Against the current background of soaring oil prices, Seafish is taking a lead role with an integrated programme of projects that will comprehensively address how to make fishing vessels more fuel efficient.

The principal motivation is fuel conservation, which would aid the development of a cost-effective and sustainable industry. Savings in the amount of fuel consumed would also bring environmental benefits. High fuel prices have an impact on vessels of all sizes, so these Seafish projects will focus on the whole UK fishing fleet - from the largest pelagic craft, down to small inshore boats.

On the technical side, the Seafish Technology Implementation team will look at how alterations in both vessel and fishing gear design can improve fuel efficiency. The potential of lighter fishing trawls was examined in recent comparison trials monitored by Seafish. These trials showed that a fishing vessel using thinner twine diameter nets experienced a six per cent reduction in drag. Additional savings could be made through the more efficient use of trawl doors, net design and rigging. Each individual measure may produce a small reduction in fuel usage, but the cumulative effect could significantly reduce the fuel spend for a vessel owner.

The use of biofuels to power fishing vessels is also being investigated with two projects on UK-based boats. One project centres on the use of straight vegetable oil (SVO) as a fuel and the other is investigating the use of biodiesel.

On vessel design, Seafish proposes to establish an expert working group on fishing vessel technology and efficiency. This will help provide a consensus on the types of design and technology required to produce more fuel efficient fishing vessels. A key theme running through all the projects is the importance of finding design innovations that are both affordable and maintain the catching performance and durability of a net or vessel.

The new fuel efficiency work programme is on a larger scale than any previous initiative. The whole project will be underpinned by input from the Seafish Economics department, who will examine the current situation and assess the economic effectiveness of some of the new ideas developed. This includes a current project that will examine data to quantify the financial costs and benefits of switching from single-rig to twin or multi-rig trawling.

In conjunction with Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) in Ireland, Seafish will also be comparing the fuel and catch efficiency of single and twinrig gear in practical sea trials over the next 12 months. Finally, training will be another part of the project, providing fishermen with a means of putting these new ideas into practice. This will include the development of guidelines for fishermen that will give technical and practical advice on ways of conserving fuel.

The Seafish fuel efficiency projects will bring industry and government together, and introduce relevant technical expertise. Much of the work has attracted Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) funding and is supported by Defra and SEERAD, along with close collaboration from BIM who are involved in a complementary work programme.

Tom Rossiter, Seafish Technical Implementation Manager, said: “This is an all-encompassing programme that aims to address the problem of high fuel prices in the short and long term for the fishing fleet. We will be drawing upon the huge range of expertise in Seafish and from other organisations to develop practical and economically viable solutions.

“The aim is to ensure that we have a profitable and sustainable industry for the future.”

Date : 13-07-2006