Defra has released six Fisheries Management Plans for consultation alongside a raft of other measures.

In its press release Defra said that ‘the UK is introducing a world class system of fisheries management. This draws on the best available science and the expertise of our fishermen to ensure our fish stocks are healthy and sustainable long into the future.

This new system will be underpinned by Fisheries Management plans (FMPs), with the first six published and out for consultation.’ 

The FMPs cover crab and lobster, whelk, king scallops, bass, channel non-quota demersal stocks and southern North Sea and Eastern channel mixed flat fish. The bass and king scallop FMPs have been developed jointly with the Welsh Government.

The six FMPs so far published are the first of 43 to be published over the next six years in the UK. FMPs will set out the policies and strategic direction for the management of fisheries to ensure fish stocks are restored and maintained at sustainable levels. Each FMP will specify the fish stock, type of fishing, area covered, authority responsible and the indicators to be used for monitoring the effectiveness of the plan.

Mike Cohen, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, said: “Fisheries Management Plans represent a genuinely ambitious attempt to break away from the unsuccessful top-down impositions of the CFP (Common Fisheries Policy) and unite fishers, scientists and regulators in building something new and better.”

Discards, £45.6 million spending and REM

There are also plans to find new ways of reducing discards – throwing unwanted catches of fish back into the sea – as Defra said the EU ban on discards has not been very effective.

Defra is consulting on expanding the use of Remote Elecgtronic Monitoring in English waters, proposing a targeted approach and prioritising the fisheries which would come online in stages over the next five years.

The Government also said it will spend £45.6 million from the UK Seafood Fund to update infrastructure.

Sandeel fishing, bluefin tuna and flyseining

Along with the first six of its management plans, it said will also publish its response to two consultations on sandeel fishing and mitigating flyseining.

Flyseining is a form of trawl fishing on catches where there is no quota and some fishers are concerned the practice is depleting stocks of red mullet, gurnards, squid and other species. In the response published the government has committed to removing a derogation which currently allows a 40mm mesh size to be used for targeted squid fishing – a measure which received clear support from consultation respondents.

The government published a summary of responses to a consultation conducted this year on spatial management measures for industrial sandeel fishing in English waters of the North Sea. A clear majority of respondents supported a proposal of a full closure of sandeel fishing. A full government response and decision will be published in due course.

Defra is also consulting on plans to permit catch and release recreational fisheries for bluefin tuna in the UK, with the aim of having fishing taking place in UK waters from next summer. There are also plans to open a fishery for catching bluefin tuna for sport.

Two joint Wales and England FMPs

Two of the six Plans focus on king scallops and seabass and are joint England and Wales plans.

Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd said:

“I am pleased to be launching these consultations jointly with the UK Government following close collaboration. King scallops and seabass have been prioritised because of their importance to Wales and potential vulnerability.”

Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said: “The UK has some of the finest fish stocks in the world, forming an integral part of healthy marine ecosystems while providing livelihoods, enjoyment and prosperity to coastal communities.”

Consultation links:

Fisheries Management Plans – 17^th July to 1^st October 2023

• The King scallop consultation can be found here in English and here in Welsh.

• The Seabass consultation can be accessed here in English and here in Welsh.

• The consultation on the Channel Demersal Non-Quota Species Fisheries Management Plan can be read here.

• The consultation on the proposed Crab and Lobster FMP is here.

• The consultation on the Southern North Sea & Eastern Channel Mixed Flatfish FMP is here.

• Consultation on the proposed Whelk Fisheries Management Plan can be read here.

Bluefin tuna – 17th July to 4^th September 2023

The consultation for permitting regimes for the recreational targeting of bluefin tuna in UK waters can be found here. 

Discard reform – 17^th July to 9^th October 2023

The consultation on discard reform can be read here.

Remote Electronic Monitoring – 17th July to 9th October 2023

Proposals for expanding the use of remote electronic monitoring in English waters is here.

Further information:

The news was covered in the Independent, Fishing Daily, Jersey Evening Post and Sunday Telegraph [paywall].

The Defra press release with links can be read here and Welsh Government release here.