Five new plans developed by Defra with the Scottish government mark a shift in how these stocks are managed in English and wider UK waters to protect stocks from overexploitation.
These management plans apply to cockle, queen scallop, Southern North Sea and Channel skates and rays, and Southern North Sea demersal non-quota species, and have been developed in collaboration with the fishing industry and interested parties. The plans set out policies and evidence-based actions designed to protect these economically important fish stocks.
‘Ensuring sustainable fishing is vital to both our marine ecosystems and our coastal economies,’ said Fisheries Minister Dame Angela Eagle.
‘These new Fisheries Management Plans demonstrate our commitment to working hand-in-hand with the fishing industry to secure the long-term future of UK fish stocks and the livelihoods that rely on them – ensuring Britain’s fishing industry remains strong and prosperous for decades to come.’
Examples of actions being considered in the short term include establishing a pilot drift net fishery for sprat in the North Sea and the Channel to test how barriers to fishing opportunities for specific gear types may be removed, and introducing voluntary guidelines for skates and rays to improve species identification.
Defra states that Fisheries Management Plans are developed collaboratively with the fishing industry and other interested stakeholders who have contributed their expertise and experience, ensuring the plans reflect the reality on the ground. The plans will play a vital role in charting a course towards long-term sustainability for our fisheries and the businesses that rely on them, whilst protecting marine ecosystems and strengthening food security across the UK.
NFFO chief executive Mike Cohen commented that fisheries support thousands of jobs, and a sense of place and tradition that lies at the heart of many coastal communities.
‘That hasn’t happened by accident. It takes hard work and constant innovation to keep our fishing industry sustainable and thriving,’ he said.
‘The Fisheries Management Plan programme may be the most ambitious attempt ever made to achieve that. It is detailed, challenging work, built on collaboration, evidence and expertise. There are no shortcuts here and no easy solutions on offer. This is a grown-up approach to an important issue, and – more than ever before – it gives a voice to the people most affected by the decisions being made.
These plans are the next stage in that process and the NFFO looks forward to supporting their ongoing development.’
