This document summarizes information about the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), including its biology, life cycle, distribution, fishing methods used, and fishery data analysis. It notes that landings of Norway lobster in the UK have declined since 2007 but prices have increased. Possible reasons for the decline include expensive fishing costs compared to fuel prices and closure of large fishing areas in the northeast.

1. Ltd
Nephrops norvegicus ( Linnaeus, 1758)
Species Description;
Fishing Description;
Fishery data analysis:
Whole...Tail, history, changes and challenges.
Prepared by Miguel Ferreira Neto May, 2011

2. Biology & Life cycle: Distribution & Habitat:
Norway Lobster; Dublin Prawn; Langoustines
Adult body length between 8 and 24 cm.
Ovigerous Females (Carry eggs). Mating around
July the eggs spawn Aug/Sep & are carried 9
months, Hatching April/ May. Berried Females .
Larvae develop in the plankton & only settle on
the seabed 6-8 weeks after spawning.
Males are generally larger than females.
Discontinuous growth due to successive molts
(Changing of the shell). Rapid growth when soft.
Soft mud =Low density but fast growth. Larger.
Sandy mud =High density, slow growth. Smaller.
A scavenger & non-selective predator. Diets on North Eastern side of the
detritus, crustaceans, molluscs, worms, & others. Atlantic
Central & Western
Mediterranean regions.
Muddy/sandy bottoms.
20 to 800 metres deep.
Primarily nocturnal.

3. Main Behaviour trait affecting fishing:
The Burrow is my house
Sustainability
Norway Lobster lives in small burrows (with 2 or more openings) up to 30cm deep.
Trawling (main fishing method) is generally unable to catch burrowed individuals.
They emerge from burrows generally to feed & mate. Light plays a major part on the
timing. Higher catches at dusk & dawn suggest it is then it occurs. Jun-Sep = 50%.
Females are berried for 9 months & spend most of the time inside their burrows.
Therefore they are generally protected from trawlers. Males dominate catches.

4. Fishing methods, w ork on board and product destination:
OTTER TRAWLING. Norway Lobster tailed at sea.
Twin & Single. Product destination = SCAMPI
The catch being lifted:
Only commercially
viable fishing method
that delivers required
volume.
Single rig Trawl
Twin rig Trawl The catch being sorted:
Norway Lobster landed whole.
Product destination = EXPORT
CREELING.
Traps containing bait.
Very selective.
Delivers low volume
but of high importance
for high end restaurants.

5. North Atlantic Nephrops Landings ( I CES)
80000
Nephrops landed/ year ( Ton Of liveweight) for last 60 years (1950-2009 )
70000
60000
50000
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
Rest of Europe UK Landings (ENG/WAL/NI) Scottish Landings Total Nephrops landings Linear (Total Nephrops landings)

6. FI SHERY DATA ANALYSI S:
North Atlantic Nephrops Landings ( I CES) = > Average for 2007 - 2009
2007-
4,360 (6%)
31,897-47% of
total & 73% of
the UK
43,647 (64%)
Rest of Europe
6,399 (9%)
8,559 (13%)
5,176 (8%)

7. UK Landings by group & relation to Nephrops (MMO) => 1994 to 2009
VOLUME
350.0 Sharp decrease on landings of Demersal species in
300.0 the late-90 s, possible signs of slight recovery recently.
250.0 Sharp decrease on landings of Pelagic species in the
200.0 late-90 s, followed by a good recovery , but there is a
150.0 noticeable downward trend since 2005.
100.0
Shellfish landings have remained relatively stable
through this period with a ever so slight upward trend.
50.0
-
NEPHROPS: = > Stable landings, low impact.
1994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009
... Last 5 years:
Quantity ('000 tonnes) Circa 10% overall landings.
Total Demersal Total Pelagic Total Shellfish Nephrops Circa 30% of the Shellfish landings.
Also Sharp value decrease on landings of Demersal
VALUE species , signs of recovery recently.
350.0
300.0 Noticeable stability on value of landings for Pelagic
250.0 species for a long period and showing an upward trend
200.0 since the turn of the century.
150.0 Shellfish value of landings overtook Demersal in
100.0 2003, had a sharp rise, now on a downward trend.
50.0
- NEPHROPS: = > Upw ard trend, looks the most
1994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009 affected w ith recession, overall high impact.
... Last 5 years:
Value (£ million)
Circa 20% overall landings.
Total Demersal Total Pelagic Total Shellfish Nephrops
Circa 45% of the Shellfish landings.

8. UK Landings ( MMO) = > TOP 10 by Volume & Value of recent past ( sum of 2006 to 2009)
VOLUME VALUE
Rest of
Blue
Pelagic
Whiting
3%
4%
Crabs Rest of Lobsters
6% Pelagic Mackerel 6%
3% 22% Rest of Nephrops
Scallops Shellfish 22%
7% Crabs 6%
7%
Haddock Monks or
8% Anglers
7%
Rest of Rest of
Rest of Demersal Demersal
Shellfish 19% Haddock 21%
10% 7%
Mackerel
Nephrops Herring
Scallops 13%
10% 11%
8%

9. UK SHELLFI SH LANDI NGS ( MMO) = > % by Volume and Value for the period 1994 to 2009
VOLUME VALUE
Shrimps
Shrimps 100%
100% and Prawns
and Prawns
Other 90% Other
90% Shellfish
Shellfish
Cuttlefish 80% Cuttlefish
80%
70% Squid 70% Squid
60% Cockles 60% Cockles
50% 50% Lobsters
Lobsters
40% 40%
Mussels Mussels
30% 30%
Whelks Whelks
20%
20%
Crabs Crabs
10%
10%
Scallops Scallops
0%
0%
Nephrops Nephrops

10. Other interesting data since the start of the 21 st century in 3 year intervals
Other fishing data
2000 2003 2006 2009
No. Fleet (UK <10m) 5273 5113 5203 5021
No.Fleet (UK >10m) 1969 1622 1549 1479
Employed (Total No) 15649 13122 12934 12212
Days at sea (Sum of all) 343,930 278,756 218,891 213,413
Effort (Kw Days at sea) - millions 141.6 117.2 88.6 80.6
Commercial data
2000 2003 2006 2009
Household consumption ('000ton) 443 485 525 519
Total seafood IMPORTS ('000ton) 550 632 754 720
Total seafoods EXPORTS ('000ton) 365 480 416 479
Shellfish IMPORTS ('000ton) 93 110 117 115
Shellfish EXPORTS ('000ton) 87 108 105 96
TAC DATA for Nephrops
2000 2003 2006 2009
Quota 34132 30904 50918 53132
Uptake % 83% 90% 81% 79%

11. UK NEPHROPS ( SEAFI SH) = > Volume landed of Tails/ Whole for the period 2006 to 2010, expressed
as Liveweight and also productweight.
productweight.
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
TOTAL LIVEWEIGHT 40,985 44,125 30,279 35,894 38,109 TOTAL PRODUCTWEIGHT 24,591 26,475 17,858 21,753 24,762
WHOLE (Weight in ton 16,394 17,650 11,648 14,683 18,088 WHOLE (Weight in ton 16,394 17,650 11,648 14,683 18,088
and %) 40% 40% 38% 41% 47% and %) 67% 67% 65% 67% 73%
TAIL (Weight in ton and 24,591 26,475 18,631 21,210 20,022 8,197 8,825 6,210 7,070 6,674
TAIL (Weight in ton and %)
%) 60% 60% 62% 59% 53% 33% 33% 35% 33% 27%
UK NEPHROPS ( SEAFI SH) = > Port Price of Tails UK NEPHROPS ( SEAFI SH) = > Evaluation of
& Whole for the last 3 years up to March/ 2011. Landings by month from 2008 to March/2011.
Government Seafish reported ACTUAL Nephrops Port Landed Prices for the last 3
1,200
year Apr/2008 to Mar/2011
£5.00 1,000
£4.50
800
£4.00
600
£3.50
£3.00 400
£2.50 200
Apr-08
Feb-09
Apr-09
Feb-10
Apr-10
Feb-11
Jun-08
Aug-08
Oct-08
Dec-08
Jun-09
Aug-09
Oct-09
Dec-09
Jun-10
Aug-10
Oct-10
Dec-10
-
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
GOV TAIL price (£/Kg) GOV WHOLE price (£/Kg)
2008 2009 2010 2011

12. UK landings/ area ( productw eight ) for 2009,2010 and 2011 so far.
eight)
WHOLE LANGOUSTINES TAILS OF LANGOUSTINES
8055 72% 3188 28%
9353 78% 2568 22%
1887 80% E 466 20%
3531 70% w 1483 30%
2831 59% 1941 41%
1171 78% 323 22%
1366 42% 1918 58%
1562 46% 1844 54%
476 61% 306 39%
481 22%
1731 78%
322 19%
1356 81%
31 6%
452 94%

13. FACTS/TRENDS: IMPORTANCE:
Reduction of:
Fishing fleet. The most valuable UK fishery.
Crew members. By very far the largest on shellfish.
No of Days at sea/effort. Dependency of smaller communities on it,
Nephrops catches, since 2007. especially the ones that have the <10m fleet,
The % of Nephrops tails landed. that consistently deliver the highest product
Increase of: freshness.
Seafood consumption Sustainable fishery, MSC on the way.
Whole langoustines landed. A species that is highly regarded as one of a
Price for the last year. kind, with enormous commercial potential, that
delivers on many product tiers. Maximise growth.
WHAT IS HAPPENING?: POSSIBLE ACTIONS NEEDED:
WHY THE RECENT DECLINE (price is as Extra assessments of Natural Stocks.
good as ever): Evaluate benefits of area/month closures.
Industry NEEDS stability, we cannot Is MSC a real measure on sustainability?
over fish then strangle the supply. Price. Need support from the industry.
Expensive to go out to sea for the very New Market avenues.
low return...low landings VS fuel prices. More effort needed in research.
Are natural stocks worse than More consumer awareness required, especially
expected? the UK Broaden offering of different product
Closure of large fishing areas in the NE. types.
How to maximise the quota uptake.

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