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The document is a report of an expert group under the auspices of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea and does not necessarily represent the views of the Council.

This report considers the role that fishing and aquaculture play in maintaining and enhancing shellfish ecosystem services and delivering public goods and benefits. The relevance of this to future marine policy development is also considered.

The report presents economic estimates at UK, home nation and fleet segment level for the UK fishing fleet. The estimates are calculated based on samples of fishing costs and earnings gathered by Seafish as part of the 2020 Annual Fleet Economic Survey.

This report describes an assessment of the ecological effects of commercial fishing in waters off Southwest England (ICES Divisions VII e,f,g & h).

Report on the Current State of Driftnet Fisheries in the UK.

Sodium metabisulphite has been used in the UK fishing industry for many years to control the effects of melanotic blackening in prawns (Nephrops norvegicus). Recent requirements for allergen labelling and court cases resulting from high levels of sulphite residue have prompted interest to secure alternative treatments to control melanosis. Further motivation has come from the highly corrosive nature of sodium metabisulphite. This causes extensive damage to vessels and processing equipment and has serious operational health and safety issues. A number of treatments were trialled in a commercial environment to determine a viable alternative to sodium metabisulphite. Prawns were treated at sea and then assessed for shelf life and sulphite residue by processors in NE Scotland. 5 treatments were competitive with sodium metabisulphite, these include sulphite based and non sulphite based treatments. As such, vessels and factories are provided with a variety of treatment options depending on their own product requirements. Alternative sulphite based treatments exhibit reduced operational hazards and lower sulphite residues in the tail meat while selected non sulphite based treatments are classified as ‘processing aids’ and are exempt from any form of food additive labelling.

The Shellfish Stakeholder Working Group (SSWG) commissioned Seafish to undertake a review of the application of the Official Control Regulations that apply to live bivalve production in EU Member States, with a focus on the microbial requirements.

A report of the Study Group on Electrical Trawling (SGELECTRA).

This report presents economic estimates at UK, home nation and fleet segment level for the UK fishing fleet. The estimates are calculated based on samples of fishing costs and earnings gathered by Seafish as part of the 2021 Annual Fleet Economic Survey.

Since 1987 the Northern Prawn Fishery (NPF) fleet has towed double rigs (two nets). Prior to this most trawlers towed quad rig (four nets). To improve economic efficiency in the fishery there is great interest to again allow the use of quad rig.