North Sea fish and fisheries

Abstract

From the Introduction: “The DTI has recently completed a Strategic Environment Assessment (SEA) for an area to the north and west of Shetland known as the "White Zone" (DTI, 2000). It is the intention of Government to complete a series of further sectoral SEAs with the ultimate objective of assessing the entire UK continental shelf. The purpose of the SEA process is to assess the potential impact of the offshore oil and gas licensing rounds, and to promote environmentally sound development of Britain's hydrocarbon resources. Information provided as part of the SEA process will be used to inform the environmental sensitivity of the region, and as a result, blocks may be withdrawn or conditions imposed.

This report is a contribution to the second of these strategic assessments, SEA2, which covers the mature oil and gas fields of the Southern, Central and Northern North Sea. The report deals with issues concerning fish resources such as spawning areas and nursery grounds, and the commercial exploitation of the main fishing stocks in the North Sea. In such a strategic assessment, it is clearly necessary to focus attention on the implications for fish and fisheries of continued exploration and production of oil and gas reserves. Of necessity this will deal with the North Sea on a broad scale rather than identify sensitivities in individual fields. There are, however, a number of other human activities in the North Sea which also impact fish and fisheries, and foremost amongst these is the effect of commercial exploitation itself. The recent Quality Status Report of the North Sea undertaken by OSPAR (OSPAR 2000), identified in the highest impact class several human activities such as the direct and indirect effects of fishing and the input of nutrients and trace organic contaminants from land. This report will deal only with the impact on fish and fisheries of the oil and gas industry and commercial fisheries. It will also discuss the interaction between these two industries and potential sources of conflict.”