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Workshops and Symposia

Dune Management 2008 / Blue Mussel Fishery Management / Climate Change 2007 / Invasion of the Pacific Oyster 2007 / Trends in Migratory Waterbirds 2006 / Monitoring - Foundations and Perspectives 2005 / Challenges to the Wadden Sea Area, 2000 / Caring for the Wadden Sea,1999 / Data Management 1998 / Ecosystem Research, 1996

 

Trilateral Workshop on Blue Mussel Fishery Management 11 June 2008, Wattemeerhaus, Südstrand 110b Wilhelmshaven
On invitation of the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, over 60 scientists, managers and users from Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands and England discussed experiences in blue mussel management from the past 10 years. This concerned results from recent scientific research on impacts of blue mussel fisheries on the ecosystem and proposals for a common trilateral management approach. A major point in all discussions was how and to which extent the EU Habitats Directive will have influence on mussel fishery in the Wadden Sea. An interesting example from the Wash (eastern coast of England) was presented. In this area, which is comparable with the Wadden Sea, a new management scheme for cockle and mussel fisheries has been developed by the responsible authorities, in close cooperation with the sector. Clear and quantified objectives have been agreed upon, for example about the amount of mussels that must be present in the ecosystem, as well as the amount to be reserved for birds. There was general agreement that in order to develop more specific protection aims, it is necessary to collect more data on the natural values in the sublittoral and to carry out an inventory on a trilateral basis. Presentations Georg Nehls (BioConsult-Schleswig-Holstein): Overview of current management of blue mussel fishery in the international Wadden Sea (PDF) Cora Markensteijn (Produktschap Vis, NL): Dutch mussel fishery policies and EU legislation Per Dolmer, Helle Torp Christensen (Technical University of Denmark): Topical developments in Denmark. KARSTEN LAURSEN (NERI) Christian Buschbaum (AWI, Sylt, D): Comparison of biodiversity of subtidal blue mussel beds and culture beds Bruno Ens (SOVON, NL): Impacts of mussel fisheries on the Wadden Sea ecosystem Conor Donnelly (Natural England) & Judith Stoutt (Eastern Sea Fisheries Joint Committee, England): The Fisheries Management Policies in the Wash (Download Fisheries Management Policy 2008 / Link to ESFJC Website) Aad Smaal (IMARES, NL): Perspectives for sustainable mussel culture   Discussion of the new UK Wash Fisheries Management Policies: Peter Südbeck (National Park Lower Saxon Wadden Sea), Conor Donnelly (Natural England) and Judith Stoutt (Eastern Seas Fisheries Joint Committee) (from left to right).
Download Final Programme Background of the workshop Trilateral Targets for blue mussels have been adopted in 1994 and a trilateral policy and management for blue mussel fishery has been laid down in the Wadden Sea Plan 1997. Since then, major developments have taken place regarding national regulation of shellfish fisheries and the elaboration of management plans under the EU Habitats Directive (References: Trilateral shellfish fishery report 2002, QSR 2004 –Chapter 2.5 Fishery, World Heritage Nomination Dossier, 2008). Blue mussel fishery is currently extensively discussed Wadden Sea wide. Recently, the highest Dutch administrative court “Raad van State” has determined that the responsible authority has to examine the complaints against mussel seed fishery for granting a permit for seed fishery in spring 2006. These concern possible damage of mussel fishery to the sediment and lack of food for birds. In the Danish Wadden Sea a permit for mussel fishery was revoked because of lack of mussels for migratory birds. The management plan for mussel fishery in the Lower Saxon Wadden Sea is being renewed for a further period. In preparation of the 2010 Wadden Sea Ministerial Conference, the Trilateral Wadden Sea Plan is being further developed. Mussel fishery is an important element of the further development of the Plan in conjunction with the EU Habitats and Birds Directives. Further, there is an ongoing discussion on whether the subtidal mussel beds must be considered reefs. In the framework of the preparation of the new Quality Status Report, a preliminary report will be available for discussion at the workshop. Aims To review the experiences of ten years of trilateral policy on blue mussel fishery management, in the light of relevant research findings on the status of blue mussel beds, as well as fisheries impact on the ecosystem (birds, sublittoral); To investigate new approaches to the management of blue mussels, resulting from the requirements of the Habitats Directive (HD) and the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and current knowledge of the impacts of blue mussel fisheries on the Wadden Sea ecosystem.
Organized by: Common Wadden Sea Secretariat
Background documents Wadden Sea Plan 1997 World Heritage Nomination Dossier (January 2008) Trilateral Shellfish Fishery Report 2002 Wadden Sea Quality Status Reports 2004, Chapter 2.5 Fishery UK Wash Fisheries Management Policies 2008 (ESFJC website)

 

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