Boost for Northumberland coast lobster survival

Posted by Simon Honeysett on Oct 16, 08 09:52 AM in News

A SCHEME which seeks to protect stocks of lobster off the North East coast will continue next year, thanks to a new funding stream.

Northumberland Sea Fisheries Committee has been running its lobster V-notching scheme for the past nine years, where it marks females carrying eggs to ensure they are returned to the water by fishermen.

Fisheries Committee officer Al Browne holding an egg-carrying female lobster with a V shape cut into the tail section

The scheme was funded by European Union grants which have now stopped, meaning the committee has to find the money itself.

But now, RWE npower has provided a £2,000 donation which will allow the V-notching to continue next year.

Robert Rustage, environmental manager for npower, said: "Protecting the environment is something that we feel is very important, and we are committed to helping out and making a difference wherever possible, so we were delighted to be able to make this contribution.

In our ongoing work in the North East we are continually looking at ways in which we can protect the environment and help local habitats and species to flourish. The Northumberland Sea Fisheries are very committed to this scheme - it's great to see all the hard work paying off."

Al Browne, pictured, an officer with the committee, said: "We'd like to thank RWE npower for this very kind donation.

"V-notching is a massively important scheme to us and the fishing industry in general, and this money will help us to keep funding it for another season."

V-notching was first conceived in America in the early 1990s.

A "V" shape is cut into the tail section of the egg carrying female lobster, which will be visible for around two years.

If the lobster is caught, the fisherman will see the mark and return it.

This ensures the females will live to breed for a further three seasons.

The Northumberland committee has introduced 1,000 female lobsters to its waters each year since its scheme began.

It believes the by-law to stop egg carrying females being caught raises awareness of the need to prevent capture of undersized and not fully mature lobsters.

Quota on other species such as cod has also raised implications for lobsters and other shellfish which are not subject to a restriction, allowing fishermen to catch as many as they like. The committee does limit non-permit holders to one a day but for those with permits, there is no restriction.

The body is planning to introduce a new by-law in the new year restricting the number of pots which can be put down in its district for the catching of lobster and other shellfish.

Mr Browne added: "There are difficulties at the moment for fishermen in terms of how much they can catch.

"We are concerned that if we do not have these sort of measures in place, that the species could be overfished."

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