ICES area 7d and Lyme Bay king scallop dredge fishery closure proposals summer 2024
Read the full outcome
Detail of outcome
On 2 April 2024 the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) acting on behalf of all four UK Fisheries Administrations (UKFAs), following a consultation (7 December 2023 – 14 January 2024), announced a closure to the king scallop (Pectens maximus) dredge fishery from 15 May – 30 September 2024 in ICES division 7d to UK and EU vessels over 10 meters in length and in the Lyme Bay area of 7e to UK and EU vessels over 12 meters in length. On 16 April 2024 a new 2023 CEFAS king scallop stock assessment was published.
MMO is committed to using the best available evidence to support decision-making and although the latest stock assessment from Cefas indicated the stock in area 7d is in a slightly better state than previously understood, due to uncertainties in the data, and evidence of the impact in increased effort observed in May and June of 2023, MMO has decided not to revise the start date of the closure in either area, with the closure in 7d starting on 15 May 2024 for all over 10 metre vessels until 30 September 2024, and the closure of Lyme Bay area of 7e starting on 15 May 2024 until 30 September 2024 for all over 12 metre vessels.
The decision, on behalf of all four Fisheries Administrations, (UKFAs) follows consultation feedback, industry engagement and scientific advice on protecting stocks during spawning.
What happens next? The closure will be enacted by a licence variation.
The variation will include:
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A prohibition to all vessels using scallop dredges over 10 m in length from 15 May - 30 September 2024 in UK waters of ICES division 7d.
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A prohibition to all vessels using scallop dredges over 12 m in length from 15 May - 30 September 2024 in Lyme Bay area of 7e (ICES rectangles 29E6, 29E7, 30E6 and 30E7).
Original consultation
Consultation description
2024 consultation
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO), on behalf of UK Fisheries Administrations (UKFAs), is seeking views on proposals to close English waters in the ICES area 7d and Lyme Bay in ICES area 7e to the king scallop (Pectens maximus) dredge fishery in summer of 2024. The proposed closures in 7d and 7e are to protect the stock during spawning and limit the impact of fishing activity on juvenile settlement.
The options for proposed 7d king scallop closures 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 the chosen management option in area 7d for a period of two years.
The closures would apply to EU and UK scallop dredge vessels over 10m in length in 7e and over 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.
The consultation is open from 7 December 2023 to 14 February 2024. To respond to this consultation and access further information, please see here.
What happens next?
MMO will review all the information received during the consultation and will publish a summary of the responses and the decision on whether to close the king scallop fishery, when and which vessels will be affected. Any closure will be enacted by a licence variation.
2023 consultation
Review the consultation and decision documents for the 2023 consultation below.
The consultation document for 2023 can be found here:
Contact information
Fisheries Management Team
Telephone: 0300 123 1032
E-mail: effort@marinemanagement.org.uk
Documents
Updates to this page
Last updated 17 May 2024 + show all updates
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Update
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Details of outcome updated.
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Updated decision document May 2024 added.
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Final outcome update.
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First published.