Marine Management Organisation
Marine Management Organisation (MMO), on behalf of the UK Fisheries Administrations (UKFAs), have launched a consultation on potential closures to the King scallop dredge fishery.
MMO wants to hear views on options around closing English waters in ICES area 7d and Lyme Bay area of 7e to the king scallop (Pectens maximus) dredge fishery in summer of 2024. The proposed closures are to protect the stock during spawning and limit depletion of the stocks.
The options for proposed 7d king scallop closure are:
- 15 May to 30 September 2024 a closure period that aligns with the EU closure of 7d to the king scallop dredge fishery.
- 1 July and 30 September 2024 the same closure period as 2023.
The proposed 7e king scallop dredge fishery closure is:
- A closure of Lyme Bay (ICES rectangles, 30E6, 30E7, 29E6 and 29E7) aligning to the agreed closure length in ICES area 7d.
- No closure of Lyme Bay within any time period.
MMO are also seeking views on the proposal to implement a closure option in area 7d for a period of two years to make it simpler for fishers to plan their fishing activity in advance.
The closures would apply to EU and UK scallop dredge vessels over 10m in length in 7e and 12m in 7d.
The UKFAs are committed to ensuring fisheries are managed to a level where stocks are healthy and fished sustainably; the marine environment is protected; and economic return for fishers is maximised without impacting stock sustainability.
Scientific surveys have demonstrated that fishing for King scallops is at or close to the maximum sustainable yield and action needs to be taken to ensure it remains a sustainable fishery in the future.