S.L. 425.9 Art. 2006are already limiting fishing certain modes FMZ is that sector is the impacts on the for the 25 in Council than 12 m are a limited fishing with the authorised pertinent to possibility of of parts of zones within 3 will include a of 399 959 (92.7%) fishing vessels, dolphinfish, operated migratory or M

Therefore the fisheries covered by this management plan subject to a number of targeted measures including measures effort, capacity, vessel size, engine power and fishing areas for of fishing.

The main fleet segment which is allowed to fish in the 25 NM composed of vessels smaller than 12 m. The small scale artisanal most sustainable fishing segment and this measure limits marine environment to a minimum. The maximum fishing capacity NM FMZ is set in the Treaty of Accession and is reflected Regulation (EC) 1967/2006.

A number of fishing activities conducted by vessels larger allowed to fish in the FMZ by way of derogation. These include number of trawlers, vessels fishing for dolphinfish and vessels small pelagic purse seines and longlines.

Annex V of Council Regulation (EC) 1967/2006 also sets trawlable areas within the 25 NM FMZ. In this regard it is also note that the Maltese authorities are currently studying the relocating part of the authorised trawlable areas due to the closure the areas due to protected habitats present in the zones and the NM. This issue will be examined under different cover and review on the trawlability of the said zones.

3.2 The Maltese commercial fishing fleet

As from January 2013, the Maltese fishing fleet is currently composed full time vessels and 635 part time vessels. Out of these vessels vessels are below 12 m and are considered to be small-scale while the remaining 75 (7.3 %) vessels are over 12 m.

The main fisheries in Maltese waters are those for bluefin tuna, swordfish, demersal and small pelagics. These fisheries are mostly on a seasonal basis, according to the particular targeted species’ biological behaviour.

3.3 Recreational fisheries

As of January 2013, the recreational category of vessels in the Vessel Register (FVR) is composed of 1,915 vessels. In accordance Article 17 of Council Regulation 1967/2006, the use of surrounding nets, purse seines, boat dredges, mechanised dredges, trammel nets and combined bottom-set nets and longlines for highly species are prohibited for recreational fisheries. Fish caught by category cannot be sold.

Recreational Fisheries Board to discuss possible management measures including the possibility of restricting fishing effort has been set up. The Recreational Fisheries Board will provide a report with possible management measures and this, together with a consultation exercise with stakeholders, be used as a basis to draft a Legal Notice on recreational fishing establishing minimum thresholds in terms of effort, gear selectivity and licensing to fish.

Fisheries covered by the multi-annual national management plan line with Article 19 of Council Regulation 1967/2006, two management have been developed; one for the lampara purse seine fishery and one the bottom otter trawler fishery. The management plans have been developed taking into account biological, economic and social objectives and be implemented for the vessels within the 25 NM FMZ. For each plan the following steps will be followed:

Definition of the objectives and quantifying targets to reach such objectives

Review of the status of the stocks based on indices of stock abundance obtained from stock assessments where possible and on Catch per Unit Effort (CPUE) Review of potential management tools and possible scenarios Assessment of the socio-economic impact of the potential management measures

Selection of best management tools Implementation of the management measures and Monitoring and evaluation of the results.

submitted management plans should be considered as a living document. plans will be revised on the basis of new information (data) and in terms the biological and socio-economic performance of the chosen measures. 7 is therefore of paramount importance.

Lampara fishery management plan applies to Lampara fishing vessels authorised to carry pelagic fisheries. The main target species include Chub Mackerel (Scomber japonicus) and Round Sardinella (Sardinella aurita).

lampara fleet consists of 18 boats having an overall tonnage of 520 GT, a main engine power of 3,236 kW and provides 25 jobs. This represents than 2% of the number of vessels registered in the Commercial fishing register. 17 vessels in this fleet are on average 16 m long, with an average tonnage of 25 GT and average engine power of 151 kW.

2011, lampara production amounted to 176 metric tonnes (€191,000 in value terms) which represents 9% of total landings but less selling value. In the same year, landings from Chub Mackerel japonicus) and Round Sardinella (Sardinella aurita) represented of the ‘lampara’ landings respectively.

All stocks targeted by the Maltese lampara fishery are stocks Sicily due to the population distribution over the Malta Bank, the Maltese Islands with Sicily.

Stock assessment information for the Central Mediterranean is available for Chub Mackerel (Scomber japonicus) and Round (Sardinella aurita).

Irrespective of their length overall, all lampara vessels are tracking system and are requested to complete a catch logbook better monitor their fishing activity. In addition the fishing capacity GT and dimensions of the gear are not allowed to increase.

4.2 Bottom otter trawling fishery

The management plan applies to trawlers authorised to carry fisheries within the 25 NM fishing management zone. The main include Red Shrimps (Aristeomorpha foliacea), Red Mullet (Mullus Pink Shrimp (Parapenaeus longirostris).

The trawler fleet authorised to fish within the 25 NM FMZ boats having an overall tonnage of 1,056 GT, a total main engine 3,700 kW and provides 59 jobs. This represents less than 2% of vessels registered in the Commercial fishing register. The vessels are on average 22 m long, have an average tonnage of 88 GT engine power of 333kW.

In 2011, trawler production amounted to almost 171 metric tonnes value terms) which represents 8% of total landings but less selling value. Landings from Red Shrimps (Aristeomorpha Mullet (Mullus spp.) and (Parapenaeus longirostris) represent 12 % of the trawler landings respectively.

4.3 Biological Review

For the lampara fishery, the Department of Aquacultureexamined several options with regards to the biological the stocks and possible extrapolation of data, to assess the possible the scenarios on the stocks. However in the light that no stock the target species is available at regional level and due to the fact main species exploited by the Maltese fleet are part of a shared to the fact that the Maltese catches are substantially low when catches by other countries, the only review which is viable considered to be reliable was the results of the trends of the CPUE.

For the bottom otter trawler fishery, the stock assessments regional level were used to determine the status of the stocks.

Socio-economic review each of the identified scenarios mentioned in sections 5.2.1 and 6.2.1, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculturehave estimated the catches for each the main target species by reference to growth rates in the past as well as production growth expectations for the future.

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) expects world fisheries production in 2020 to grow by about 15% above the average level for 2008-2010. It is anticipated that the major increases in the quantity of fish produced will originate from aquaculture.

However, when considering the annual growth rate of aquaculture for the projected period it is estimated to be 2.8% which is lower than the rate of observed during the previous decade. Capture fisheries are expected to register small growth over the next ten years as shown in Figure 1: Declining growth rate of fish production. below.

Figure 1: Declining growth rate of fish production.

the other hand, the revised CFP estimates that a rise in average consumption of between 0.5% to 1% average yearly growth rate is expected in majority of European countries (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta and the 3 United Kingdom).

effects that the planned management measures might have on the fishing have been taken into consideration in this analysis.

Projected price trends

OECD/the Food and Aquaculture Organisation (FAO) expects world fish prices to continue the growing trend experienced in 2010 and early 2011. They be affected by income and human population growth, stagnant capture fisheries production, increasing feed cost and higher crude oil factors will contribute to the rise in fish prices over the medium

However, OECD/FAO opines that there will be different scenarios fisheries production and for aquaculture. With the growing price and the higher price of other feeds, the spread between the average output from aquaculture and capture will grow over the medium addition, the average price for wild fish should increase less species due to expected changes in the catch composition, with of lower value fish.

OECD/FAO expects the average world price for captured species by 23% and for aquaculture species by a 50% by 2020 compared average 2008-10. In addition to the need to compensate for the fish meal, prices of aquaculture will also grow due to strong domestic

The price-quantity relationship has been specified by various literature (Huang, 2005). The price elasticity co-efficient from were derived and are summarised below:

Table 1: Price elasticity co-efficient for some of the target species

Species Price elasticity co-efficient for every production Hake -0.37 Mullet -0.22 Shrimp -0.20

Choice of ordinary or inverse demand model may be based on causality. In the case of food, the causality from demand changes found more realistic than vice versa, as demand for food determined by human needs, regardless of the price, than the demand goods. In the case of seafood in particular, the causality from demand to price is found more realistic than vice versa. This is because and that demand is given by a marked exogenous supply, which by circumstances such as bio-economy, weather, fishery management

In the literature ordinary demand models are used to forecast inverse demand models are used to forecast price. In a part of both models are used on the same data set and thereby forecast tested. Burton (1992) finds that the inverse demand model forecasts wet fish in UK significantly better than the ordinary model forecasts for wet fish in UK. Eales et. al. (1997) reach the same conclusion Japanese fish markets.

4.4.2 Projected income streams

Revenues by species are obtained as a product of the projected estimated landings of a particular species. The costs of each fleet broken down in categories that include salaries and wages, repairs and maintenance costs, variable costs and non-variable costs. The cost projections are based on cost relationships that are derived from actual results registered in the period 2008 to 2011.

Supporting workings with respect to loss of profits estimates following table includes the workings that were used in estimating the of profits that could be incurred in the different scenarios envisaged in the management plans.

2: Profitability estimate per vessel

Lampara Trawlers year revenues 895,304 7,187,896 Number of vessels 18.60 12.00 Average five year revenue per vessel 48,135 598,991 Average profit conversion 46% 15% Average five year contribution per vessel 22,030 89,849

information is based on the economic data collected annually for the purpose of the EU Data Collection Programme by means of a sample survey. data provides indications of the revenues generated by each type of fleet, nature and split of operational costs between fixed and variable costs and resultant profit contributions. The number of vessels is based on the fishing vessel register information.

Maltese management plan for the lampara fishery

Objectives

Based on the biological, social and economic aspects of the fisheries the following objectives have been defined:

Ensuring the sustainability of the stock Ensuring financial stability for fishers

Safeguarding artisanal fishing activity each objective specific indicators and benchmarks were established so as reach the objectives of the plan.

explained in section 4, stock assessments for the related stocks were not available and thus the biological indicators and targets reference points were calculated based on CPUE data. The data used in the calculations were collected through logbooks for vessels over 10 m and Market Sales Vouchers vessels smaller than 10 m. As from 2012, all of the landings of the fleet recorded by officials at landing. However, the data collected at landing 2012 was not included in this analysis, so as to avoid variances arising due sampling methodologies. Thus 2012 data was extracted using the same methodology as for previous years; through logbooks for vessels and Market Sales Vouchers for vessels smaller than 10 m. CPUE established to indicate the status of the stocks.

The socio-economic indicators and targets were calculated based variables and indicators based on the economic data collected

With this data the several scenarios were presented and assed in the best management measures for the Maltese lampara fishery NM FMZ.

The objectives, indicators and targets are presented below Objectives, indicators and targets for the lampara fishery management

Table 3: Objectives, indicators and targets for the lampara management plan

Objectives Indicator Targets Biological