Maritime area management
Seasonal closure of the Bay of Biscay
A closure measure that does not satisfy many stakeholders
Content
From January 22 to February 20, 2025, fishing was closed in the Bay of Biscay for the following gear: gillnets, trammel nets, purse seines, bottom trawls, and pelagic trawls for vessels over 8 meters in length.
Fishermen are compensated for 80 to 85% of their turnover, and fishmongers for 75% of their gross operating surplus losses.
Other informations
Main issues
Working together to develop alternative solutions to closure in order to limit bycatch Keywords:
Bay Of Biscay
Stakeholder opinions
Seasonal closure of the Bay of Biscay
Survey results
49 / 74
Fishermen
26 / 43
Downstream sector
18 / 36
NGOs / Associations
8 / 16
Policy
10 / 25
Scientists
15 / 20
Civil society
Main controversy among stakeholders
Quantity of bycatches
Has the closure truly reduced dolphin strandings?
Example
« There has been a very significant decrease in the number of strandings and a much lower rate of capture marks than before. There will certainly be a decrease in fishing mortality, but we won't know for sure until next year after we've studied the data. (...) »
« The number of dolphins that have died as a result of fishing is minuscule compared to natural deaths or bad weather. No, I think it's really minuscule. »
« We would first need to have the results from Pelagis. They say there has been a decrease of more than half in accidental captures, but we still don't have the results. They blame it on the fishermen, saying they die in the nets, but they have no reason to say that. We received a completely inconsistent email; it mentions 6,000 dolphins spared, then 4,200. There's nothing coherent in their email. I don't believe their estimates. »
« The number of dolphins that have died as a result of fishing is minuscule compared to natural deaths or bad weather. No, I think it's really minuscule. »
« We would first need to have the results from Pelagis. They say there has been a decrease of more than half in accidental captures, but we still don't have the results. They blame it on the fishermen, saying they die in the nets, but they have no reason to say that. We received a completely inconsistent email; it mentions 6,000 dolphins spared, then 4,200. There's nothing coherent in their email. I don't believe their estimates. »
Main issues for stakeholders
Preference for artisanal fishing
Regulations promoting local and high-quality fishing.
Example
« It’s a shame, because on our small vessels, it’s not overfishing; we’re fishing on a scale that suits us. Smaller vessels, from 8 to 18 meters, should be encouraged. »
Alternative solutions proposed by stakeholders
Quantity of bycatches
Has the closure truly reduced dolphin strandings?
Example
« There has been a very significant decrease in the number of strandings and a much lower rate of capture marks than before. There will certainly be a decrease in fishing mortality, but we won't know for sure until next year after we've studied the data. (...) »
« The number of dolphins that have died as a result of fishing is minuscule compared to natural deaths or bad weather. No, I think it's really minuscule. »
« We would first need to have the results from Pelagis. They say there has been a decrease of more than half in accidental captures, but we still don't have the results. They blame it on the fishermen, saying they die in the nets, but they have no reason to say that. We received a completely inconsistent email; it mentions 6,000 dolphins spared, then 4,200. There's nothing coherent in their email. I don't believe their estimates. »
« The number of dolphins that have died as a result of fishing is minuscule compared to natural deaths or bad weather. No, I think it's really minuscule. »
« We would first need to have the results from Pelagis. They say there has been a decrease of more than half in accidental captures, but we still don't have the results. They blame it on the fishermen, saying they die in the nets, but they have no reason to say that. We received a completely inconsistent email; it mentions 6,000 dolphins spared, then 4,200. There's nothing coherent in their email. I don't believe their estimates. »
Conditions for an agreement
Under what conditions would the proposed solution be acceptable to your community?
Under what conditions is the solution under consideration a breaking point for your community?
• Under what conditions would the proposed solution be acceptable to your community?
• Under what conditions is the solution under consideration a breaking point for your community?
Fishermen
Downstream sector
NGOs / Associations
Policy
Scientists
Civil society
Vote to give your opinion
You can vote for this post