
Offshore wind and fishing activities: is co-location possible?
In light of the complex needs of the offshore wind and fishing industries, our report for Defra considers what adaptations could feasibly enable co-location
Read articleIn response to requirements set out by fisheries policy authorities, ABPmer has reviewed information to support Defra in the preparation of an English Fisheries Management Plan for queen scallops, now in consultation
Scallops are the third most valuable species in UK fisheries, with landings worth £63 million in 2022 (MMO, 2023). King scallops make up the majority of this, and in comparison, the UK queen scallop fishery was worth £1.8 million in 2022. Given its relatively small size, there is little data available on queen scallop stocks, and limited management measures in place to ensure the stocks are sustainably fished.
The need for sustainable fishing of queen scallop has been recognised by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra); to address this, a queen scallop Fisheries Management Plan development process is underway, and a public consultation has been launched.
In 2022, UK fisheries policy authorities collaborated to produce a Joint Fisheries Statement (JFS), arising from a legal requirement in the Fisheries Act 2020. The JFS sets out the ambition of the UK to continue delivering world class, sustainable management of fisheries and how it will do so.
As stated in the JFS, Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) play a key role in the UK’s commitment to sustainable fishing, as the basis for managing fishing activity so the harvesting of fish stocks remains within sustainable levels.
FMPs are considered by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as a best practice tool for delivering sustainably managed fisheries; they are already in use in many countries, including Canada, Australia, and the United States. The commitment in the JFS to introduce FMPs for 43 stocks in UK waters is an exciting and ambitious opportunity for the UK to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable fisheries management.
The Fisheries Act and the JFS set out the requirements of FMPs, and a list of planned FMPs, including a Queen Scallop FMP for England.
FMPs must include:
The FMPs will also set out how the UK government intends to meet the objectives set out in the Fisheries Act, including considering bycatch interactions, the impact of climate change, and interactions with the wider ecosystem.
While the king scallop fishery in English and Welsh waters was prioritised as a ‘front runner’ FMP by both Defra and Welsh Government, and was published in 2023, the queen scallop FMP process began more recently.
The smaller, less targeted queen scallop fishery falls into the third round of FMPs being developed. Given the variety of fish and shellfish species present in UK waters, Queen scallops in English waters only have been identified as requiring an FMP; Defra is considering how best to implement an England-only management plan for a species fished across multiple devolved administration boundaries.
Defra commissioned ABPmer to provide support in reviewing the currently available information and management for queen scallop fishery. ABPmer’s information review supported Defra in gathering the evidence required to determine whether management measures and approaches applied make a worthwhile contribution to ensuring sustainable harvesting of stocks. The proposed FMP and supporting evidence is currently undergoing public consultation.
ABPmer’s work included:
The recommendations are based on the following criteria:
The development of the queen scallop FMP for English waters will be particularly interesting, given that the stock falls into the management jurisdictions of England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Isle of Man, and that, although only a small number of vessels directly target this species, most are fishing in English waters and landing in Scotland or Isle of Man.
The proposed queen scallop FMP is open to public consultation until 19 January 2025.
This article was first published in April 2024, and has since been updated.
ABPmer supports policy-makers, regulators and the fisheries and aquaculture industry on marine environmental policy matters, assessment and management, including interactions between fisheries, marine protected areas (MPAs) and other marine developments.
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