Our environmental responsability
The sea is more than a working environment for fishermen, it is also a passion. As well as measures to protect the flora and fauna which it has undertaken for a number of years, Scapêche participates in numerous scientific research programmes:
  • Helping to finance POKER I (2005) and POKER II (2010) biomass assessment programmes (particularly for the Patagonian toothfish for Scapêche-COMATA),
  • Marking Patagonian toothfish, which is carried out by inspectors on-board longliners,
  • Taking biometric measurements, carried out by inspectors (or observers for fishing in Europe) on fishing boats,
  • Submitting catch logs, which are analysed by the National Museum of Natural History for the Patagonian toothfish,
  • Submitting catch logs, which are analysed by the PMA producers' organisation for part of the fleet, in collaboration with IFREMER, to get a better understanding of the resource (30,000 trawls analysed at the end of 2010).
  • Participating in the Symposiumon on the Kerguelen Plateau in Concarneau,
  • Participating in the ORCASAV programme in 2010 and an experimental fishing trial for Patagonian toothfish using lobster pots to combat depredation of killer whales, in the case of Patagonian toothfish fishing,
  • Helping to finance studies into preserving bird populations, etc. Scapêche is a stakeholder in the thinking on the preservation of the resource, as it is its future which is at stake. It has taken this on-board and has often anticipated decisions aimed at preserving the resource.

Scapêche works with producers' organisations and IFREMER on management proposals which might add to the existing system, to protect virgin and/or sensitive zones, as well as avoidance measures for small fish, and improvements to fishing gear.

We estimate that only about 10% of the total area of the sea-floor from 500 to 1500 metres is trawled today. It should be noted that the trawled surface is geographically constant (no sequential exhausting of zones)

The cost of an equipped trawl (nearly €100,000) forces the person using it to avoid any zone with a potential risk to his equipment (especially in coral zones). Skippers are moreover very experienced and technological improvements to the trawl give conclusive results in selectivity and limiting the impact on the flora and fauna.