Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Currently there are no targeted commercial spurdog (also known as picked dogfish) fisheries anywhere in the EU, regardless of gear type. The spawning biomass of this species is at an extremely low level, although conservation measures in recent years have had an impact in terms of stabilising the decline. The species is a long-lived, slow growing and late maturing species and is, therefore, particularly vulnerable to over-fishing. The International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) advice is that there should be no targeted fisheries in 2017 and 2018 and that any possible provision for landing of bycatch should only happen as part of a management plan.

The Marine Institute fully supports the ICES advice and has very serious concerns about the state of the stock.

A very limited quota is available (53t for Ireland) for use in Pilot schemes designed to reduce such by-catches. Any such schemes are subject to EU Commission approval and must relate to reducing by-catches of spurdog in other fisheries i.e. the targeting of spurdog would remain prohibited.

Such a scheme for spurdog avoidance was explored by the Marine Institute and, following consultation with industry, a draft pilot scheme was submitted for review to the Commission’s Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF).

STECF raised a number of queries about the proposed scheme, in particular on whether or not it would result in a reduction in catches of spurdog relative to the catches that would occur in the absence of a scheme. Having considered the STECF comments and concerns, the Marine Institute reviewed the draft scheme and has now advised that Ireland should not proceed further with the spurdog avoidance scheme but rather work collaboratively with other Member States and the Commission to explore possible management measures for 2019.

There is perhaps a mis-perception that a spurdog scheme as described here would allow small directed fisheries to operate.  That is not the case. Any such scheme would be a strictly controlled avoidance scheme only.