Twenty three institutes work together in two Task Groups, i.e. Nephrops and cetaceans to develop alternative gear modifications and fishing tactics in collaboration with the fishing industry to reduce by-catches in the relevant Nephrops and pelagic fisheries, without reducing the catch of target species significantly. The project consists of ten work packages, as follows:
WP1: Management and co-ordination
WP2: Statistical planning, modelling and analysis
WP3: Species selective Nephrops gears
WP4: Alternative tactics Nephrops fisheries
WP5: Biological effects Nephrops fisheries
WP6: Cetacean by-catch and alternative tactics
WP7: Gear modifications pelagic trawls - Cetaceans
WP8: Impact on Cetacean stocks
WP9: Socio-economic repercussions
WP10: Dissemination and implementation
The duration of the project is 38 months, from 01/03/2004. Special emphasis will be given to disseminating the results of the work to the fishing industry and recommending proper implementation of alternative gears and fishing tactics, as well as knowledge transfer between partners from North-West Europe and the Mediterranean. Biological and socio-economic effects will also be evaluated.
