Environment |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Presentation to Elasmobranch workshop at MASTS Annual Science Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to Elasmobranch Workshop at MASTS ASM reporting on a spatial fisheries model for thornback ray in the Irish Sea using movement data from data storage tags. The presentation engaged with other researchers in the field of spatial ecology of sharks and rays. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2014 |
| Description | Project Meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Participation in project meetings for planning and reporting on project activities |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012,2013,2014 |