Fisheries Chart

Introduction

Fisheries charts are specialised nautical charts dedicated to fishing activities and fishing grounds. They provide information that differs from that found on a conventional nautical chart: their primary purpose is to represent fishing areas, fisheries and geographical information useful for fishing operations, while helping users understand the distribution of seabed characteristics and maritime areas used for fishing.

These documents are primarily intended for professional fishermen, fishing vessel owners and operators, masters and skippers, but they can also be useful to maritime organisations, training establishments, researchers and, depending on the chart, navigators wishing to study a fishing area in detail.

The “Fisheries Charts” category at Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop includes specialised charts published by ADMIRALTY – United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO). It includes documents covering the British Isles, the Channel Islands and adjacent French coasts. These charts belong to the wider family of specialised nautical charts and complement the navigational charts used for passage planning and navigation.

What is a Fisheries Chart?

A fisheries chart is a thematic chart designed to provide specific information about fishing activity.

Whereas a conventional nautical chart focuses on depths, soundings, navigational hazards, buoys, lights, channels, anchorages and harbour approaches, a fisheries chart is more specifically concerned with the geography of fishing activities and the maritime characteristics relevant to understanding them.

Depending on the individual chart, it may help identify or analyse:

• major fishing areas;

• fishing grounds and fisheries;

• the nature and configuration of the seabed;

• coastal and offshore fishing areas;

• major fishing regions around a coastline;

• relationships between depth, seabed characteristics and fishing activity;

• geographical limits needed to interpret fisheries information;

• ports and coastal areas associated with fishing activity.

It is important to distinguish a fisheries chart from a document dealing exclusively with fishing regulations. The two types of information can complement each other, but they do not necessarily serve the same purpose.

Fisheries Charts as a complement to nautical charts

A fisheries chart should not be regarded as a conventional navigational chart.

A nautical chart represents the information required for safe navigation: depths, soundings, hazards, aids to navigation, lights, buoys, ports and other essential navigational information. ADMIRALTY Standard Nautical Charts provide official coverage for commercial shipping routes, ports and harbours, with different scales designed for offshore, coastal and harbour navigation.

A fisheries chart provides a different perspective on the maritime environment.

It can therefore be used to study an area before a fishing trip, understand the organisation of a fishery, prepare a professional fishing operation or complement existing nautical documentation.

For a fishing vessel, the two approaches are complementary: the nautical chart is used for navigation, while the fisheries chart provides specialised information about the fishing environment.

ADMIRALTY Fisheries Charts

ADMIRALTY, the charting and publications brand of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office, produces a wide range of nautical charts and specialised maritime reference documents covering major maritime regions throughout the world.

The Nautic Way category includes ADMIRALTY fisheries charts covering British waters and adjacent areas.

The referenced documents include in particular:

• Q2669 – Channel Islands and Adjacent Coast of France;

• Q6353 – Fisheries of the British Isles.

These documents are particularly relevant to the study of fishing areas in the English Channel, the North Sea and the waters surrounding the British Isles.

This region has significant fishing activity and a complex maritime geography, including shallow waters, banks, channels, currents and a high concentration of commercial and fishing vessels.

English Channel, Channel Islands and French coasts

The English Channel is one of the most interesting areas for specialised fisheries mapping.

The waters between Brittany, Normandy, the English coast and the Channel Islands include areas around Jersey, Guernsey, Cherbourg, Saint-Malo, Granville, Barfleur, Dieppe, Le Havre, Portsmouth and Southampton.

The proximity of French and British coasts, the density of commercial shipping and the diversity of maritime activities make detailed knowledge of the maritime environment particularly important.

A fisheries chart covering the Channel Islands and adjacent French coasts can therefore be used to place fishing activity within its wider geographical and maritime context.

It is particularly relevant to professionals operating between Brittany, Normandy, the Channel Islands and southern England.

Fisheries of the British Isles

The ADMIRALTY Q6353 chart covering the fisheries of the British Isles provides a broader view of the British fishing environment.

The waters surrounding England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have very different characteristics depending on the maritime frontage.

To the west, the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea open onto more oceanic areas. To the east, the North Sea forms a large maritime basin shared by the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Norway.

Important ports and maritime centres in this region include Aberdeen, Peterhead, Hull, Grimsby, Lowestoft, Newcastle, Plymouth, Newlyn and Milford Haven, together with numerous specialised fishing ports.

For professionals, this geographical perspective helps place fishing activity within a much wider maritime environment than the immediate coastal area.

North Sea: a particularly complex maritime area

The North Sea is an excellent example of the value of specialised fisheries mapping.

It is bordered by France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Norway and the United Kingdom. It contains major commercial shipping routes, important ports, offshore activities and significant fishing activity.

The ports of Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Esbjerg, Aberdeen and Hull illustrate the diversity of maritime uses found in this region.

For professional fishing operations, this concentration of activities requires detailed knowledge of the maritime space. Specialised charts can complement the analysis carried out using navigational charts and regulatory documentation.

Seabed characteristics and fishing activity

Seabed characteristics are an important factor when studying fishing environments.

Sand, gravel, mud, rock, shingle and mixed substrates have different physical and biological characteristics. The distribution of species and fishing practices may therefore be associated with particular marine environments.

This issue is closely related to sedimentological charts, which specifically represent seabed sediments. Such charts can provide useful additional information when studying fishing areas and seabed characteristics.

A fisheries chart and a sedimentological chart are therefore not necessarily interchangeable, but they can be studied together when it is necessary to understand the physical characteristics of a maritime area.

Fisheries charts and regulations

Fishing regulations can vary according to countries, territorial waters, exclusive economic zones, species, fishing gear and specific periods.

It is therefore important to distinguish the cartographic representation of a fishery from the regulations currently applicable to fishing.

The limits of maritime zones, EEZs, protected areas and areas subject to specific rules may change. Fisheries information published by hydrographic offices and maritime authorities can include geographical boundaries and statistical or regulatory information relating to professional fishing.

A fisheries chart should therefore always be considered within its wider documentary and regulatory context. It does not replace current legislation, official notices, fishing regulations or maritime safety information applicable to the area concerned.

Fisheries statistical rectangles

The concept of statistical grids is particularly important in European fisheries studies.

The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) uses statistical rectangles and sub-rectangles to organise and analyse information relating to fisheries and marine resources.

These geographical units provide a common framework for the collection and analysis of professional fishing activity and fisheries data.

This explains why specialised fisheries charts can be useful not only to fishermen, but also to scientists, administrations, fisheries management organisations and maritime professionals working with spatial maritime data.

Who uses fisheries charts?

These documents may be useful to a wide range of users:

• professional fishermen;

• fishing vessel masters and skippers;

• fishing companies and vessel operators;

• fisheries management organisations;

• researchers and marine scientists;

• maritime schools and training centres;

• maritime administrations;

• professionals working in marine spatial planning;

• recreational sea anglers and boaters regularly fishing offshore.

For recreational fishermen, their usefulness depends strongly on the geographical area and type of fishing activity. For professional users, they can provide an important complementary reference when preparing operations in a particular maritime region.

Practical use ashore and at sea

A fisheries chart is primarily a planning, analysis and maritime reference tool.

Before a voyage or fishing trip, it can be studied alongside the appropriate nautical chart in order to place fishing grounds within their navigational context.

Ashore, it can be used to prepare a fishing campaign, study a geographical area or analyse the distribution of fishing activity.

At sea, a paper fisheries chart can provide a useful overall and independent view of the area being studied.

It should not, however, be used on its own for navigation. Official navigational charts remain essential for navigational purposes. ADMIRALTY provides both paper Standard Nautical Charts and digital navigational products, including official ENC coverage through the Admiralty Vector Chart Service.

A specialised chart for a specific maritime activity

Fisheries charts belong to the same broader family of specialised maritime documents as security charts, routeing charts, magnetic variation charts, load line charts and Mariners’ Routeing Guides.

Their purpose is not to replace conventional nautical charts, but to provide an additional layer of information adapted to a specific maritime requirement.

This approach is particularly important for professional users: comprehensive maritime planning rarely relies on a single document. It generally combines navigational charts, nautical information, regulations, weather information and, where appropriate, specialised reference charts.

Why use a fisheries chart?

The main advantages of a fisheries chart include:

• providing a specialised representation of fishing activity;

• improving understanding of the geographical distribution of fisheries;

• complementing information provided by nautical charts;

• studying relationships between seabed characteristics and fishing activity;

• preparing professional fishing operations or fishing trips;

• analysing a maritime area before going to sea;

• supporting professional maritime training;

• providing an independent paper reference for study ashore or aboard.

Conclusion

A fisheries chart is a specialised cartographic document designed to provide a better understanding of the geographical organisation of fishing activity. Unlike a conventional nautical chart, its main purpose is to focus on fisheries, fishing grounds and the maritime environment associated with fishing.

In the waters of the English Channel, around the Channel Islands, along the French and British coasts and throughout the waters surrounding the British Isles, ADMIRALTY fisheries charts provide specialised information that can be particularly useful to professional fishermen, maritime organisations and users working with fisheries data.

These charts should be used as complementary documents alongside official navigational charts and the regulations currently applicable to the area. Their value is particularly evident when geographical information, seabed characteristics, fishing activity and regulatory constraints need to be considered together.

The “Fisheries Charts” category at Nautic Way Maritime Bookshop is therefore part of a specialised nautical documentation range intended for maritime professionals and anyone requiring a detailed understanding of maritime areas associated with fishing.

FAQ

What is the difference between a fisheries chart and a conventional nautical chart?

A conventional nautical chart is primarily intended for navigation and navigational safety. It represents depths, hazards, aids to navigation, lights, ports and other essential navigational information. A fisheries chart is a thematic chart providing specialised information about fishing activity and fishing grounds.

Can a fisheries chart be used for navigation?

No. A fisheries chart does not replace an official nautical chart suitable for navigation. It is a complementary document intended to provide information about fisheries and the maritime environment associated with fishing.

What is an ADMIRALTY fisheries chart of the British Isles used for?

It provides a geographical representation of fishing areas around the British Isles and places major fishing activity within its wider maritime context. It can be particularly useful for professionals working in the North Sea, Irish Sea, Scottish waters and around the English, Welsh and Northern Irish coasts.

Does the Q2669 fisheries chart cover French waters?

Yes. ADMIRALTY Q2669 covers the Channel Islands and the adjacent coast of France. It therefore covers a maritime area between the Normandy and Brittany coasts and the Channel Islands. ADMIRALTY documentation also refers specifically to Q2669 in connection with Channel Islands fishery limits.

Which maritime areas are covered by the fisheries charts in this category?

The category includes documents covering the Channel Islands, adjacent French coasts and the British Isles. Depending on the individual chart, these areas include the English Channel, the Irish Sea and the North Sea.

Does a fisheries chart show where fishing is permitted?

This depends on the specific content of the chart. A specialised chart may show fishing areas or fisheries information, but current fishing regulations must be checked against the latest official sources. Fishing restrictions, closed seasons and other regulatory measures can change.

What is the relationship between fisheries charts and seabed characteristics?

Seabed characteristics can be an important part of the marine environment associated with fishing. Sedimentological charts provide specific information about different seabed sediments and can therefore complement fisheries charts when studying the physical characteristics of a fishing area.

Are fisheries charts useful for professional fishing?

Yes. They are particularly relevant to professional users who need to analyse a maritime area, study fishing grounds or prepare operations in a specific region. Their use should nevertheless be combined with appropriate navigational charts and current regulatory information.

Are fisheries charts useful to marine scientists?

Yes. Cartographic information relating to fisheries can support fisheries research, marine studies and spatial analysis of fishing activity. Statistical rectangles and sub-rectangles used within the ICES framework also provide a geographical structure for analysing professional fishing data.

Why keep a paper fisheries chart?

A paper fisheries chart provides a broad, independent representation of the area being studied. It does not depend on a screen or electrical power and can be used as a planning, analysis or training reference, alongside electronic and official navigational charts.