Perceptions des pcheurs et donnes scientifiques sur l'cosystme de MancheEst

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Perceptions des pêcheurs et données scientifiques
sur l'écosystème de Manche-Est
Magali Prigent, Marie-Joëlle Rochet, Guy
Fontenelle, Verena Trenkel, Jacques A. Bertrand,
André Carpentier, Franck Coppin, Jean-Paul
Delpech, Eric Foucher, Kelig Mahé, Emilie Rostiaux
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Towards an Ecosystem Approach of Fisheries

• Involving stakeholders
• Knowledge on fisheries and ecosystem
• Views on management objectives and tools
• How do fishers describe the marine ecosystem?
  (components and interactions, current vs past
  state)

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Study areaEastern English Channel

• a small ecosystem under pressure from a
  diversity of human activities (fisheries, land
  runoffs, traffic)
• with a good knowledge base

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Methods

• Semi-directive interviews 1-2 hours cognitive
  maps
• Four themes
• - Reference system (what is the Eastern English
  Channel)
• - The stakeholders perception of the ecosystem
• - Current fisheries management objectives and
  methods
• - Expectations for the future
• 29 interviewees
• - represent the diversity of métiers and
  fishers age structure
• - from a diversity of ports Boulogne, Le
  Tréport, Dieppe, Honfleur, Trouville, Port en
  Bessin, Grandcamp

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Methods cognitive maps

• A bubble diagram drawn by the interviewee showing
  the main components and interactions in the
  ecosystem (incl. strength)

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Results fishers perceptions

• Eastern Channel ecosystem status

• Fisheries resources are depleted for 76 of the
  interviewees, especially flatfish and cod
• Some population changes are ascribed to water
  warming fishing seasons vary and are shorter
• Pollution is high, although improving
• Fishing gears and gravel extraction are thought
  to damage sea bottom

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Results fishers perceptions

• The major ecosystem components

Métiers
Number of times items were mentioned in cognitive
maps
Commercial fishing impacts the marine ecosystem,
but pollution, climate change, and the industry
have strong impacts too.
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Results fishers expectations

• The current management system is unsatisfactory
  
• - management tools inefficient and not well
  understood
• - historical quotas criticized
• - feeling of unequal treatment among fishers
  from different member states
• - insufficient communication between managers
  and fishers
• Management objectives
• 1) primarily economic
• 2) resource and habitat preservation

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Results a cognitive map averaged across 10
trawlers
Fisheries resources are threatened by many factors
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Results comparison with scientific knowledge

• Fishers statement 1. Overall resources decreased
• Total abundance and biomass from the CGFS
  groundfish survey

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Results comparison with scientific knowledge
Fishers statement 2. Especially flatfish, cod,
whiting and cuttlefish decreased

• Abundance indices from the CGFS landings

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Results comparison with scientific knowledge

• Fishers statement 2. seabass red mullet
  increased and scallops remained stable
• Abundance indices from CGFS COMOR landings

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Results comparison with scientific knowledge

• Fishers statement 3. Average size of catch
  decreased, especially for sole
• Average sole weight in landings

? Agree
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Results comparison with scientific knowledge

• Fishers statement 4. Sole fishing season shifted
  to a later period
• Monthly sole landings (2000-2005)

? Agree
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Conclusions

• Interviewed fishers are pessimistic about the
  current status of the Eastern English Channel
  ecosystem and are not satisfied with the
  management system
• Most of their perceptions are corroborated by
  available scientific data
• Both views concur that the Eastern English
  Channel is in a poor state
• Cognitive maps have proven useful to formalise
  stakeholder views.