According to the certification body, Moody Marine Ltd, the Bristol Channel ray fisheries will now become MSC certified after successful assessment. Initially Moody Marine seeks to open a dialogue with all organisations or individuals with a direct interest in the fishery. The certification body has invited comments or information from the general public who are interested in doing so. This will help the certification body in their assessment process relevant to the status of the stock, ecosystem interactions or fishery management practices.
The main location of the fishery is ICES Area VIIf, East of 4º 30’ West of the Bristol Channel and the fishing method used is otter trawl. As far as the fishery management concern rays are not subject to an EU TAC or UK quota, therefore there are no current restrictions on the quantity landed. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) and the Centre of Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS)
It comes under European and National fisheries legislation, DEFRA/The Marine Fisheries Agency (MFA) as the vessel licensing is under DEFRA/MFA. The local management of the fishery is with Sea Fisheries Committee (SFC) byelaws: Cornwall, Devon and South Wales. It is that Environment Agency (EA) is acting as a SFC in Somerset, the Severn Estuary and tributaries and estuaries in Cornwall.
The main commercial markets are domestic and other EU markets. It is told that the assessment process is expected to take 12 months and is scheduled for completion in or around November 2010. The target eligibility date for this fishery is 1st April 2010.
