Multispecies fisheries management: a comprehensive impact assessment of the sandeel fishery along the English East coast

Summary Objective

The main objective of this project was to produce a spatially explicit multi-species model. This model would be used to explore how alternative sandeel fishery management options might impact on sandeels and their predators.  The area of research was the Dogger Bank, off the English East coast.

Our local knowledge and data from local field surveys on the ecology of sandeels was used to validate the model for the local area. Fisheries acoustics were an important tool used to assess the biomass, ecology and behaviour of sandeels.

Key Customer Purpose

The main purpose of the project was to provide Defra with scientific information regarding the true reliance of predators upon sandeel patches. Defra also needed to know about any potential effects that the industrial fishery may have.