The environment department has shared details of three recent projects to demonstrate how it is strengthening marine resource management in Bermuda — including more prosecutions for illegal fishing.

In the quarterly online Envirotalk newsletter, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources described how its Marine Management Section uses science-based decisions informed by ongoing monitoring, data collection, research and enforcement.

The projects outlined are a new data management and digital reporting tool for fishermen, updated fish stock assessments and a stronger approach to enforcement.

It said ongoing work also addresses recommendations from the 2024 Independent Review Panel report on the Marine Spatial Plan. Of that panel’s 22 recommendations, ten have been completed and 12 are in active progress.

On modernising catch reporting, the department highlighted its partnership with Shellcatch, a cloud-based application built for fisheries data management.

The newsletter said: “The platform is able to replace paper logbooks with a real-time digital system, streamlining a process that has long relied on manual data entry.

“The partnership also responds to longstanding calls for improved reporting tools and better data to support management of Bermuda’s fisheries resources. A voluntary recreational reporting module is now in development for hook-and-line fishing.

“It will give recreational fishers an electronic catch log, expand the range of data available to DENR and lay the groundwork for a possible future recreational licensing system.”

The DENR also conducts independent monitoring and collects biological data to inform assessments of Bermuda’s fisheries.

The newsletter said that species-specific stock assessments on red hinds and spiny lobsters were conducted in recent years, “adding to the broader scientific evidence for understanding the health of these fisheries and guiding management decisions”.

The red hind assessment, conducted last year, indicated that the population had improved and is now stable with sustainable harvesting levels.

The newsletter said: “While the stock appears to be remaining steady under current fishing pressure, the assessment could not tell us if the population has fully recovered to historic levels. The paper is currently in peer review and will be made publicly available when complete.

“The last spiny lobster assessment, in 2023, indicated that the fishery was not experiencing overfishing at that time, though declining catch rates indicated that the stock had been reduced in recent years.

“Additional management measures for both the commercial and recreational fisheries were therefore put in place to assist the lobster population. DENR intends to regularly reassess and to continue adaptive management of this fishery.”

The newsletter said that while snapshot studies may appear to show a steady catch, the overall population could still remain depleted, with habitats under strain.

It added: “This is why DENR pairs these assessments with broader, ecosystem-level monitoring. This wider view also helps DENR respond to pressures, like habitat loss or shifting climate conditions, that affect the whole ecosystem rather than any single species.”

The newsletter also touched on the support the department is receiving from Britain, enabling it to expand its monitoring efforts through the baited remote underwater video (BRUV) surveys.

“Data collection is under way in areas proposed for marine protection, including North Rock, Coot Pond and the North Shore Protected Area.

“BRUVs provide a fishery-independent view of fish diversity and abundance in these areas, one that isn't shaped by what's being caught in the fisheries.

“Together, species-specific assessments and ecosystem-level monitoring are providing DENR with a more comprehensive understanding of Bermuda’s marine environment, informing both individual fishing rules and the wider Marine Spatial Plan.”

Finally, there was an update on strengthened enforcement, following on from the Government’s tabling of the Marine Resources Enforcement Strategy in Parliament.

The strategy sets out priorities for strengthening Bermuda’s marine compliance system, informed by consultation with the Marine Resources Board, the Commercial Fisheries Council and the public.

“Bermuda is already seeing the results of stronger marine enforcement, including more successful prosecutions for illegal fishing, higher penalties and a growing number of cases progressing through the courts.”

It said that co-ordination between enforcement agencies has also improved, and the DENR's outreach with the Department of Public Prosecutions has helped to build greater awareness of the implications of illegal fishing activity.

“DENR is developing an enforcement and compliance implementation road map to turn the strategy's priorities into practical, operational actions.

“This includes updates to bring legislation up to international standards, a proposed ticketing system for fisheries violations and planned training for prosecutors on fishing offences, all aimed at making enforcement more consistent and effective going forward.”