produits de la mer - n°200 - Avril-mai 2020 - 114

Special feature ❘ BASS SEABREAM

French fishing shows a mixed picture
Contrasting situation
of Bass landings in French
ports : stable in the Bay of
Biscay, minimal in the North.
More flexible measures
have been implemented
regarding management
of stocks in 2019.

L.F.

he annual catch of Bass by French
fishing boats which usually
equals 300 tons in the northern
zone (Celtic Sea, Channel and
North Sea) has been divided by 10 since
2010. This year is a landmark for the
decline of the stock and has justified
the emergency measures that were
going to be taken from 2014 onwards
at European level. In addition to the ban
on fishing in February and March (biological rest periods), the increase from
36 to 42 cm in the minimum size was
the first measure to come into force.
Three years later, in 2017, a total ban on
fishing was implemented with specific
derogations for certain methods (longline, trolling, surfcasting and netting).
Specific limits on the number of licensed vessels and on their engine power
were also decided. Since 2019, exemptions have been made very flexible: the
quantities authorised per vessel rise to
5.7 tons per year for hook fishing and
1 400 kg per year for netting. As regards
bottom trawls and seines, by-catches
are accepted up to a limit of 1% of the

In Brittany, the association of line fishermen denounces
the licensing system granted to the Bay of Biscay.

daily catch. However, other gears such
as pelagic trawls and purse seines must
return by-catches to the sea. In 2018,
in the northern zone, the catch of wild
Bass on hooks amounted to 141 tons,
while only 66 tons for bottom trawls
and 61 tons for set nets.
While French fishermen share stocks
with Belgian, British, Irish and Dutch fishermen in the northern zone, in the Bay of
Biscay, French fleets are almost on their

In 2018, the
auction price of
line-caught Bass was

19.65

€
compared
to €13.38 /kg
for other forms
of fishing.

(Source France AgriMer)

own, with the Spanish making less than
5% of the catches. In 2018, their catch
amounted to 2,240 tons. In this zone, scientific advice from ICES (the International
Council For the Exploration of the Sea)
shows a much more stable situation, both
in terms of spawning fish biomass and
fishing pressure. "We are very close to
the MSY, the maximum sustainable yield,"
explains the National Fisheries Committee.
"A catch upper limit, which is not equal
to quotas, has been put in place, as well
as a licensing system". At the same time,
limits in size have been increased to 40 cm
in 2020 as opposed to 36 cm in 2017. The
great diversity of fishing methods involved
in wild Bass fishing is characteristic of the
Bay of Biscay. While some trollers work
exclusively with Bass, others, such as netters -who also fish for sole- or longliners,
are less dependent on it. These different
strategies cause certain tensions, as was
observed last autumn when the association of line fishermen from the Pointe de
Bretagne firmly denounced intensive fishing. They disagreed with a licensing system
which is considered to be out of step with
reality: "The 550 licences allocated correspond to a catch capacity well above the
authorised limit." Line fishermen and their
president Gwen Pennarun are strongly
against the Danish seine and all-purpose
fishing nets: "For the last ten years or
so, we have witnessed a rush towards
Bass from vessels which did not target it
before. Seiners can literally empty an area
several kilometres long in a few hours,
catching both young and adult fish. Some
vessels even catch several tons of Bass, but
keep only the biggest ones ". n

Gloria Maris lance Les éleveurs bleus

vec une production annuelle de bar, daurade royale et maigre Label rouge de 1 000 tonnes,
Gloria Maris revendique, via ses deux fermes corses d'Acquadea, 20 % de la production
française. Si le dossier d'IGP tarde à être finalisé, l'entreprise a concrétisé l'an passé deux
contrats de partenariats : l'un pour une Filière qualité Carrefour, l'autre avec Ethic ocean.
Au plan marketing, elle développe la nouvelle marque Les éleveurs bleus : soit quatre références libre-service de frais emballé (bar et daurade, en filets et en entier, vidé et gratté).
« L'objectif, annonce Stéphane Merida, directeur commercial, faire découvrir nos produits
français aux consommateurs n'achetant pas de produits entiers au rayon marée. »

❘ 114 ❘ PRODUITS DE LA MER N°200 APRIL-MAY 2020

produits de la mer - n°200 - Avril-mai 2020

Table des matières de la publication produits de la mer - n°200 - Avril-mai 2020