. 2022 Mar 15;70(1):79–96. doi: 10.1007/s00267-022-01607-w

Table 9.

Experts opinions on Environmental criteria

Criteria	Industry	Academia
Reducing CO₂	Fishing association (1): “Reducing the emissions in fishing industry is less of an issue given the already low carbon footprint of the sector compared to other protein delivering sectors”. Fishing association (2): “CO₂ emissions need to be reduced to combat global warming”. Producer (1): “All these issues are important to us but we must maintain a profitable catching sector if the industry and our fishing communities is to have a future”. Skipper (1): “The fishing industry emission is a very low impact, especially compared to other industries (the wind and oil have higher emissions). We will get there but need time for fleet to modernise because it is very expensive”.	Scientific advisory (2): “All of these criteria (reduction of CO₂, impact on sea bed and marine litter) are important in their own right”. Academic (2): “Reducing CO₂ is important but while global CO₂ levels and their effects are important to the fishery, fishing itself is not a leading contributor”.
Reducing marine litter	Fishing association (2): “Pollution is increasing so maritime litter would need to be reduced”. Producer (2):“All elements should feature in a fisheries policy. The importance of reducing fishing impact on sea floor varies with geography/substrate, the other two points (emissions and litter) are global in scope”. Owner/Skipper (1): “Litter is a no no, I’m now taking rubbish back to shore for 22 years and we are still catching rubbish but it is not that all fishermen dump rubbish!”.	Academic (1): “All three [criteria] are high priority, although solutions will require long-term application to become effective”. Academic (2): “Reducing marine litter are important but the direct impact of marine litter on the fishery is currently uncertain”.
Reducing impact on seafloor	Fishing association (1): “It is important that we continue to improve our fishing techniques so that our disturbance of the seabed and seabed features is reduced to the minimum. It is also extremely important that we treat the sea as our own garden which we like to see in great condition (most of us anyhow)”. Fishing association (2): “Ocean needs to stay healthy since food chain in ocean relies on seafloor”. Owner/skipper (1): “The seabed is low impacted and where it is it does it good to turn it over like a farmer ploughing a field, it goes stagnant if not and the evidence is there”. Skipper (2): “The seafloor recovers extremely quickly due to the effects of wind and tide”.	Academic (2): “The seafloor habitat being considered as part of an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management is crucial, especially in a demersal fishery”. Scientific Advisory (3): “Impact [of fisheries] on seabed is increasing”. Scientific advisory (4): “Environmental protection measures are crucial to maintaining a healthy ecosystem and healthy abundant fish stock”.

Criteria

Industry

Academia

Reducing CO₂

Fishing association (1): “Reducing the emissions in fishing industry is less of an issue given the already low carbon footprint of the sector compared to other protein delivering sectors”.

Fishing association (2): “CO₂ emissions need to be reduced to combat global warming”.

Producer (1): “All these issues are important to us but we must maintain a profitable catching sector if the industry and our fishing communities is to have a future”.

Skipper (1): “The fishing industry emission is a very low impact, especially compared to other industries (the wind and oil have higher emissions). We will get there but need time for fleet to modernise because it is very expensive”.

Scientific advisory (2): “All of these criteria (reduction of CO₂, impact on sea bed and marine litter) are important in their own right”.

Academic (2): “Reducing CO₂ is important but while global CO₂ levels and their effects are important to the fishery, fishing itself is not a leading contributor”.

Reducing marine litter

Fishing association (2): “Pollution is increasing so maritime litter would need to be reduced”.

Producer (2):“All elements should feature in a fisheries policy. The importance of reducing fishing impact on sea floor varies with geography/substrate, the other two points (emissions and litter) are global in scope”.

Owner/Skipper (1): “Litter is a no no, I’m now taking rubbish back to shore for 22 years and we are still catching rubbish but it is not that all fishermen dump rubbish!”.

Academic (1): “All three [criteria] are high priority, although solutions will require long-term application to become effective”.

Academic (2): “Reducing marine litter are important but the direct impact of marine litter on the fishery is currently uncertain”.

Reducing impact on seafloor

Fishing association (1): “It is important that we continue to improve our fishing techniques so that our disturbance of the seabed and seabed features is reduced to the minimum. It is also extremely important that we treat the sea as our own garden which we like to see in great condition (most of us anyhow)”.

Fishing association (2): “Ocean needs to stay healthy since food chain in ocean relies on seafloor”.

Owner/skipper (1): “The seabed is low impacted and where it is it does it good to turn it over like a farmer ploughing a field, it goes stagnant if not and the evidence is there”.

Skipper (2): “The seafloor recovers extremely quickly due to the effects of wind and tide”.

Academic (2): “The seafloor habitat being considered as part of an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management is crucial, especially in a demersal fishery”.

Scientific Advisory (3): “Impact [of fisheries] on seabed is increasing”.

Scientific advisory (4): “Environmental protection measures are crucial to maintaining a healthy ecosystem and healthy abundant fish stock”.