Scottish Langoustine (Nephrops norvegicus)

Scottish Langoustine (Nephrops

norvegicus) Grounds & Stocks
• Nephrops stocks surround Scotland
• the largest volume grounds are
in the North Sea
• Stocks are healthy, sustainable
and well managed.
• ~63% of EU Nephrops Quota is
allocated to the UK
› Most of this fished by the
Scottish fleet

1
 Scottish Langoustine
• Scotland’s most valuable seafood product.
• Landings by Scottish vessels in 2006:
– Volume – 29,612 tonnes (live weight)*
– Value - Over £89M
– Less than 10% of total volume taken by under 10m vessels
• Landings in 2007 36,489 tonnes (unconfirmed figure)

– Three main markets/products

• Tails - predominantly UK
• Whole fresh & frozen
• Live – export
• Main export markets Spain, Italy & France

KEY LANGOUSTINE MARKETS 2006

Imports
Landings 2,400 t.
Export 40,900 t.
21,500 t.
Home Market
Spain 21,800 t.
6,700 t.

Italy
6,000 t. Foodservice Retail

France
5,900 t.

2
 TOTAL UK LANGOUSTINE EXPORTS, 2006

Irish RepublicOthers
Volume Share 3% 5%
China
5%
Spain
32%

France
27%

Italy
28%

Catching methods
– Trawl (day & trip boats)
– Creel (predominantly under 10m vessels on the West
Coast)

3
Natural factors in stock conservation
– Found on muddy bottoms at varying depths
– Construct & live in burrows, only coming out to feed &
find a mate
– Females remain in burrows when carrying eggs
– Both factors make over fishing difficult

Stock assessment
– Unlike fish difficult to age langoustine
– FRS developed a TV survey technique that
counts burrows
– Target areas where substrate can support langoustine
– TV camera pulled along the seabed by a sledge
– Extensive stock survey work during 2004/2005 resulted in
significant quota increases in 2006
– 2006 surveys have shown increases in long-term
abundance for 5 of Scotland’s stocks and a slight
decrease in one: quotas were adjusted accordingly

4
Sustainable fisheries = sustainable fishermen
= sustainable communities

5
 The Fruitful Bough

– The trawler is owned by the

newest generation of a fishing
dynasty that stretches back for
more than a century.
– Skippered by the young and
ambitious James West, one of the
youngest skippers in the British
fishing fleet, the crew includes
another two of his brothers, 27-
years-old Robert and 23-years-
old Andrew. Fruitful Bough is one
of the most successful
langoustine boats in Peterhead.

The Fruitful Bough

– The current vessel is the 3rd Fruitful

Bough owned by the family
– Previous vessel targeted whitefish,
but switched to langoustine in 2001
– Significant investment in quota &
subsequently the new vessel in 2004
built specifically to target langoustine
– Retain whitefish quota: catch 2/3
langoustine to 1/3 whitefish

6
Fishing operation
– Twin-rig trawler
– Impact on seabed limited
• Target areas where langoustine are prevalent (i.e. muddy
bottoms)
• Lighter gear (innovation in lighter twines and trawl doors) –
reduces drag & fuel consumption
– Limited by-catch as operation targeted
• Twin rig has low headline height so targets fish & shellfish
closer to seabed
• Fruitful Bough like many langoustine trawlers holds whitefish
quota

Fisheries management
– Licences
– Quotas
– Days at sea restrictions
– Satellite monitoring
– Registration of Buyers &
Sellers (RBS)
– Technical measures
• Mesh size
• Square Mesh Panels

7
Innovation in fisheries management in Scotland
– Industry/science/government/conservation group
partnership aimed at protecting cod stocks
• Voluntary closed area scheme
– Initiative started on 1 September 2007 to protect juvenile cod
• Observer scheme
– The Fruitful Bough the first Scottish vessel to take an observer
to sea to prove cod avoidance
• Scottish Conservation Credits Scheme
– Outcome of voluntary initiatives in 2007
– Scotland trusted to manage its own Days at Sea allocation
» Involves Real Time Closures to protect spawning & juvenile
cod
» Selectivity – one net rule with a “Square Mesh Panle”

8
 Voluntary initiatives to prove sustainable &
responsible fishing
• Responsible Fishing Scheme
– An independent, audited assessment of
the application of good practice by a vessel
skipper and crew in their fishing operations.
• MSC accreditation of North Sea Nephrops
(langoustine) stocks
– Industry grouping has put the North Sea fisheries
forward for MSC accreditation, following on the heels
of Nephrops fisheries in Loch Torridon, the Clyde, &
the Minch

Quality!
• Sustainable stocks & sustainable fishermen are
imperative, but no good landing poor quality
• Vessels like the Fruitful Bough ensure top
quality through investment in equipment &
excellent handling practices
– Weighing & grading at sea
– Using slurry ice to rapidly chill the langoustine &
ensure quality is maintained
• Previous finalist in the UK Seafood Awards
“Catching for the Market” category
• Pilot vessel in the M&J Seafoods “Scottish
Skippers’ Scheme”

9
In conclusion
• Scottish langoustine ARE well managed and
sustainable!
• They are a high quality tasty product
• Support significant communities in
Scotland
• Excellent provenance
• Low food miles to get them on your
plate

10
For further information please visit our website
www.seafoodscotland.org

11