The UK's valuable fish stocks will be restored to sustainable
levels alongside action to protect the marine environment and
support jobs in coastal communities, as set out in five Fisheries
Management Plans (FMPs) published by the government today (16
December).
The latest plans cover North Sea and Channel sprat (developed
jointly with the Scottish Government for English and Scottish
waters), cockle, queen scallop, Southern North Sea and Channel
skates and rays, and Southern North Sea demersal non-quota
species.
These species make invaluable contributions to both the
biodiversity of marine ecosystems and coastal communities through
employment. The plans mark a shift in how these stocks are
managed in English and wider UK waters to protect stocks from
overexploitation.
Developed in close 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 and ensure the fishing communities that rely on them can
thrive for generations to come.
Fisheries Minister Dame said:
Ensuring sustainable fishing is vital to both our marine
ecosystems and our coastal economies.
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.
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.
National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations
Chief Executive Mike Cohen said:
The UK's fisheries may be centuries old, but they are still
deeply important. They provide 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.
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.
The government is determined to seize the opportunities ahead for
the UK's fishing sector, ensuring the industry can maximise its
contribution to the country's food security and economic growth.
NOTES
- The Joint Fisheries Statement lists 43 fisheries management
plans to help deliver our obligations under the Fisheries Act
2020, the Joint Fisheries Statement and the England Environmental
Improvement Plan.
- Defra has published six Fisheries Management Plans so far
covering: bass, Channel demersal non-quota species, crab and
lobster, king scallop, Southern North Sea and Eastern Channel
mixed flatfish, and whelk. The latest plans can be found here:
- Fisheries Management Plans will be reviewed at least every
six years and updated to ensure they respond to new evidence and
practical experience to remain effective changing circumstances.
- The sprat plan was prepared jointly with the Scottish
Government and covers sprat fisheries in English and Scottish
waters of the North Sea and English Channel.
- Demersal fish are species living close to the seafloor.
Non-quota species (NQS) are species that do not have quota
allocated to them setting out how much can be landed, and by
whom.
- More information about the Fisheries Management Programme can
be found in the Fisheries
Management Programme blog.
Summary of responses and government response:
