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REVIEW OF CONTROLS ON INSHORE FISHING IN SCOTLAND

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Dear Sir/Madam

REVIEW OF CONTROLS ON INSHORE FISHING IN SCOTLAND

Background

1. The Department's 2001 review of inshore fishing prohibitions made under the Inshore Fishing (Scotland) Act 1984 also asked for suggestions on possible new measures for improving the management of Scotland's inshore fisheries.

2. 17 suggested new prohibitions came from the consultation paper issued on 6 June 2001. These were initially considered by the Department and colleagues in Fisheries Research Services and the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency. A paper was then put to the May 2002 meeting of the Scottish Inshore Fisheries Advisory Group (SIFAG) recommending which of the proposals merited wider consultation and those that should be taken no further. Following that discussion, 4 proposals have been put forward for wider consideration and these are detailed in the annex attached.

Responses and Review Timescale

3. Your comments on the proposals outlined in the attached paper are invited by 23 September. The aim of the Department is to provide the Minister with recommendations as soon as possible after consideration of responses to the consultation and to present an Order under the 1984 Act to the Scottish Parliament before the end of the year. Our recommendations to the Minister will also include those proposals contained in the original consultation document.

4. Responses should be submitted to:

Josie Swan
SEERAD:Sea Fisheries Division
Inshore Fisheries Branch
Room 510
Pentland House
47 Robb's Loan
Edinburgh
EH14 1TY

Fax: 0131-244-6288
e-mail: Josie.Swan@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

5. An electronic version of this document is available on the Scottish Executive Website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk

Confidentiality

6. Further copies of the consultation paper are available on request from SEERAD. Copies of the responses to this consultation will be placed in the Scottish Executive Library for public inspection. Anyone who does not wish their response to be made public should mark it "In Confidence". Copies of non-confidential responses will be available on request from the Library (0131-244-4564) and an administrative charge may be made.

Yours faithfully

M.D. Ritchie
Inshore Fisheries Branch

NEW PROPOSALS MADE DURING THE 2001 INSHORE REVIEW

Proposal 1 - Introduction of a Maximum Landing Size for Lobsters

Although this proposal would be more likely to be introduced under the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967, it merits wider consultation. A maximum landing size for lobsters would afford protection to larger animals and allow them to continue breeding. It is said that such a measure would not unduly concern industry as larger animals do not attract as good a premium as medium sized animals. It has been suggested that a maximum size of 2.5kg should be applied to female animals only.

Proposal 2 - A Ban on the Use of Parlour Creels in the Prawn Fishery

Proposed, it is said, to deal with the impending rather than existing threat of parlour creels in the prawn fishery. The SFPA has said that it is unclear how the prohibition would deal with the inadvertent capture of prawns in a lobster parlour creel for example. The proposers counter that this would not be possible as nephrop grounds are spatially separate from other shellfish grounds.

Proposal 3 - A Minimum Mesh Size for Prawn Creels

Proposed to improve selectivity. Although probably not something which could be progressed under the 1984 Act, the proposal merits wider consultation. FRS suggests it may be a useful initiative although mention that it should not compromise the minimum landing size. The SFPA thinks it may be a good idea but has some concerns about the time consumed in measuring creels. Before the proposal could be introduced in legislation, the proposers have suggested that trials on various mesh sizes should take place. Comments on the principle of the proposal are therefore welcomed.

Proposal 4 - A Ban on White Fish Pair Trawling Around the Western Isles Out to 6 Miles

Proposed as a measure to afford protection to inshore white fish stocks and help their rejuvenation. Originally proposed as an all-Scotland measure, FRS were concerned that there is insufficient information on the decline of inshore white fish stocks to point to the reasons why. A pilot of this sort may improve knowledge prior to a possible wider introduction.

SEERAD
August 2002