Alternate title

Date ( Creation )

2013-07-13

Identifier

Marine_Scotland_FishDAC_1202

Maintenance and update frequency

notPlanned Not planned

Keywords

• Marine Environmental Data and Information Network

SeaDataNet Agreed Parameter Groups

• Fisheries

GEMET - INSPIRE themes, version 1.0 ( Theme )

• Species distribution

Use limitation

The following attribution statement must be used:The following attribution statement must be used: Contains information from Scottish Government (Marine Scotland) licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Use limitation

The dataset, as of July 2013, is based on interviews of 1,090 fishermen. Not all fishermen initially targeted for the ScotMap project were interviewed (72% vessel coverage overall) and not all those interviewed provided earnings information (10% earnings disclosure decline rate overall). Individuals defined their fishing areas with variable levels of precision. Users of the data should be aware of this, particularly of the coverage provided by the ScotMap data set which varies regionally.

Access constraints

otherRestrictions Other restrictions

Other constraints

no limitations to public access

Distance

0.025  http://standards.iso.org/ittf/PubliclyAvailableStandards/ISO_19139_Schemas/resources/uom/gmxUom.xml#deg

Metadata language

eng English

Topic category

• Environment
• Oceans

Geographic identifier

SCT

 

Date ( Publication )

2007-12-13

Reference system identifier

EPSG / WGS 84 (EPSG:4326) / 7.9

Distribution format

• GeoTIFF (1.0 )

OnLine resource

DOI: 10.7489/1554-1  

Link to report and rasters (zipped tiffs)

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Divers_SCE_Vesselno  

ScotMap_Central_Divers_SCE_Vesselno

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Divers_SCE_monetary  

ScotMap_Central_Divers_SCE_monetary

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Monetary_Value  

ScotMap_Central_Monetary_Value

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_NumberCrew  

ScotMap_Central_NumberCrew

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_NumberVessels  

ScotMap_Central_NumberVessels

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Pots_Crab_lobster_Vesselno  

ScotMap_Central_Pots_Crab_lobster_Vesselno

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Pots_Crab_lobster_monetary  

ScotMap_Central_Pots_Crab_lobster_monetary

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Pots_NEP  

ScotMap_Central_Pots_NEP

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Pots_NEP_Vesselno  

ScotMap_Central_Pots_NEP_Vesselno

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_RelativeValue  

ScotMap_Central_RelativeValue

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_TowedDredges_SCE_Vesselno  

ScotMap_Central_TowedDredges_SCE_Vesselno

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_TowedDredges_SCE_monetary  

ScotMap_Central_TowedDredges_SCE_monetary

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Trawls_NEP_Vesselno  

ScotMap_Central_Trawls_NEP_Vesselno

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Trawls_NEP_monetary  

ScotMap_Central_Trawls_NEP_monetary

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Trawls_notNEP_Vesselno  

ScotMap_Central_Trawls_notNEP_Vesselno

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_Trawls_notNEP_monetary  

ScotMap_Central_Trawls_notNEP_monetary

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_line_MAC_Vesselno  

ScotMap_Central_line_MAC_Vesselno

OnLine resource

ScotMap_Central_line_MAC_monetary  

ScotMap_Central_line_MAC_monetary

Hierarchy level

dataset Dataset

Statement

ScotMap Methodology: Data were collected during face-to-face interviews with individual vessel owners and operators conducted between June 2011 and December 2012. Interviews were carried out by Marine Scotland Compliance staff, contractors and fishing industry representatives. During interviews, fishermen were asked questions about their fishing vessel, crew, home and landing port, fishing patterns, fishing methods and the gears used. They were also asked about their earnings from fishing, specifically to provide an estimate of the annual gross vessel earnings from fishing, an average value based on earnings over the last five years and estimates of the maximum and minimum annual gross vessel earnings over this period. 2011 was the reference year for the study. The data thus relate to the period 2007-2011.

Fishing areas or ‘polygons’, as identified by fishermen during the interviews, were mapped electronically by the interviewer and the interviewee. Associated information on primary and secondary (if applicable) target species, fishing method and the fishermen’s estimate of the percentage contribution each fishing area makes to the gross vessel earnings, were also recorded. All interview data were recorded using ScotMap, a purpose designed graphical user interface linked to ArcMap 9.3.1, and written down to geodatabases. For further details of the Scotmap interview methodology see the “Draft report on ScotMap: the Inshore Fishing Study Pilot in Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters”.

Data Analysis: Data from the interviews were subject to a series of checks to assess completeness and consistency of records and then assembled into a single geodatabase for further analysis. Aggregation and analysis of the data was performed using a script developed in R. This was applied to the whole data set and subsets relating to specific target species / gear combinations to produce raster outputs. (Please note individuals’ fishing areas are commercially sensitive information and therefore cannot be disclosed.)

For monetary value, the value associated with each fishing polygon is calculated from the percentage contribution and gross vessel earnings data. Each polygon is overlaid with a grid (800 cells per ICES statistical rectangle with an average area of ca. 4.20 km2) and the polygon monetary value is divided by the number of overlapping grid cells, to equally distribute the value to all overlapping grid cells irrespective of the extent of the overlap. This process is repeated for all polygons and the values associated with each grid cell are finally summed to produce a gridded dataset.

The analysis for relative value is similar to monetary value (above) but in this case the percentage associated with each polygon, rather than the absolute monetary value, is divided equally among the overlapping grid cells, before being summed to produce a gridded data set. Treatment of the data in this way reduces the influence of larger vessels, which generally have higher gross earnings and of those vessels fishing for relatively high value species, such as lobster and scallops, often evident in the monetary value analysis. Relative value provides an alternative representation of ‘the value’ of different fishing areas. It can indicate areas important to relatively large numbers of low earning boats, and other small, often remote sea areas which are particularly important to local boats, which may be less evident in the monetary value analysis.

The number of vessels in each grid cell is the sum of the number of polygons which overlap the cell. Thus, if two fishing polygons associated with a single vessel overlap one grid cell the vessel will be counted twice in that cell and, contingent of the size of the polygon, a vessel will be counted in more than one cell. The numbers of vessels analysis provides information on the spatial extent of fishing as reported during interviews and a representation of fishing intensity – i.e. where most boats fish. It is not a necessarily a good indicator of fishing effort, particular for the combined (all interview) data set, or for fisheries where activity varies seasonally. Please note all rasters shared here have been aggregated to a minimum of 3 vessels per cell.

For the analysis of number crew, the average number of crew working on a vessel is attributed to each polygon for that vessel. The same value is then allocated to each overlapping grid cell and numbers summed to derive the number of crew associated with each grid cell. Please note all rasters shared here have been aggregated to a minimum of 3 members of crew per cell.

The Data Set and Interview Data Coverage: As of July 2013, 1,114 vessel owners or operators of Scottish registered vessels less than 15 m in length have been interviewed for ScotMap. Collectively, those interviewed identified 2,634 fishing areas or polygons. The majority of these areas relate to creel (pot) fishing. Of the 1,114 interviews, data from 24, which were missing essential information or had failed for technical reasons, are not included in the data set. Eighty six of the skippers interviewed declined to give vessel earnings information (10% overall). The data set therefore comprises data from 1,090 interviews and the monetary value maps are based on information from 1,004 interviews.

Initially, a list of 1,505 vessels to be interviewed for ScotMap was compiled. This was based on Marine Scotland’s records of Scottish registered commercial fishing vessels, under 15 m overall length, with an active fishing licence entitlement as of April 2011. Vessels administered in ports in Shetland were not included. Despite every effort, it did not prove possible to interview all on the list. In some cases (241 vessels) interviewers were unable to contact owners to arrange interviews, some vessels had been sold, decommissioned or the licences had been transferred. A proportion of those approached (155 vessels) for interview declined to take part, some on the basis that they were no longer actively fishing. Not all of those interviewed provided vessel earnings information.

During the study it became apparent that there were a few (5) other ‘relevant vessels’ that were not included on the initial list, these having acquired a licence entitlement and reported landings from Scottish waters after the list was drawn up. The initial target list was revised to a total of 1,510 vessels.

To provide indicative information on the coverage provided by the ScotMap interview dataset, at both a national and a regional level, we provide: A summary based on number of vessels and the value of landings broken down according to the vessel port of administration (Table 1). The value of landings is as reported on the Scottish Fisheries Information Network (FIN) and a summary based on the value of landings again as recorded in FIN for combinations of ICES statistical rectangles, these the level at which landings are reported (Table 2).

Two different methods of estimating coverage are presented because not all vessels under 15 m fish in the vicinity of their port of administration and using combinations of ICES statistical rectangles allows us to assess interview coverage for different sea areas.

Users of the data should bear in mind the nature of the ScotMap interviews and the coverage provided by the ScotMap data set. The rasterised monetary value data and the monetary value map are based information provided by fishermen during interviews, their estimates of average earnings for the preceding five years (not vessel earnings as recorded on FIN) and the spatial information they provided, which was defined with variable precision. A proportional of skippers declined to be interviewed or to give earnings information. There appears to be some regional bias in the refusal / no contact rate. This is reflected in the assessment of regional coverage based on FIN landings (above) with the coverage being poorest in the West and South West OWPRs. On the other hand, coverage in North OWPR and for vessels administered from ports in the Outer Hebrides is relatively good. Overall, it is thought that the data are likely to under-represent the value of fishing by under 15 m vessels, particularly in regions where coverage is poor. The spatial representation of the value of fishing may also be less robust in regions where coverage is poor. Marine Scotland have consulted the fishing industry on the ScotMap data outputs (see below) and further work is planned to assess and describe data coverage and gaps.

Feedback from Consultation: In April and May 2013 Marine Scotland organised a series of meetings with fishermen and fishing industry representatives to consult on the aggregated data and mapped outputs. In general, the maps were very well received and thought by fishermen to be a reasonable representation of the spatial extent, the type and the distribution of value of fisheries in their areas.

Concerns were expressed about the ‘the gaps’ in the dataset, relevant vessels which had not been interviewed, and those for which earnings information was not available. Comments were also made about the way some fishermen had defined their fishing areas and the effect this has on the maps, dispersing value and giving a false impression of where some types of fishing are taking place. Notable ‘gaps’ identified during the consultation include dredge fishing activity in the West OWPR, creel fishing in the vicinity of Port Seton (East OWPR) lack of coverage of vessels fishing in some small west coast sea lochs and relatively poor coverage in the coverage West and South West OWPRs, particularly the Clyde and Solway.

Metadata

File identifier

Marine_Scotland_FishDAC_1202   XML

Metadata language

eng English

Hierarchy level

dataset Dataset

Date stamp

2018-06-22

Metadata standard name

ISO 19115:2003/19139

Metadata standard version

1.0