Pelagic Fish
DATA COLLECTION
Scottish Pelagic Data Collection Programme
The Scottish Pelagic Industry-Science Data Collection Programme (SPISDCP) has progressed since the initial feasibility study in 2018, which has now led to data being used in the scientific assessment process of mackerel, herring and blue whiting.
SPISDCP is a collaboration between the Scottish Pelagic Fishermen’s Association, UHI Shetland and the Marine Directorate of the Scottish government. Within the programme, crews onboard Scottish pelagic fishing vessels undertake sampling of their catches in two ways: self-sampling, whereby vessel crews measure the length and weight of a sample of fish in the catch; and co-sampling, whereby crews collect frozen samples of fish for scientists onshore to carry out biological sampling of length, sex, maturity and ageing.
The data collected provide valuable biological information for each of the targeted species, highlighting patterns and changes in distribution and size of fish in the catch. In January 2022 the co-sampling scheme was adopted under Scotland’s national sampling programme to become the main mechanism for collecting biological data on the catches of pelagic fish to be used in stock assessments.