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Monitoring & Compliance Stakeholder compliance with national and international management regimes is fundamental to the sustainable policy of the Scottish pelagic industry. The industry recognises that pelagic fisheries are most effectively controlled by TAC's and quotas and believes that quotas must be respected if the stocks are to remain healthy. The monitoring of fishing activities is an essential part of the sustainable policy of any fishery. The main goals and objectives of any fishery monitoring programme will generally be:- • The collection of information on catch; bycatch; protected species; discards and wider environmental data which is used for management and stock assessment purposes. • The monitoring of fishing activity adherence to regulations governing the fishery. • The monitoring of fishing activity and effort to develop a better understanding of the operation of the fishery. At-sea observers offer one means of gathering independent, cost effective data, and may be used to reduce conflicts between stakeholders; concerns regarding over-exploitation and to provide a better understanding of how particular fisheries work. Whatever their motivation for use, they should provide outputs that contribute to the development of international management measures that encourage good fishing practices and promote both stock and fishery sustainability. To this end the Scottish pelagic industry supports their use as one means to provide this assurance and information, and will work with industry agencies, bodies and industry groups to facilitate such programmes where considered appropriate. The Scottish pelagic fleet already has strong relationships in this field with the FRS Marine Laboratory and Sea Mammal Research Unit, St Andrews University and will cooperate and comply with monitoring programmes put in place to ensure that these goals can be met in line with cooperation provided by fishermen from other nations fishing pelagic stocks in the North East Atlantic. It is recognised that monitoring programmes help to provide evidence and demonstrate compliance of conservation, mitigation and technical measures in place for the management of the fishery. Therefore, when appropriate the industry will help establish, in consultation with relevant regulatory agencies, bodies and industry groups; effective monitoring systems to record and evaluate adherence to sustainable principles and practices. In Scotland, vessels may only land to buyers who are registered within the compliance regulations laid down by the Scottish Executive. Under this scheme the buyers are obliged to keep records and be open to inspection by the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency at any time. This, added to the existing regulation on the catching sector, extends control throughout the supply chain. The Scottish pelagic industry welcomes this as an essential development to ensure total and uniform compliance with all fisheries management regulations. It is however essential that there is parity within the EU and for all third countries. A pelagic inspection protocol governing the inspection and monitoring procedures for pelagic processing plants has been agreed between SFPA and most of the pelagic processing industry. It is understood that the provisions of this protocol will be implemented throughout the entire industry. This is essential to ensure widespread and total confidence in the pelagic monitoring and compliance regime. |