| Frequently asked questions |
• Which species do you fish in the Mediterranean?
• Do you fish tuna? Which species and where?
• What do you think about the proposal to ban fishing in certain zones in order to protect coral ?
• Have you developed a technique to combat bird mortality?
• How do you limit environmental pollution linked to your activity (discharge, waste, oil, burnt gas, etc.)?
• What are you doing to limit the fuel consumption of your boats?
• Are you investing in the fight against illegal fishing?
• Do you agree with improving controls at sea?
• Have you participated in the Grenelle de la Mer?
• What advice do you give consumers about their fish consumption?
• How are your crews made up?
• What is the average length of a voyage?
• What are you doing to improve safety on-board?
What action is Scapêche taking on responsible fishing?Since 2004 Scapêche has been committed to an approach that recognises « responsible fisheries», guarantees respect for numerous criteria based on environmental, resource, social and product quality and has already obtained recognition for 7 species: coley, monkfish, black scabbardfish, blue ling, Patagonian toothfish, hake, crab.Which species do you fish in the Mediterranean? Scapêche does not fish in the Mediterranean. The fishing zones where its boats operate are situated:
Do you fish tuna? Which species and where? In season, usually between July and October, Scapêche catches longfin tuna or white tuna. These catches are with paired pelagic trawling on its boats Bougainville, La Pérouse, and Fastnet. The fishing zone stretches from the Gulf of Gascony to the West of Ireland. What do you think of the proposal to ban fishing in certain zones to protect coral? Thanks to the collaboration of fishermen, numerous zones with coral have been identified and fishing has been banned there by the European Commission. (See PMA map of vulnerable deep habitats) Have you developed a technique to combat bird mortality? Scapêche comes across numerous marine species on its voyages. It respects these species and intends to preserve in their ecosystems. For longline fishing, in order to protect marine birds, Scapêche shoots the lines out at night and hauls them in during the day. How do you limit environmental pollution linked to your activity (discharge, waste, oil, burnt gas, etc.) ? As part of its responsible fisheries approach, Scapêche is committed to limiting its carbon footprint. It has therefore chosen to act on several levels, from using new boats to logistics (with a system of forward bases, including reduction of waste on-board (selective sorting). What are you doing to limit the fuel consumption of your boats? Scapêche is doing several things to reduce its carbon footprint. In particular, logistical organisation of the transportation of the fish from the distant fishing grounds to France, reducing the distance travelled by boats by means of the system of forward bases and by optimising lorries to the quantities of fish caught. Other measures include optimising the engine speed, which directly influences fuel consumption:
Have you invested in the fight against illegal fishing ? Scapêche is actively fighting against illegal fishing. Scapêche-COMATA operates and co-finances with the French authorities the patrol boat Osiris, an old poacher boat based in Réunion, confiscated by the Affaires Maritimes and fitted it out as a surveillance boat, in order to stop illegal fishing off the Kerguelen islands. The Scapêche boats are frequently inspected, at sea and in dock, and the logbook data is cross-checked with the sales recorded at auction. Do you agree with improving controls at sea? Scapêche and the producers' organisations have actively participated in the preparation of the specifications for developing the electronic logbook , soon to be implemented. Have you participated in the Grenelle de la Mer (Ocean Round Table) ? In 2009, Scapêche, France's leading fresh fish company, was consulted about the Grenelle de la Mer launched jointly by:
Scapêche was consulted as part of the "deep-seas" programme chaired by deputy mayor Philippe Boënnec. What advice do you give consumers about their fish consumption ? Because Scapêche fishes many species good quality fish can be enjoyed any season, at an affordable price, and eating fish is strongly recommended for a healthy diet. How are your crews made up ? Each boat has a set crew, relieved (for some) in thirds. The personnel department,on land, is responsible for recruitment, if necessary. What is the average length of a voyage? It all depends on the fishing technique and especially how far the fishing grounds are from the boat. For example the voyage of the purse seiner the Tximistarri II lasts a day, while the voyage of the longliner the Ile de la Réunion lasts an average of 3 months. For most of the other boats,the voyage lasts an average of 8 to 12 days. What are you doing to improve safety on-board ? Scapêche regularly organises meetings of the CHSCT (Health, Safety and Conditions at Work Committee). A Unique Prevention Document (DUP) is on-board each boat. In 2010, Scapêche organised training and safety awareness sessions for its crews. It has also developed a close working relationship with the IMP (Maritime Prevention Institute), which has boarded each boat to carry out a safety test and raise the awareness of the crews to safety and personal protection equipment. |
